The flowered almond trees, greens, almonds, or dry almonds… Discover in Alleins a tasty heritage.
Do you know that Alleins was a fiefdom of the almond?
Nowadays there are still many almond trees and every September there is the celebration of the almond.
And what’s better than flowered almond trees to announce spring? Visitors can come in February in Alleins to admire and take pictures of the trees.
A little bit of story.
The people of Provence harbour deep affection for the delightful flavour of their region especially almonds and the ones which come out from the fruit. Almonds can be eaten whole, roasted, sliced, or ground adding in a cream or milk. Almond tree holds a special place in the hearts of its inhabitants.
Native to Asia, the almond tree is very sensitive to the cold and needs sun to grow. It thrives in rocky soils with a sunny climate characterised by hot summers and mild winters. That’s why the almond tree is particularly well suited to regions with a Mediterranean climate, especially here in Provence.
In Alleins, until the 19th century, almond growing was one of the main crops. The almond trade was already important in King René’s century (15th century) and in 1882, the 431 almond trees planted represented a third of the arable land in Alleins. Almond trees have made Alleins rich and famous. In fact, the people of Alleins were nicknamed ‘Couguiéus’ after the resin produced by the nuts of the almond tree!
Even the castle hill seems to form an almond, around which the village has been built over the centuries.
Today, a young almond grove stretches out at the foot of the village’s northern ramparts. Formerly a cherry orchard, the almond grove has been replanted by the village’s schoolchildren to revive the tradition of growing almonds in Alleins.
The Almond Festival takes place the last weekend of September
This festive and joyous event is designed to showcase the almond tree, its fruit, by-products, and regional and craft products. Don’t hesitate to join the locals for this festival.
If you share my love for this dried fruit, then you simply can’t resist! From 10 AM to 6 PM, indulge in a leisurely stroll through the craft and local produce stalls at Place de la Republique, embarking on a flavour journey.
Visitors can immerse themselves in a myriad of free activities including educational, cultural, and musical events, as well as cooking and art workshops for children.
