👉 Want to share a beautiful nature outing in Île-de-France? The farms and pickings around Paris open their orchards and vegetable gardens to harvest good seasonal fruits, fresh vegetables and pretty bouquets of flowers yourself. A healthy and friendly getaway to enjoy with the family, from the Yvelines to the Seine-et-Marne.
Family harvest calendar
The fruits and vegetables to be picked vary from one farm to another. Harvests may be subject to climatic hazards. It is advisable to consult the calendar of the picking farm you wish to visit, before the visit. The fruits and vegetables in the table below are those most often found on picking farms. Most picking farms are open from April to November.
| Spring (April/May) | Fruits: Early 🍓 strawberries (under cover). Vegetables: Radishes, spinach, lettuce, first spring onions Flowers: Peonies, tulips |
| June and July | Fruits: Field strawberries 🍓, cherries 🍒, currants 🍇, blackcurrants, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, first apricots 🍑 Vegetables: Tomatoes (round, cherry, heirloom), 🍅 zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, peppers Flowers : carnations, roses 🌹 |
| August and September | Fruits: Early apples, pears, plums (mirabelle plums), first ripe. Vegetables: Tomatoes 🍅, eggplant 🍆, summer squash, corn 🌽, potatoes 🥔, carrots 🥕 Flowers: Sunflowers 🌻, dahlias |
| In the autumn (October and November) | Fruits: Autumn 🍎 apples, late pears, quinces Vegetables: Squash, pumpkins and pumpkins (Halloween), 🎃 cabbages, leeks, turnips |
Picking farms in Yvelines (78)
Autumn is the ideal time to pick apples! Enough to make good pies when you get home with your child or compote for the whole family and for the whole winter (it freezes very well). At Halloween time, it’s pumpkin picking in Ile-de-France. The opportunity to organize a pumpkin carving workshop with the children. In summer, it will be jam time.
Picking farms in the Val-de-Marne (94)
Equipped with boots and warm clothes in the fall, cap, sunglasses and sunscreen in summer or spring, let’s go for a morning or afternoon of picking! Back home for pies, jams, cakes and preparation of the meal with the family.
Frequently Asked Questions
The picking season usually runs from April to October. Families especially enjoy the month of June for strawberries and the September-October period for Halloween apples, squash and pumpkins. It is advisable to check the harvest calendar of each farm before travelling.
La Cueillette de Gally (Yvelines) is one of the most accessible: it is located near the Saint-Cyr l’École train station (RER C), followed by a short bus ride. La Cueillette de Torcy (Seine-et-Marne) is also close to Paris, accessible via the RER A. For an urban option, micro-farms and shared gardens in Paris intra-muros sometimes offer one-off harvests.
Yes, picking is an ideal early learning activity as soon as the child walks. Farms such as those in Gally or Viltain even offer educational trails or access to the farm to see the animals (cows, chickens), thus completing the harvest outing. Bring boots for the little ones on rainy days.
Entry to the harvesting area is usually free. You only pay for what you have harvested, based on a weight or piece rate.
Most of the large pickings have a local market or a shop. You will find fresh products from the farm: fruit juices, jams, honeys, cheeses, dairy products from the milking of the day (as in Viltain) and sometimes even flowers to cut yourself.
The Île-de-France hides wonderful agricultural estates! The Gally farms in Versailles or the famous Viltain picking in Jouy-en-Josas are little paradises. You will find large, easy-to-access alleys where your children can harvest strawberries, tomatoes or salads themselves.
To bite into sweet and juicy apples, the appointment is from the end of August to the end of October! The orchards of Île-de-France are overflowing with gourmet varieties (Reine des Reinettes, Golden, Jonagold…). It’s an autumn walk that our little ones love.
Don’t worry about small oversights! The farms provide you with colourful wheelbarrows free of charge (the great game of our little ones!), light baskets and secure pruning shears for flowers. However, you can bring your own tote bags for the return.
Yes, and it’s often the children’s favourite surprise! The Viltain harvest has a magnificent dairy farm where you can watch the cows being milked every afternoon. The Gally farms are home to adorable goats, sheep and chickens to pamper.
This is one of the great pleasures of these nature outings: access to the fields and orchards is completely free and free! You only pay at the cash register for the fruits, vegetables or pretty wild flowers that you have harvested yourself. A healthy activity that is very easy on the budget.
Educational farms (with animals)
Sheep, cows, chickens, goats, horses and ducks are the animals that children will be able to discover in the educational farms. Admission costs only a few euros. Admission is free for some (such as the Paris farm). Most of them organise workshops for children during the highlights of the year (Easter, Halloween, Christmas).
Castles around Paris
Plan the whole day or a big day if you really want to enjoy the place (visiting the castle and walking in the park or garden). There are a dozen beautiful castles in Ile de France, including the castle of Versalles.
Les parcs d’attractions
With very young children, we recommend the Mer de sable. With teenagers, rather the Parc Astérix. Disneyland is perfect for the whole family whatever the age of the children.
