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PDO — Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
As black as a Mediterranean night, the Niçois olive has been slowly mellowing in brine for more than two millennia.
Vegetable from Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, PDO (AOP) since 2005.
The Olive de Nice, produced exclusively from the Cailletier variety, has been documented in the landscape around Nice for more than two thousand years: olive trees first took root along the coast and in the hills near the sea following the Phoenician, Greek and then Roman invasions, before spreading over the centuries into the mid- and high-country up to an altitude of 700 metres. Following the two world wars, Niçois olive growers also turned towards table olives under this denomination, alongside olive oil. The appellation was recognised as an AOC in 2001, then registered as a PDO on 11 June 2005. Unlike other Provençal olive appellations, the fruit is neither pricked nor cracked: the olives are harvested whole, then slowly and naturally debittered in brine according to the traditional Niçois method.
The olive groves of Nice, established across the hills, sub-coastal plateaux and slopes arranged in restanques across the Alpes-Maritimes, between sea and mountains, span 99 communes of the département. The Mediterranean climate, nuanced by mountain influences, is distinguished by mild winters, excellent sunshine and more abundant rainfall than in Basse-Provence — conditions that have shaped, over the centuries, the establishment of the Cailletier variety alone within the appellation area.
A symbol of Nice and the Côte d'Azur, the Niçoise olive holds pride of place on Provençal and Mediterranean tables: the appellation's specifications even describe it as 'the olive par excellence for the famous salade niçoise'. Traditionally, small restaurants in Nice offer a little dish of olives at the start of the meal.
Appearance
Small-calibre, whole olive — never pricked nor cracked —, smooth skin, nuanced colour ranging from yellowish-green to brown and from wine-lees to purplish-black; large stone, stalk often still attached to the fruit.
Aroma
Aromas of candied fruit (prune, cherry), clafoutis, dried fruit, with notes of old wine and leather.
Taste
Slightly bitter, never acidic nor overly salty.
Texture
Firm flesh, with pulp that detaches cleanly from the stone.
Cailletier only (exclusive variety of the PDO, known locally by the synonyms Petite olive de Nice, Olivier de Grasse or Grassenc). The 'Olive de Nice' appellation covers two distinct products, made from the same harvest:
whole olive, prepared in brine according to the traditional Niçois method.
obtained by crushing and sieving desalted, stoned olives, with added huile d'olive de Nice PDO (maximum 12% of the weight of the paste).
, then placed in brine within 24 hours of harvest.
in sodium chloride brine (maximum 12%), free from chemical additives and preservatives.
minimum 3 months before marketing as table olives, minimum 6 months before processing into paste.
draining, desalting and stoning by centrifugation, then homogenisation with huile d'olive de Nice PDO.
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Serving: At room temperature or slightly chilled. As an apéritif in a traditional Niçois glass.
Drinks: Light dry white wine, Provençal rosé, diluted pastis.
Since: 2005
Area covered: 99 communes, Alpes-Maritimes
Key requirements: 100% Cailletier variety; whole olives harvested from veraison; natural debittering in brine (maximum 12% salt), with no chemical additives or colourings; stored for a minimum of 3 months before marketing
The appellation is overseen by the INAO, which approves the specifications and delegates product inspections to an accredited certification body.
Family-run GAEC
Family-run
Family-run
Family-run
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Request a listingFamily-run GAEC
GAEC Domaine du Piéchal is a family-run farm situated at 1082 chemin du Camp de Tende, in Châteauneuf. It offers for direct sale olive oils, pâte d'olive de Nice PDO (AOP), tapenades and olives, as well as soaps and gift sets.
The estate shop welcomes visitors from Monday to Saturday with a complimentary tasting, and guided tours are available upon reservation. The farm also attends local markets.
| Address | Chemin bétonné après rond point puis chemin en terre 100 m montez, 1082 Chem. du Camp de Tende a droite, 06740 Châteauneuf-Grasse, France |
| 06 65 59 65 68 | |
| piechal.fr | |
| Facebook page | |
| https://www.Instagram.com/domaine_du_piechal | |
| Visits | Yes — shop Tuesday–Saturday 9:30–13:00, group visits by appointment |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 2020. |
Family-run
The estate presents itself as a family-run olive farm based in La Trinité, in the hills overlooking Nice, and describes itself as a 'producer-packager' (producteur conditionneur): from the tree to the olive oil, table olives and olive pulp, every stage takes place on site, with a commitment to excellence and respect for the environment. The range includes extra virgin olive oil, table olives, olive paste and jams. The farm is registered under the company name EARL Lessatini et Fils, with headquarters at 77 vieux chemin de Laghet, in La Trinité (Alpes-Maritimes).
The website recounts the memory of traditional pole harvesting (récolte à la gaule) handed down through the family: Pépé Jean, renowned for being exacting about the hazel wood of the poles used to beat the branches, and Mémé Césarine, who spent hours bent double gathering from the ground olives that had fallen far beyond the cloths spread beneath the trees. Harvesting was concentrated in winter, between January and April, as the olive de Nice is a cold-season olive.
| Address | 77 Vieux Chemin de Laghet, 06340 La Trinité, France |
| +33 6 18 07 31 65 | |
| domaine-lessatini.fr | |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 2019. |
