Fertile agricultural land stretches around the confluence of the Bléone and Arigeol rivers. Long threatened by torrential floods, the area adapted by introducing irrigation techniques thanks to a system of canals, thus the land was dedicated to the cultivation of fruit trees from the 18th century onwards. In the following century, plum trees were foremost. The Perdigon variety of plumtree was used, it produces the so-called "pistoles" plum, which owe their name to their circular, golden appearance, reminiscent of the old coin of the same name.
 
A wide variety of apples and pears helped to spread out and prolong the harvest season. In the last century, apples almost completely replaced plums. In 1933, there were more than 5,000 fruit trees in La Javie, mostly winter pears which were sold after being dried.

Today, the interest of these fruits is rediscovered through the Foire de la Sarteau (The Sarteau-Pear Festival) on the first weekend in November.