The Protected Designation of Origin, existing since 1992, is the European equivalent of Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC): it meets the same demands and allows identifying the products in European Union. It identifies a product linked with a historic small area of production.

In the interest of a harmonization and of a better information towards the consumers, all the Appellations d’Origine Contrôlées already recognized as Appellation d’Origine Protégée (Protected Designation of Origin) got from May 1st, 2009, the mention PDO or Protected Designation of Origin or the logo PDO.

At the moment, there are 7 geographical areas named as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) (1 is in progress of being recognized) for their olive oil.

For each of these areas were identified:

• The tan of the soil presenting the most optimal oil activity and where the cultivation of the olive tree was the most constant. So we can find olive trees which are several times centenarian in every identified PDO area.

• One or several specific varieties of the area.
  
  

• The cultivation, production and traditional transformation practises (density of the hectare, size, harvest date…). Their identification has a double aim: the inventory/preservation of the know-how and the respect of landscapes and environment.

• The typical character of olive oil. The implementation of an “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée”(AOC), for an olive oil meets an administrative recognition of the specificity of this olive oil, specificity due to its origin. The respect of the rules defined by decree allows the expression of this typical character.

Le territoire oléicole français en AOP

•  14 Protected Designation of Origin for olive products are recognized.
  
  

• 1 044 over 1 615 olive towns listed by France Agrimer, that is 65% of the olive towns. The size of these areas is very variable: from 16 towns for the Vallée des Baux-de-Provence PDO to 464 towns for the Provence PDO.

• 5 400 acres that is a bit less than 10% of the olive orchard.

• around 700 000 olive trees, that is 17% of the orchard, exploited by around 8 000 olive growers.

The production in PDO

•  1 300 tonnes (en 2007) over 4 700 tonnes of olive oils of France that is 28% of the French production of olive oil. In 2012, it could reach 40% of the olive oil produced in France and more that 50% of the commercialized olive oil.
  
  
• 800 tonnes (en 2007) over around 1 500 tonnes of olives produced in France that is 30% of the French olive production.

Black olives and olive oil from Nyons PDO

The olive territory of Baronnies is the most northern in France. Its orchard is composed of more than 95% by a single variety: Tanche, which acclimated perfectly to the weather conditions, sometimes difficult.
Nyons PDO was obtained in 1994 for black olives and olive oil. Nowadays, the PDO area is made up of 53 towns (35 in Drôme, 18 in Vaucluse), the main are Nyons, Mirabel-aux-Baronnies, Buis-les-Baronnies, La Roche-sur-le-Buis, Venterol, Piegon and Sahune.

PDO since : 1994

Number of olive trees : 261 000

Average annual production of olive oil : 300 tonnes

Average annual production of table olives : 350 tonnes

Predominant variety : Tanche.

Its products

Nyons PDO olive oil : Olive oil from ripe fruity taste characterized by intense freshly cut grass and green apple aromas in the nose and hazelnut aromas with light buttered notes in the mouth.

Nyons PDO black olive : Harvested in December and January, the Nyons black olive is finely wrinkled by the dryness of the air and first frosts. Only from the Tanche variety, the natural or in brine preparati on gives to it a “monk’s robe colour” (after contact with air) and a delicious fruity taste recalling undergrowth. “Early” prepared, spotted with fine salt, Nyons olive develops a stronger and more powerful olive taste. It can be used as much for aperitif as for cooking, from starter to dessert.

Olive oil, green broken olives and black olives from the Vallée des Baux-de-Provence PDO

Bouches-du-Rhône is the main olive oil producer in France. The olive tree is present almost on the whole territory with more than 1 180 000 olive trees. This area counts two PDO olive oils: Aix-en-Provence and Vallée des Baux-de-Provence.
In 1997 the Protected Designation of Origin Vallée des Baux-de-Provence was obtained for the black olives, the green broken flavoured olives and the olive oil.

PDO since : 1997

Olive tree number : 586 000

Average annual production of olive oil : 450 tonnes

Average annual production of table olives : 130 tonnes

Predominant varieties : Salonenque, Aglandau, Grossane, Verdale des Bouches-du-Rhône, Béruguette.

Its products

Vallée des Baux-de-Provence PDO olive oil : The PDO area offers 2 types of fruity tastes:
- Vallée des Baux-de-Provence PDO olive oil in green fruity taste, lightly peppered, with dominant raw artichoke aromas, with fresh grass, citrus fruits, almond, green apple;
- Vallée des Baux-de-Provence PDO olive oil in characteristic black fruity taste with cocoa, truffles and mushrooms aromas.

Vallée des Baux-de-Provence PDO black olive : Olive from the Grossane variety, harvested in November-December, crystallised with fine salt or naturally prepared in brine. Olives with a “very strong” taste on a bitterness background. This olive ideally accompanies all the dishes.

Vallée des Baux-de-Provence PDO green broken olives : Olive from Salonenque variety (sometimes Aglandau), harvested in September. Olives are “broken”, that is to say lightly crushed and then put in brine with fennel. The flesh melts in the mouth leaving a slightly acid and plant note. Provence is presented to you!

Aix-en-Provence PDO olive oil

Aix-en-Provence PDO area counts 73 towns (whose 56 in Bouches-du-Rhône) on 2 administrative regions (Bouches-du-Rhône and Var).
Implemented on three sectors, olive plantations are mainly located in l’Arc and La Touloubre valleys and the Trévaresse hillsides. These regions count about 550 000 trees (whose 120 000 are listed as PDO). The analysis of old orchards, the most numerous, indicates that olive plantations of this basin are dominated by three varieties producing very specific oil: Aglandau, Salonenque and Cayanne.

PDO since : 1999

Average annual production of olive oil : 130 tonnes

Predominant varieties : Aglandau, Cayanne and Salonenque.

Its products

Olive oils produced on the Aix-en-Provence PDO offer two types of fruity tastes.

Aix-en-Provence PDO olive oil – green fruity taste

It is perfectly suitable for starch, Mediterranean vegetables (tomato, aubergine) and for meats and fishes (such as salmon).
This is a herbaceous olive oil with raw artichoke, apple, greenery and almond aromas often accompanied by bitterness and piquant.

Aix-en-Provence PDO olive oil - black fruity taste or «matured olives»

It harmonizes very well with shellfishes and games as well as with some salads (endives, chicory, escarole,…).
This is a soft and complex olive oil, the nose is dominated by bread and black olive aromas, to which come to be added cooked artichoke, cocoa and vanilla aromas. In the mouth, we can find sourdough bread and black olive, so lingering.

Haute-Provence PDO olive oil

Haute-Provence PDO area stretches on 4 administrative regions (Alpes de Haute-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Vaucluse) and 95 towns (whose 83 in Alpes de Haute-Provence). Towns mainly concerned are located in the “middle Durance Valley” which constitutes the spine of the area, going from Sisteron in the North to Mirabeau in the South.
Haute-Provence PDO olive oil is worked out of 80% minimum of olives from the Aglandau variety.

PDO since : 1999

Average annual production of olive oil : 70 tonnes

Predominant varieties : Aglandau (secondary : Bouteillan, Picholine, Tanche and local ancient varieties).

Its products

Haute-Provence PDO olive oil

The aromatic richness of Haute-Provence PDO olive oil allows all culinary agreements. But its intensity will excel in applications on salads with products having a significant taste (arti chokes, sweet peppers), on meats such as lamb, pigeon, game… and starch, mashed potatoes, spelt wheat risotto…
This oil is characterised by a nose of freshly cut grass, raw arti choke or tomato leaf.
In the mouth, raw artichoke flavours dominate, accompanied by the bitterness of almond and harmoniously seasoned with a fruity note of green banana or pear.

Nice PDO olive oil

Nice PDO area radiates on a territory of 99 towns on hillsides and hills from Grasse to Menton, from the sea to the mountains.
The Cailletier variety is also prepared in brine to make the Nice olive, small olive with a characteristic touch of bitterness.

PDO since : 2001

Average annual production of olive oil : 25 tonnes

Average annual production of olives : 30 tonnes

Predominant variety : Cailletier.

Its products

Nice PDO olive oil

Nice PDO olive oil, by its softness, is appreciated by everyone, as much by children as by adults. It generously accompanies salads, vegetables such as potatoes and delicate fishes but can also spice up a strawberry or orange salad.
The characteristic of this olive is its fruity freshness, with very intense fresh almond aromas accompanied by broom and raw artichoke notes.

Nice PDO olives

Nice PDO olives are naturally prepared (only water and sea salt). This preparation allows removing slowly the bitterness from olives to make them edible while preserving an aromatic high quality. These aromas could remind an old Bordeaux wine, or leather. The flesh remains compact, crunchy and pulls easily away from the dive stone. The skin of this olive is smooth with shade colours going from yellow to purplish black as well as from brown.
Ideal for aperitifs, the Nice olive suits perfectly to Mediterranean or Nice local dishes. You could also savour it year-round for your pleasure…

Corsica olive oil – Oliu di Corsica - PDO

Corsica PDO area counts 297 towns on 2 administrative regions: Corse du Sud and Haute-Corse.
In Corsica, olive plantations are made up of :
- old orchards with high trees several hundred years old which are harvested by natural fall on nets,
- young plantations, harvested most often by mechanical fall at maturity.

PDO since : 2004

Average annual production of olive oil : 100 tonnes

Predominant varieties : Sabine (or Aliva bianca), Ghjermana, Capannace (or Raspulata), Avia Nera (or Ghjermana du sud), Zinzala.

Its products

Corsica olive oil - Oliu di Corsica - PDO

Within this large variety and the harvesting methods, Corsica olive oil presents an exceptional aromatic range. Corsica olive oil is distinct by its softness in the mouth. This is an olive oil with different aromas: fresh grass, cooked vegetables, dried fruits (mainly hazelnut), mint or even myrtle, cistus (maquis smells) and pastries.

Its so characteristic flavour comes from the conjunction of two specific situations in Corsica. On the one hand fruit harvesting in advanced maturity, reducing considerably bitterness and piquant, offers “in fine” a remarkable softness. On the other hand, the aromatic environment of the Corsican maquis is so intense that the fruit becomes impregnate with it.
This is on perfumes and tastes such as straw, artichoke, courgette, myrtle, honey, pastries, apple, walnut, hazelnut or cocoa that we could recognize Corsican olive oil.

Green olives and olive oil Nîmes PDO

Nowadays Gard administrative region counts more than 509 000 olive trees, whose the most famous is the Picholine variety harvested green for confection and ripe for oil.
The Protected Designation of Origin Nîmes was obtained in 2004 for olive oil and in 2006 for green olives. The PDO territory counts 223 towns, mostly located in Gard (some in Hérault).

PDO since : 2004

Number of olive trees : 450 000 (70 000 in PDO)

Average annual production of olive oil : 50 tonnes

Average annual production of olives : 30 tonnes

Predominant varieties : Picholine, Négrette, Noirette.

Its products

Nîmes PDO olive oil : Olive oil in green fruity taste characterised by its intense berries, plums, pineapple (…) aromas with a touch of bitterness and a clear piquant. Olive oil stemming from a minimum of 70% of olives from Picholine variety to which can be added Négrette and Noirette and secondary varieties.

Nîmes PDO olives : Green olive from Picholine variety, crunchy and juicy, soft with hazelnut butter aromas. Savour mainly for aperitif.

Provence PDO olive oil

Provence PDO area mainly stretches on 4 administrati ve regions and 464 towns.
Provence PDO olive oil makes a distinction between two specific know-how which exist in Provence : one based on fresh olive’s work and the other on a work of matured olive (stored between harvest and extraction).

PDO since : 2007

Average annual production of olive oil : 200 tonnes

Predominant varieties :  Aglandau, Bouteillan, Cayon, Salonenque.

Its products

The aromatic range of olive oils produced on Provence PDO area is wide and includes different varieties. Two types of fruity tastes coexist.

Provence PDO olive oil

It is characterised by a very little intense nose with berries, herbaceous and raw artichokes smells that could be associated to barley water and cinnamon. In the mouth, the fruity taste is intense and characterised by the herbaceous note, raw artichoke, which could be completed by banana, hazelnut, fresh almond and tomato leaf aromas. At the end of the tasting, the pungency could be present, sometimes with notes of bitterness.

Provence PDO olive oil – «matured olives»

It is characterised by an intense nose and fruity taste, marked by undergrowth, smoke or purple cooked artichoke smells, which could be associated to chocolate or ripe fruits. The mouth is developed and full, with aroma of ripe olive.