Clients holidaying in one of our luxury villas for rent in Saint Tropez over the next few weeks should not be surprised if they spot a number of people walking through woodland hugging baskets to their chests.
For late September and October are the months of ‘mushrooming’ in the South of France, and weekends for many during this time of year are taken up hunting for ‘champignons’ of all shapes and sizes.
Incredibly, more than 3,000 varieties of mushrooms grow in France, and the fields and forests surrounding many of our most exclusive properties for rent in Saint Tropez are packed full of edible fungus at this time of year.
But those staying in one of our exclusive Saint Tropez rentals should be aware that there is certain ‘mushrooming’ etiquette when it comes to picking the much-loved vegetables in the forests of Provence.
So, our team at St Tropez House has put together a few guidelines to keep you out of trouble:
- Do not enter any private property to pick mushrooms.
- In some places there is a limit to how many mushrooms you can pick on any one day. It is worth checking with the local mairie to check the rules before you start.
- Make sure you get your collection of mushrooms checked by a local expert before you tuck in. Most pharmacies have trained staff to help detect toxic and poisonous mushrooms, some of which can actually be fatal if eaten.
- Ask around for the best place to go for mushrooms, although don’t be surprised if some people refuse to divulge where they head to find the best crops. Mushrooming is a competitive sport in France, and some locals will be reticent to share.
- When you find the mushrooms, cut them at the base using a knife so you do not damage the mycelia.
- Store your collection in a wicker basket and not in a plastic bag as this will spoil the mushrooms.
- When you get back to luxury villa, keep the mushrooms in the fridge to keep them fresh and ideally eat them within a few days. Mushrooms should be cooked, and not eaten raw.
Happy Mushrooming!
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