Solliès Black Figs
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Figue de Solliès AOP — the only French fig to hold a protected designation of origin, and one of very few fruits of any kind to carry the appellation. These are Bourjassotte Noire figs, grown in and around Solliès-Pont in the Var department of southeastern Provence, where the combination of hot, dry summers, limestone-influenced soils, and the sheltering effect of the Massif des Maures creates conditions that no other French growing region replicates for this variety.
The Bourjassotte Noire is a late-maturing fig with a notably thick, dark violet skin marked with black veining. The skin acts as natural protection during handling and transport, which is part of the reason this variety was selected for AOP status — it can be picked fully ripe and still arrive intact. That matters, because most commercial figs are harvested underripe to survive logistics, and an underripe fig is a fundamentally different product. A Solliès fig picked at full maturity has a deep red, almost jammy interior flecked with pale seeds, and a sweetness balanced by a gentle tartness that prevents it from being one-dimensional.
The aromatic profile carries notes of red fruit — strawberry and watermelon are the most commonly cited — along with a honeyed quality that intensifies as the fig reaches peak ripeness. The flesh is soft and yielding but not watery, with a texture that holds together when sliced.
Under AOP rules, the figs must be hand-harvested and meet strict criteria for size, sugar content, and visual quality. The harvest window runs from late July through September.
Origin: Solliès-Pont, Var, Provence, France (AOP).
Ingredients: Black figs (Ficus carica, Bourjassotte Noire variety).