Reeds are delicate, for best quality, they must weather rain until May, a dry sunny summer, and mistral wind, it can then rain, making no difference, almost like vines ! The more mistral, the harder the reeds, the more flexible and strong the reed tongues. Reeds sprout between April and May. Cutting takes place between December and March, at the lowest possible part of the stem, where it is largest, reeds are then stripped of their leaves and cleaned; in July and August they are set out in the sun to dry... 
It is during this 2nd year of drying that reeds will gain their much sought after quality and reputation, their surface turning slowly to polish thanks to light and wind.They are stored for a whole year. Franco Rigotti is not only experienced,he controls reed growing as well. In the workshop, the handicraft work is mostly done by hand, each piece being checked by the human eye. 90% of the 8 000 reed tongues produced daily by the Rigotti manufactury is exported: No 1 U.S. followed by Japan, Germany and Great-Britain.This is how the Blue notes of "le Var" are blown all over the world. | 
The transformation of reeds : Bay of Saint-Tropez French
Riviera 
There are 250 000 reed tongues manufactured a day throughout the world. Reed tongues are those pieces of wood at the end of air instruments which produce the sound and are carefully moistened by performers before a concert. There are only a few manufacturies left, 2 or 3 in Europe and 3 in "le Var". The latter are the most important amongst which the Rigotti factory, it is in Cogolin, because the reeds of the Var area are the best of the planet. 
