From the New World, the bean was discovered by Valerians who sowed them in Italy during the 16th century and then it came in the south of France.
At this time also, Catherine de Medicis, the future wife of Henry II, arrived in Marseille in 1533 and amongst her wedding basket was a precious treasure... a bag of "fagioli". This vegetable spread all over France and became an high consumption good.
Different names were given to this bean according to the regions. In our region, it called "mongette" or "mojhette". The bean became a traditionnal vegetable deeply woven into our gastronomic heritage.
"Bean or "mojhette" from Pont l'Abbé ?
The mojhette is simply the old word for bean in "patois saintongeais".