production. Orchards are small, mostly less than 12 acres. Fruit production is localized on the Mediterranean plain 
and along river valleys extending west into the mountains. Deciduous fruit trees and grape vines or vegetables are 
intermixed in many fields. Newer orchards in the valleys are mainly solid plantings. Some solid plantings are 
intermixed with vegetables while the trees are small. 
The Departments of Hérault and Gard cover approximately 3 million acres on the northeastern end of the 
Languedoc region. This has been a poor region where agriculture traditionally has been devoted to grape cultivation. 
However, a massive irrigation project being developed by the National Company for the development of the Lower 
Rhone and Languedoc districts (CNARBRL) is transforming the entire agricultural economy of the area. The 
company resells land it acquires to producers and provides technical assistance in the planting and care of new 
orchards. Orchards are mostly 25-50 acres of solid-planted fruits. 
Provence-Cote d’Azur-Corsica.—The Provence-Céte d’Azur-Corsica region comprises seven Departments in 
southeastern France—Basse Alpes, Hautes Alpes, Alpes Maritimes, Bouches du Rhone, Var, Vaucluse, and Corsica. 
Terrain is similar to that of the Languedoc region except that the coastal plain becomes much narrower as it 
progresses eastward. Interior valleys and plateaux enjoy a continental Mediterranean climate, while the sea influences 
climate along the coastal plain. 
Commercial production is oriented primarily toward the fresh market, and only a small amount of mainland 
tonnage from areas bordering the Languedoc region is normally used for canning. A canned fruit industry is planned 
to handle the tree fruit acreage being developed along the eastern coast of Corsica. 
Fruit production and acreage 
Commercial production of deciduous fruit for the fresh market and for processing is expected to increase in 
the next few years. Plantings of peaches have generally been heavy in the Languedoc region and in Corsica. Plantings 
of apricots in Hérault and Gard have been pretty well balanced by the acreage decline in Pyrenées-Orientales. 
The trend toward planting clingstone peaches is evident in the major fruit-growing areas. Clingstone acreage 
has risen from a 1962 total of less than 100 acres to almost 4,500 acres. Production of clingstone peaches is forecast 
at over 50,000 tons by 1973 and is expected to reach a larger scale in Hérault and Gard than in either 
Pyrénées-Orientales or Corsica. 
Production of peaches and cherries is expected to increase slowly during the next few years in 
Pyrenees-Orientales. Clingstone peach plantings have been increasing, but the area is expected to remain heavily 
oriented to the fresh market because its southern climate allows harvest of fruit suitable for sale in the fresh market 
10 to 15 days before other French production areas. 
Many producers, therefore, aim at the generally high returns of the early fresh market. Current plantings of 
Golden Delicious apples are also aimed at the fresh market. Not much change can be expected in the composition of 
the very small intermixed orchards of fruits and grapevines or vegetables bordering Perpignan. Construction of a 
planned dam near Prades, however, would open approximately 7,500 acres to fruit and vegetable production and 
accelerate planting of clingstone peaches. 
Substantial plantings of apricots and cherries are being made in Herault and Gard as irrigation water becomes 
available. Approximately 40 percent of the apricot acreage and 28 percent of the cherry acreage in Gard is 
nonbearing. Total solid-planted peach acreage in Gard increased almost five times, from 2,965 acres to 14,300 acres, 
between 1961 and 1967. In 1967, 39 percent of the total Gard peach acreage was still nonbearing. Gard is France’s 
largest producer of clingstone peaches. Clingstone peach area there now totals 2,471 acres, one-half of which was 
planted during 1966 and 1967. Heavy plantings of apples for the fresh market and pears for both the fresh market 
and for processing have been made in the Gard during recent years. Approximately 35 percent of the pear acreage 
and 17 percent of the apple acreage is nonbearing. Golden Delicious accounts for over 70 percent of all apple 
acreage. 
Corsica is concentrating on increasing peach acreage on a smaller scale. Acreage in 1966, at 1,112 acres, was 
more than double that of 1961. Clingstone peach acreage now totals 494 acres, surpassed only by Gard and 
Pyrénées-Orientales. 
