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Provençal Olive Oil
More About Provençal Olive Oil
The South of France is best known for its wine and beaches, but the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote-D'Azur also produces over 70% of French olive oil. The producers here take quality olive oil very seriously, with multiple regional certifications, including AOPs for Vallée des Baux-de-Provence, Aix-en-Provence, Haute-Provence, Corsica, Nice and Nîmes. The area also has several AOP regions for table olive production, including Lucques de Languedoc.
The artist Vincent Van Gogh immortalized the olive harvest during his time in Provence with a series of paintings done around 1889. Amazingly, the fossil record in Provence indicates that olive trees have been growing in Provence since at least 8000 BCE. Some of the terrific olive oil producers in the region include Chateau d'Estoublon and Moulin Castelas. French olive oil in this area is typically produced with native varieties like Aglandau, Beruguette, Bouteillan, Grossane, Picholine and Salonenque.
