Of the Charentais-type variety, a melon with a smooth or netted grey/green to yellow peel and orange flesh and a minimum weight of 450 g.

Whole, healthy, fresh-looking, firm, clean, of good quality; the peduncle of fruit harvested with their peduncle attached must be less than 2 cm.

The melon must have a refractive index of at least 11° Brix.

‘Melon du Quercy’ is put up for sale whole and packaged. For each package, the weight of the biggest melon may not exceed by more than 30 % the weight of the smallest.

The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only melons that have reached appreciably the same degree of development and ripeness and are of appreciably the same colour.

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‘Melon du Quercy’ is cultivated in the geographical area of the PGI.

The approval, sorting and packaging take place in the geographical area of the PGI.

In order to guarantee the quality of the product, these operations must be carried out very rapidly so that the product can be placed on the market within six days of the harvest.

Approval and sorting are carried out in the geographical area, because these stages are essential for successfully selecting melons that qualify for the PGI. These operations are carried out by trained operators capable of judging when the melon is fully ripe on the basis of the peel’s colour and the sugar content as measured by refractometry.

Packaging, too, takes place in the geographical area, because it is done simultaneously with sorting and approval so as to limit the frequency of handling, which may affect the qualities of ‘Melon du Quercy’. Furthermore, traceability is ensured by identifying the melons and the packages individually using the ‘Melon du Quercy’ logo as well as by specific stock accounting.

name of product: ‘Melon du Quercy’ the PGI logo or the indication ‘Indication Géographique Protégée’ the ‘Melon du Quercy’ logo on each fruit.

It is characterised by a climate with an alternation of ocean (cool and wet) and Mediterranean (hot and dry) influences that produce large temperature ranges. This temperate climate is well suited to growing the melon.

The land used has clay-limestone soil. These types of soil are particularly well adapted to the cultivation of the melon.

‘Melon du Quercy’ is of the Charentais-type variety, which has a smooth, netted peel with more or less prominent grooves/furrows.

It has an orange flesh that is juicy and both firm and tender.

The selection of varieties according to agronomic and aromatic criteria (flavour, taste, etc.) linked to the clay-limestone soils, typical climate and harvesting criteria (fully ripe) are key factors in obtaining fruit that live up to their potential: sweet flavour (11° Brix minimum), well-developed fragrances and tastes, sustained and characteristic aromas.

The soil and climatic conditions of the geographical area contribute to the production of aromatic fruit.

On the one hand, the clay-limestone soils with their balanced and well-aerated structure enable steady growth of the plants and an optimal mineral balance for the fruit.

On the other hand, the specific climate of Quercy affects the setting, thus maximising the number of fruit per foot. This way each fruit is better nourished. At the same time, the Mediterranean influences (hot and dry), especially during the summer, promote the ripening of the fruit.

The quality of ‘Melon du Quercy’ is also based on the ancient know-how of the operators involved in the production of ‘Melon du Quercy’. This is evident in their ability to select varieties specifically adapted to the production area, in the harvesting of fully ripe fruit and in an optimal timetable for preparing the melons after harvesting.

The reputation of the melon was established when operators identified ‘Melon du Quercy’ already back in 1994. The many events surrounding the marketing of the melon contribute to its reputation, for example the festival of Belfort du Quercy held in mid-August or the opening of the season in July 1994 at the prefecture of Lot, which received much attention in the local press. In July 1996, La Dépêche du Midi ran an article entitled ‘l’excellence du Melon du Quercy’.