Frédéric Morlot and Linda Blandin ('Lilli and Fred') grow exotic fruits in their 11 large greenhouses at Les Arts Verts in Torreilles (Pyrénées-Orientales) near Perpignan.
They originally set up business in 1994 as horticulturalists and gardeners, selling plants and designing outdoor green spaces.
Varieties of passion fruitLes Arts Verts
"But we were inspired by a period of working in La Réunion," says Frédéric.
"And when we came back to France, we decided to change everything and grow exotic fruits right here in France, despite the climate being completely different. Everyone said we'd never manage it but despite the naysayers we have succeeded."
Their production is completely organic. "We have solar panels on the roofs of the greenhouses but they supply power, they don't heat the greenhouses."
They grow miniature Lontan bananas. "Most of the bananas you see in the shops are the large Cavendish variety, but Lontans have a better flavour."
They also produce passion fruits, vanilla, dragon fruit, sugar cane, combava (a bit like a lime, the peel and leaves are valued for their citrus flavour) and taro shoots (a tuber with mildly nutty-flavoured leaves and shoots).
Citronella, mangos, guavas, pineapple, ginger, and papaya are also included in the list of exotic plants.
The range of products from Les Arts VertsLes Arts Verts
Originally from Lorraine, Frédéric has always been a horticulturalist while Linda began her working life as a nurse.
They revel as much in their production of exotic plants as in their latest venture – rum.
"Because we grow sugar cane, we decided to see if we could make rum in partnership with the nearby Distillerie Nitos, and in fact it won a prize at the So Rhum salon in Bordeaux," he says.
"The cane we grow here has a special flavour, and makes delicious rum. We call it Can-Cat – 'Can' for sugar cane and 'Cat' for Catalan."
The couple sell their products in their farm boutique on Saturday mornings, and also have an online boutique selling products they make from their exotic harvests. The choice includes pickled banana flowers, preserved chillies, nasturtium flower jelly, exotic patés, and syrups, chutneys, flavoured vinegars, guava fruit jam, powdered vanilla, turmeric, ginger and chilli, and vanilla sticks as well as extract.
They also make flavoured waters and essential oils (including a mosquito-repelling roll-on), herbal teas and infusions, and a selection of products from other local producers.
