Monday 1 December 2008

Moulin de la Brague: the Olive Harvest.


The next few posts I'm going to dedicate to the open day at our local olive mill last Saturday so an interest in olives is going to be obligatory till Thursday at least!

This is the Moulin A Huile Michel also known as the Moulin de la Brague and is one of the very few working olive mills in the area which means that any one can harvest their olives from even one tree and take them down to the mill where they'll be turned into olive oil almost under your eyes. "Almost" because the production has been semi automated so the machinery is closed in.
A mill has existed on this site since the fifteenth century but passed into the hands of the Michel family in 1848. It was Roger Michel who dynamised the business in the 1960s and it continues to thrive especially in a time which recognises the benefits of olive oil.
The mill operates during the olive harvest which takes place from November to March. This year has been exceptional and the olives are flooding in. The mill also has a pleasant boutique selling local products and their own olive oil and olives. You can also buy products made elsewhere. The shop is on most tour operaters' itineraries where tourists can stock up on local gifts to take home with them..I buy my olives from them and really good olive oil to give away as presents.

It was such a dreadful day weather wise that I decided to put the photo in black and white, it was almost monochrome anyway.

6 comments:

tut-tut said...

I like the b&w; I didn't realize that the harvest time was in the winter months. Olive oil from France is very pricey here, so you are lucky indeed!

Virginia said...

I love olives. Visited a lovely shop in the Marais and bought some things. will love seeing more of this olive mill this week. Yes, BW helps a gray day doesn't it!
V

Catherine said...

In B&W it looks like a company of the 50's, or from a Pagnol's movie.

Certainly very interesting to visit. I'm impatient to watch more about it.

Jane Hards Photography said...

It's such a beauty of past days. A poor days images can often be remedied in mono.

Kate said...

Well, I finally made it backwards to the initial post. I'm so glad that you published this series because I love olive oil and am fascinated by the whole process!!

Tash said...

Beautiful photo. perfect in B&W and such a historic building WITH A WHEEL!