Tips for choosing ripe watermelons and melons this summer

Guides for selecting summer fruits stress visual and tactile cues. For watermelons, buyers should look for a relatively matte skin, well‑defined stripes, and a creamy‑yellow ground spot rather than a stark white patch. The fruit should feel heavy for its size and produce a hollow sound when tapped, indicating high water content.

Melon selection relies on similar indicators: a heavier fruit usually signals juiciness, while a small scar near the stem and a sweet aroma suggest ripeness. The rind should yield gently to pressure without becoming soft. French agricultural authorities also note that certain protected‑origin melons—such as those from Guadeloupe, Haut‑Poitou, Haut Quercy, and Cavaillona—tend to meet higher quality standards.