Monsieur Bergeroo of Orthez, in the Pyrénées Atlantique department (that’s right, the town were my wife and I have recently purchased a home for our retirement) is once again competing in the Concours National, the competition to find the largest pumpkin in France. Evidently, the Bergeroo family is known for really big pumpkins; according to a recent article in local newspaper La République des Pyrénées, members of the Bergeroo family have entered pumpkins in the Concourse National for the last 3 years in a row. Those pumpkins weighed in at 318 kg (2008), 407 kg (2009, 5th largest in France that year) and 326.5 kg (2010).
This year’s offering has not yet been weighed officially, and pressed for a prediction, M. Bergaroo declined to speculate on his chances, noting that some of his competition uses “high tech methods”.
Win or loss, the Bergeroo’s “challenger” will be on display for the month following the judging at LeClerc supermarket in Orthez. LeClerc, who are unofficial sponsers of Monsieur Bergaroo’s championship try, volunteered the use of their delivery truck for transport of the pumpkin to the Concours National, which takes place in the Vendée in Northwestern France.