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The scent of marzipan wafts through the air as confectioners from a century-old company in southern France prepare calissons<\/em>, one of Provence\u2019s famed sweets made from candied melon and crushed almonds.<\/p>\n French producers have, over the past decade, sought to revive almond production, and the traditional gourmet treat \u2013 first introduced in Provence under King Rene in the 15th century \u2013 is now increasingly made with locally grown almonds.<\/p>\n But production declined in the mid-20th century, with the overnight frost of 1956 devastating orchards.<\/p>\n While the vast majority of almonds are grown in the United States, French producers have sought to maintain their presence against US competitors, aiming to position the locally grown almonds in a premium segment and promote environmental awareness.<\/p>\n \u201cI bet \u2013 even without being Pierre Herme, the best pastry chef in the world \u2013 that if you taste an American almond and then a Provence-grown almond, you\u2019ll notice the difference in flavour immediately,\u201d said Alexis Bertucat, communications director for Le Roy Rene, a confectionery company.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nProvence, where almond blossoms inspired artists including Vincent van Gogh<\/span>, was once a key almond-growing region.<\/div>\n