An Olive Oil Tour of France

While the rest of the world is struggling with the flood of low quality olive oil, adulteration of extra virgin olive oil and rising prices, French producers are recognizing their Provencal heritage by developing their olive oil culture.

France is not included amongst the top seven olive oil producers of the world; it simply does not produce enough olive oil to compete with giant producers such as Spain and Italy.

Yet international oil experts recognize the extra virgin olive produced in France’s sunniest regions including the French island of Corsica as one of the best in the world.

What makes them different than their counterparts in other countries? An Olive Oil tour of France examines olive oil production in this country with stories of growers and producers using both traditional and modern methods to create the pale green nectar. It shows what has been achieved over the years, what remains to be done, and gives an insight into the growing olive oil culture in France today.

Since living in the South of France I found it natural to change my eating habits and to adopt a healthier lifestyle. This took me straight to the wonderful discovery of olive oil, and with that I met some fascinating people: growers and producers who speak with passion, drawing me into their olive oil world as they relate their different stories, olive oil tasting experts who patiently explained what to look for when you sip and slurp, cooks who have discovered healthy and tasty extra virgin and finally those involved in sharing their knowledge, teaching and promoting olive oil in France.

It seemed right that it should all be documented, hence my decision to write An Olive Oil Tour of France.

5 Things you need to know about French Olive Oil

Are you interested in a healthy lifestyle and have made the switch to good healthy olive oil?

 If you live in France or going to be here this summer here’s what you need to know about French olive oil:

 1.       Don’t look for French olive oil only in supermarkets; you’ll find mostly Italian and Spanish olive oil in shops. The French do not produce a lot of olive oil in comparison with Italy or Spain.

 If however, you find yourself in Provence this summer, buy a few bottles from a local producer or an olive oil cooperative. You’ll also get a chance to watch the olive oil process and to taste good extra virgin olive oil – pure delight.

 2. ‘Huile d’Olive de France’ on the label is the ‘made in France’ guarantee that the olives were grown in France and that the oil was produced here.

3. If you want to sound knowledgeable when you meet an olive oil producer, ask him which of the Provencal oils you’re going to sample.

There are 3 Provencal flavours – Fruité mûr (obtained when the olives are ripe) fruité vert (when the olives are green) and Fruité noir (when the olives are matured)

4. Olive farming takes place in the South of France where the climate is ideal for the olive trees. Corsica is included in the thirteen departments for olive production. Olive oil from Corsica is generally milder as the olives are picked when they are ripe.

5. Check out the olive oil festivals in the different regions of the south this summer. This is where you get to sample all the different types of olives, meet olive oil producers and taste wonderful olive dishes such as tapenade.

 The French are beginning to recognize the goodness of extra virgin; 90,000 tons of olive oil is consumed in France every year. Although you won’t find French extra virgin on the middle shelf of the supermarkets as yet, olive oil experts recognize French olive oil to to be one of the best in the world.