The Carré de Lagnes bell pepper was once cultivated near Lagnes, Robion, Velleron, and in the French department of the Vaucluse, but its culture disappeared in the 1960s.
“A fresh ripe bell pepper can be consumed like a tomato, it is the same!,” claims Dominique, who took up the challenge to bring back the production of Carré de Lagnes bell peppers. “When there are no problems, it is a wonderful plant, but we have some problems with the roots. Back then, the producers lost their harvest and turned to a decent hybrid variety which was easier to produce.”
“I got the first seeds in 1989. We were in search of more special products, so I asked the mother of a school friend if she still grew Carré de Lagnes peppers. That is how I renewed the seed production.”
For 5 years, a Lagnes farmers’ organization has selected the best specimens in order to register the variety in the official catalog.
For nearly two years now, METRO (a supplier to independent restaurants in France) has been in charge of marketing Dominique’s Carré de Lagnes bell peppers “so that they can be noticed by restaurant owners, for those who would want to use the product.” According to Philippe, manager of METRO in Avignon, “it is a pleasure to introduce it to our restaurants and to promote small producers who want to bring back forgotten vegetables.”
You can watch a (French) video on brut.media.