For more than two thousand years, the olive tree has found on the territory of Nice and its surroundings all the elements to be able to expand. Nicknamed ” the green gold of the Mediterranean ” the oil extracted from it is used for all daily needs: food, food preservation, cosmetics, medicine or even lighting.
Today, olive oil is an integral part of Nice’s gastronomy and culture. It is no coincidence that the Olive de Nice, which has PDO certification and is appreciated worldwide, is grown in these areas.
A very special variety of olive trees called Cailletier is grown in and around Nice. The “Calletier” is an olive that turns black when ripe. It also holds the PDO certification and is known as the Olive de Nice (Olive de Nice PDO). Nice Olive Oil and olive paste are made from it. It takes 4 to 10 kilograms of olives to make one liter of oil.
The Olive de Nice PDO has a color shading from yellowish green to brown or from wine red to purplish black. The fruits are small in size and have firm flesh that separates easily from the stone. The flavor is fruity, slightly bitter and non-acidic. Olive paste, on the other hand, has a very distinctive wine-red color, the texture is oily and fine, and the aroma is reminiscent of dried fruit.
Several olive growers in the area open their doors to visitors to pass on their knowledge, experience or even anecdotes. They will be happy to introduce you to the uniqueness of these trees or show you how they are cultivated.
Here is an exhaustive list of several olive groves that are part of the Route des oliviers. They are all PDO certified, both for the olives and the oil, but also for the olive paste they produce.
– Domaine Christian Camerini in Saint-Martin-du-Var offers a tasting of the products, olive oil and olive paste, after visiting the olive grove. The more adventurous will have the opportunity to camp among the centuries-old olive trees.
– Domaine de la Source in Nice welcomes visitors for tours followed by a tasting of its certified organic products. You can also taste Ballet Wine, an excellent wine produced in their fields. Open Monday through Saturday without appointment.
– The Domaine du clos Vincent in Nice with a tour of the field, also offers its organic products, as well as a tasting of Bellet’s wine.
– L’Oliveraie de la Sirole in Colomars After a walk among the trees, you can make a stop at the olive grove restaurant, hidden among the trees in the midst of nature. The restaurant offers typical Niçoise cuisine accompanied by their own olive oil, of course.
Best to notify the producer in advance of your visit so that he can welcome you under the best conditions.
In addition to olive groves, it is possible to see mills, which allow olives to be pressed to extract oil. Among the most interesting is definitely the Castagniers Mill. This is a mill that has been in operation since 1650 and is one of the most renowned in the region. Here, you can have access to a guided tour of the mill, an exhibition of photographs and videos, a visit to the museum of the old mill, a tasting including that of the famous brissaouda (bread rubbed with garlic sprinkled with olive oil, a delight!) and olive oil products from the store.
But there are other mills that, in addition to offering tours and guided tours, allow you to buy their products.
– Coopérative Oléicole of Gilette (9 – 17), rue Pierre Niel 06830 Gilette, tel : +33 (0)4 93 08 44 30
– Moulin communal of Bonson Place Désiré Scoffier 06830 Bonson, tel : +33 (0)4 93 08 51 71
– Coopérative du Cros of Utelle 06450 Utelle, tel : +33 (0)4 93 08 08 05
– Coopérative oléicole of Levens 06670 Levens, tel : +33 (0)4 93 91 61 16 / +33 (0)4 93 91 38 08
– Moulin Alziari Nice (2 – 3 pm by appointment). In addition to discovering how olives are pressed to become oil, there is also an opportunity to discover the store. It offers many products related to olive oil: from products preserved in oil (tomatoes, tuna, etc.) to olive oil soap.
Finally, you can visit the Musée Ethnographique de l’Olivier, in Cagnes-sur-Mer. The museum is located inside the Château Grimaldi, a true medieval jewel.
In the museum you can see the whole process ona olive oil processing, from its production (oil mill), to its storage (jar) and its use (oil lamp).
You will also find a large number of olive wood objects.