The Luberon

The olive is an essential part of the Provencal culture, countryside and kitchen. The Greeks brought the olive tree to Provence 8,000 years ago and the olive tree now is as present in the landscape as is the vineyard.

The olives themselves feature in local dishes like tapenade and pissaladiere, quite apart from being a dish on their own. Go to a market or deli in Provence and you will see all sorts of different olive varieties cured in different ways. Picked straight from the tree, an olive is bitter and inedible, it takes a little help from man to make them irresistible to the palate.

Of course the main blessing of the olive tree is olive oil. In Provence olive oil is taken as seriously as wine, with the same system of appellation to ensure origin and quality – AOC (appellation d’origine controlée). The Provence appellation is AOC Huile d’Olive de Provence.

OLIVE MILLS

At a working olive mill you can typically see how olive oil is made, as well as buying products made from the olives, oil and wood of the olive tree. Here are the olive mills of the Luberon and surrounding areas that you can visit:

Domaine Lis Andi 197, Route St Pierre 84600 Valréas Tel: 04 90 37 41 34
www.lis-andi.com

Moulin Dauphin Rue du Moulin à Huile 84160 Cucuron Tel: 04 90 77 26 17
www.moulin-dauphin.com/

Moulin de l'Olivette Place de l'Olivette 04100 Manosque Tel: 04 92 72 00 99
www.moulinolivette.fr

Moulin Maurice Jullien 24 chemin du moulin à huile Route d'Apt 84490 St Saturnin les Apt Tel: 04 90 75 56 24
www.moulin-huile-jullien.com

Le Moulin d'Olivier 620, Route d'Apt 84400 Apt Tel: 06 52 44 36 23
en.ocommeolive.com

Moulin à Huile du Vieux Chateau 8, rue du Moulin à huile 84360 Merindol Tel: 04 90 72 86 76
www.moulinalhuileduvieuxchateauboudoir-merindol-huileolive.fr

Moulin Oliversion 883 Chemin du Galon 84160 Cucuron Tel: 04 90 08 90 01
domaineoliversion.fr

Moulin St Augustin La ferme des Hermitants 2800 route d'Apt - D900 Coustellet - 84580 Oppède Tel: 04 90 72 43 66
www.moulin-saintaugustin.fr

Moulin du Pays d'Aigues ES AT Le Grand Réal 84120 La Bastidonne Tel: 04 90 07 55 66

Moulin du Clos des Jeannons M. André Horard Le Haut Tourteron 84220 Gordes Tel: 04 90 72 68 35
moulinjeannons.com

Moulin à huile La Balméenne 83 avenue Jules Ferry 84190 Beaumes de Venise Tel: 04 90 62 93 77
www.labalmeenne.fr

Coopérative oléicole La Colombe 260 Route des Platrières 84570 Malemort du Comtat Tel: 04 90 69 91 99
www.moulin-lacolombe.fr