Division 5.1 Specificity of the geographical area

The geographical area of the PDO ‘Oignon doux des Cévennes’ extends principally over granitic and schistose rocks on the southeast edge of the Massif Central and, in particular, along the slopes of the massif de l’Aigoual (1 565 m). The climate, which is Mediterranean, is characterised by summer drought and large amounts of rainfall in the autumn and to a lesser extent in the spring, the average being 1 500 mm. Temperatures also fluctuate greatly. There is plenty of sunshine in the summer, while the weather is rather cold from autumn to spring, with occasional snowfall. The average annual temperature is 12-13 °C.

The hilly topography of Cévennes consists of ridges, the ‘serres’, that alternate with deep and narrow valleys that are oriented towards the northwest/southeast, the ‘valats’. The slope effect on these steep slopes leads to marked climatic contrasts, and the strong equinox rains accentuate erosion, sometimes causing devastating floods. In order to manage this topography, Cévennes farmers have transformed the slopes into terraces by identifying slightly deeper silted-up land and by building over large areas walls made of dry stones, a typical feature of the Cévennes landscape.