The plum (prune when fresh / pruneau when dried in French) was a fruit I remember not loving so much when I was younger growing up in the USA. This has changed as the years have passed and I have to thank our garden mostly! Our home in Bazas has a myriad of plum trees, all fruiting in about a month from start to finish. 2026 has been an amazing year for the fruit in our garden, even with the drought. We are about to start making jam to keep up with all of the produce!
HISTORY OF THE PLUM IN FRANCE
As you can see by the last photo below, we have quite a range of stone fruits at home. I have to give thanks to prior owners plantings throughout the years. There are over 40 known plum varieties known.
I’m partial to the Reine Claude (Reine=Queen in English), which is most typically green but comes in other colors. The reign claude are more meaty than some of the smaller varieties. The story behind the name is one of my favourites. Known scientifically as greengages in England, the name in France of ‘Reign Claude’ stems from the Queen in the 1500’s. The fruit was gifted to her husband, the French King Francois I by Soliman le Magnifique, the Ottoman leader at the time. Reign Claude was noted for being incredibly kind and generous, very ‘sweet’.
Plums arrived from the East into Western Europe, following the typical route of many fruits and spices in history. Some varieties are even called the Japanese plum, due to their origins. Larger plums tend to be more popular in Asia, while what are currently considered ‘European varieties’ are the smaller varieties. I see more of the small plums in French markets. My Sicilian family origins includes the last name Mirabella and when I suggested it as a second name for our daughter my husband said it reminded him too much of a prune variety (mirabelle in French). It was scratched from the list!
HOW TO ENJOY PLUMS
When choosing plums, use those with softer flesh for eating fresh and in pastries, with firmer flesh for preserves or drying. One of the more classical ways to enjoy plum season is a clafoutis, a simple dessert which can be made with any number of fruits. This might have been one of my favorite desserts when I was younger. There are plenty of different tartes and cakey sweets you can incorporate plums into.
A classic fruit tarte with creme patissiere, halved and sliced prunes, topped with a glaze is another great way to use them. I find a crumble and ice cream the perfect summer marriage. Manets painting of a woman staring into her bowl of plums offers another suggestion, plums in a simple syrup. At the end of the day, a fresh plum is good on its own!
What are your favorite ways to enjoy plum season? Send me your ideas and photos to share! Bises x Anne
WHERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PLUMS AND PRUNES IN FRANCE
Locally, Agen is famous for its dried plums, pruneau. You can visit the many farms and even the ecomusee to learn how they are made! We actually really loved the visit and brought home some nice prunes. Agen, in the land of Prunes – Aquitaine Travel Guide
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