Eating fruit and vegetables in season is much more than just a culinary habit: it's an approach that transforms your daily life. Rediscover the real taste of food, lighten your shopping budget, support local producers and reduce your environmental footprint.. So many tangible benefits from a simple but coherent choice.
This season calendar is a month-by-month guide to help you easily identify the products you should be choosing, organise your purchases efficiently and reduce food waste. Adapted to the specific regional characteristics and climatic variations of mainland France, it invites you to consume with common sense, cook with pleasure and get back in touch with the natural rhythm of the seasons.
Spring fruit and vegetables (March to May)
Spring marks the awakening of nature and the arrival of the first fresh harvests after winter. It's the season of tender young shoots, crisp green vegetables and the first delicate flavours that herald the fine weather.
| Vegetables | Fruit | Pulses |
| Garlic Beetroot Swiss chard Broccoli Carrot Celery (stalk and root) Cabbage (all varieties: cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, red cabbage, head cabbage) Squash (Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Butternut) Crosne Endive Spinach Frisée / Lamb's lettuce (autumn salads) Turnip Onion Parsnips Leek Potatoes (ware) Radishes (winter varieties) Salsifi Jerusalem artichoke Mushroom (Cèpe, Girolle, Champignon de Paris) | Dry almond Chestnut Lemon Clémentine Quince Fig Grenada Khaki Kiwi Tangerine Hazelnut Nuts Orange Grapefruit Pear Apple Plum Grape Rhubarb (end of season) | Lens |
Summer fruit and vegetables (June to August)
Summer explodes with colour, flavour and generosity. It's the most abundant season, when the stalls overflow with sun-drenched produce, perfect for light, refreshing meals.
| Vegetables | Fruit | Cereals & Pulses |
| Garlic Artichoke Asparagus (end of season in June) Aubergine Beetroot Swiss chard Broccoli Carrot Celeriac Cabbage (white, red, romanesco) Cucumber Squash (early season) Courgette Spinach Fennel Frisée (salad) Green bean Lettuce Turnip Onion Peas (start of season in June) Peppers Early potatoes Radish | Apricot Fresh almonds / Dry almonds Goji berry Brugnon Cassis Cherry (short season, until July) Lemon Fig Strawberry Raspberry Redcurrant Melon Mirabelle Blackberry Blueberry Nectarine Hazelnut Grapefruit Watermelon Fishing Pear Apple Prune / Pruneau Rhubarb Tomato (often considered a vegetable, but botanically a fruit) Grapes (end of season) | Oats (winter and spring) Wheat (hard and soft) Beans and field beans White bean Maize Barley (winter and spring) Peas (dry) Quinoa Rye |
Autumn fruit and vegetables (September to November)
Autumn heralds the transition to warmer, more comforting flavours. It's the season of bountiful harvests, root vegetables and colourful squash that invite you to make creamy soups and simmering dishes.
| Vegetables | Fruit | Cereals & Pulses |
| Garlic / Shallot Beetroot Swiss chard Broccoli Cardon Carrot Celery (stalk and root) Cabbage (white, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, romanesco, red) Squash (Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Butternut, other varieties) Crosne Endive Spinach Fennel Frisée / Lamb's lettuce (autumn salads) Lettuce Turnip Onion Parsnips Sweet potato Leek Potatoes (ware) Radish Rutabaga Salsifi Jerusalem artichoke | Almonds (fresh and dried) Goji berry Chestnut Lemon Clémentine Quince Fig Raspberry (end of season) Khaki Kiwi Tangerine Blackberry Blueberry (end of season) Hazelnut Nuts Orange Peach / Nectarine (early season) Physalis Pear Apple Plum / Mirabelle plum / Prune Grape Tomato (end of season) | White bean Lens Maize Quinoa Rice Buckwheat Soya Sunflower |
Winter fruit and vegetables (December to February)
Winter invites us to warm up with nutritious, vitamin-packed dishes. Hardy vegetables such as cabbages and leeks dominate the markets.
| Vegetables | Fruit | Cereals & Pulses |
| Garlic / Shallot Beetroot Carrot Celery (stalk and root) Cabbage (white, Brussels sprouts, curly, red, cauliflower) Squash (Butternut, Pumpkin, Spaghetti squash, etc.) Crosne Endive Spinach Frisée / Lamb's lettuce (winter salads) Turnip Onion Parsnips Leek Potatoes (ware) Radish Rutabaga Salsifi Jerusalem artichoke | Dry almond Chestnut Citrus fruit (Lemon, clementine, mandarin, orange, grapefruit, grapefruit-apple) Khaki (end of season) Kiwi Physalis Pear Apple | Oats (winter and spring) Wheat (hard and soft) Beans and field beans Lens Barley (winter and spring) Peas Rye |
Why choose seasonal fruit and vegetables?
Opting for seasonal produce is much more than a passing trend. It's a choice that combines taste pleasure, substantial savings and environmental responsibility, while creating a direct link with those who grow our food.
Authentic flavours and preserved nutritional benefits
Fruit and vegetables harvested when fully ripe develop incomparable aromas and retain their nutrients better. This natural freshness is also reflected in your budget: when harvests are plentiful, prices naturally fall. On the other hand, eating strawberries in winter means excessive production costs (heated greenhouses, long-distance transport), which are reflected in the final price and lower quality.
Reduced environmental impact
Respecting the harvest calendar means reducing your ecological footprint. Local, seasonal production requires less energy: no intensive heating of greenhouses, no artificial lighting, no transport. This approach also encourages more diversified agriculture, preserves the biodiversity of our terroirs and naturally generates less packaging.
Supporting local producers
Buy in short circuits enables farmers to make better use of their labour and to obtain fairer remuneration. Farm sales and weekly baskets are examples of this new way of consuming: more flexible, respectful of the rhythm of the harvest and naturally anti-gaspi. By adapting to what really grows in your region, you are playing an active part in ensuring the long-term future of local agriculture.
FAQ
Les fruits et légumes de saison sont considérés comme meilleurs pour plusieurs raisons : * **Saveur et fraîcheur accrues :** Les produits de saison sont généralement récoltés à maturité, ce qui leur confère une saveur plus riche et plus intense. Ils n'ont pas subi de longs transports ni de stockage prolongé, ce qui préserve leur fraîcheur. * **Profil nutritionnel amélioré :** Les fruits et légumes qui poussent et mûrissent naturellement au moment opportun ont tendance à contenir plus de vitamines, de minéraux et d'antioxydants. Après la récolte, la teneur en nutriments de nombreux fruits et légumes commence à diminuer. * **Coût réduit :** Lorsque les fruits et légumes sont abondants et faciles à cultiver, ils sont généralement moins chers à l'achat. * **Avantages pour l'environnement :** La consommation de produits de saison réduit la nécessité de cultures sous serre chauffées ou de transports sur de longues distances, ce qui diminue l'empreinte carbone associée à leur production et à leur distribution. * **Soutien à l'économie locale :** Acheter des produits de saison soutient souvent les agriculteurs locaux et les marchés communautaires. * **Variété et découverte :** Adapter son alimentation aux saisons permet de découvrir une plus grande variété de fruits et légumes tout au long de l'année, rendant l'alimentation plus intéressante et équilibrée.
Eating seasonally guarantees products tastier, better balanced nutritionallyand cheaper when harvests are abundant. It's also a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint.
Why are out-of-season fruits not as good?
Out-of-season fruits are less good for several reasons: lack of taste and nutrients, high ecological footprint, and increased exposure to pesticides. It is therefore recommended to favour seasonal fruits and vegetables for better nutritional quality and even reduce your environmental impact by limiting the use of additional resources for conservation.
Here are some fruits and vegetables to favour in winter if you want to eat locally: **Vegetables:** * Cabbage (various types like white, red, Savoy) * Brussels sprouts * Leeks * Kale * Root vegetables: * Carrots * Parsnips * Turnips * Swede (Rutabaga) * Potatoes * Jerusalem artichokes * Onions * Garlic * Shallots * Pumpkins and squashes (can be stored from autumn) * Celery (celeriac) * Spinach (in milder climates or under cover) * Chicory and endives **Fruits:** * Apples (stored from autumn) * Pears (stored from autumn) * Kiwifruit (in some regions) * Berries like cranberries (if grown locally)
Winter showcases rustic vegetables such as leek, the Cabbage, the parsnip, the Courges, the beetroot, the Chew or Turnip. When it comes to fruit, make way for Citrus, to the apple, to the Pear and kiwi.
Can we eat seasonally all year round?
Yes: each season offers enough variety to cook without monotony, from spring with its new vegetables, to summer rich in juicy fruits, right through to winter's root vegetables. The key is to adapt your habits and prioritise local supply chains..
Which vegetables are available all year round?
Certains vegetables known as “storage” vegetables are available for much of the year: Carrot, potato, cabbage, beetroot, onion, leek, celeriac, etc. Their “natural” season varies, but they keep for a long time.
How to reduce waste by eating seasonally?
Prioritising seasonality allows for the planning of menus adapted to harvest volumes, the purchase of fresher products that keep better, and a move towards:
- preservation (lacto-fermentation, freezing, sterilisation),
- Waste-saving recipes,
- local varieties that are less standardised but just as tasty.
How can I tell if a fruit or vegetable is truly in season in my local area?
The season sometimes depends on the region, the local climate, and the varieties grown. The simplest way to check the seasonal fruits and vegetables in your region is to buy directly from local producers, AMAPs, or open-air markets.