An eternal tree, a history that comes from the mists of time…

History of the olive tree gets lost in the mists of time and merges with the one of civilizations which followed each other in the Mediterranean and which have for evermore influenced the culture of this part of the world.

Coming from the Mediterranean basin, the olive tree would have appeared 60 000 years ago under a wild form.

Man has probably always harvested fruits from the wild olive tree. Then, cultivators of the Neolithic have begun organizing the production of the fruit of olive trees and probably the extraction of olive oil. Olive growing (cultivation of the olive tree) dates in this way from the invention of agriculture.

Olive tree in France

Olive growing knew phases of strong development but also long periods of fall. The climatic variations and economical competition explain these fluctuations in the development of this cultivation (olive tree die because of the coldest part of the winter). But it is important to underline the permanent obstinacy of the inhabitants of the olive area to maintain come hell or high water the presence of olive tree in their landscapes. This shows the existence of a real emotional link between man and olive tree. To get convinced of it, it is just enough to have a walk in an olive grove or to talk to an olive grower.

From Antiquity to the Middle Ages… to the Renaissance

Fossilized leaves dating from 8000 years before BC have been found in the Provence region, in Roquevaire and in Sainte-Baume, fossilized pollens in the Languedoc region in Tautavel: it testifies of its presence in France since a long time.

We take a census of several thousand years old olive trees, such as those of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (Alpes-Maritimes), not to mention centenarian olive trees fields.

History reports it has been imported by Phocaeans, which, set up in Marseille (Massalia) would have developed its production after having improved the one of the vineyard. Then Romans have spread its cultivation to the South of France. Many vestiges testify of its importance at Gallo roman era from Carcassonne to Vaison-la-Romaine.

During all the Middle Age era, the olive tree is cultivated in villages of the South of France that have almost all an olive mill at this time. Olive oil moves about and toll tariffs are specifically introduced for it notably in Nice, Brignoles, Trinquetaille, Valensole. It’s a seasonal trade very linked to religious rites and notably to the Lent.

There are just a few literacy traces of olive tree cultivation until the end of the Renaissance. We have to say that Provence and Languedoc regions knew many scourges throughout the Middle Ages that affected rural populations (plague, famine, wars…) and their farms (pillage,…). Successive frosts have also hit olive trees.

However some sovereign actions have ensured maintaining and sometimes developing the olive tree on more or less long periods, for example the exemption of the tithe on olives.

From the 16th century, olive oil is exported beyond the South of France thanks to Marseille and Nice harbours.

Modern times

From the 18th century, olive tree is presented as an important and necessary cultivation for the economy of numerous regions and notably for the one of Roussillon, Aix-en-Provence and Nice. Mills spring up and there is hundreds of mills in the South of France.

At that time, real olive groves appear (until then, olive trees were generally scattered in the middle of other plantations) as well as a trade of olive oil.

In the 19th century, the development of olive growing knows a maximal growth thanks to its large use in numerous traditional industries (Marseille’s soap, textiles,…): France counts 26 million of olive trees on 168 000 acres. In some basins, olive tree occupies the surface covered today by vineyard. It was the main economical resource for numerous agricultural districts.

The competition of seed oils coming from the colonies, then the one more profitable vineyard, the need of new soils during the Phylloxera crisis influenced the beginning of the decline of olive growing. Frosts, particularly the one in 1929, the economical competition of colonial plant oils, the first moves of rural depopulation speeded up this decline until the day before the fateful frost in 1956. On the verge of this catastrophe, there are less that 8 millions of olive trees on 50 000 acres in France. The terrible temperatures (-20°c) that hit the South of France in February 1956 arose after a very mild month of January which had encouraged the reawakening of the vegetation. Two thirds of olive trees were decimated and there were less than 3 millions of olive trees on the 20 000 acres of French olive growing.

The renewal

It only from the 80’s and very progressively that the French olive growing gets back on one’s feet of the terrible frost in 1956. It was possible notably thanks to the discovery of the beneficial effects linked with the Mediterranean diet. Maintained by passion of few diehards, supported by the State and then by Europe, the French olive growing finds back a certain dynamism.

The role of olive tree in the basins of production is reinforced by the development of “agricultural tourism”. It becomes again a full-fledged actor of landscapes and also of rural and agricultural life. Olive tree’s roads, Olive tree’s Knight Confraternity, olive tree’s museums have been creating and testify today of the sector’s dynamism.

Pictures :

The collect of olives – Greek vase British Museum © Fonds Andlauer – Institut du Monde de l’Olivier

Oil lamp – Ephir museum © Fonds Andlauer – Institut du Monde de l’Olivier

Marseille soap © Institut du Monde de l’Olivier / A. Paris

Millstone crusher– Les Vieux Moulins Nyons (26) © Fonds Institut du Monde de l’Olivier / A. Paris