2 THE STONE QUARRY AND FOSSILS 7 WHEN DOES THE HARVEST TAKE PLACE ? The cliff, behind the olive oil mill, is an old stone quarry; the very same stones were used to build the village of Cadenet. The exact point of time for the harvest depends on the sort of olive and the desired result of the oil. The olives The Luberon in Provence is an area full of fossil deposits. If you look down at your feet you will find scallop and oyster for a fruity green olive oil are harvested at the beginning of the season – between October and November, when fossils dating from the Miocene period (-23 to – 5 million years). This area corresponds to the opening of the western their color is changing from green to black. The resulting oil has an intensive taste with an aroma of herbs. For part of the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, as well as the formation of the Alps. The foundations of the mill revealed the ripe fruity, ripe olives are picked later in the season when the olives are black. These produce an oil that has a extensive fossil beds of oysters in a layer 10 to 20cm thick inches dating from 10 million years ago. In other areas of the taste of apples, flowers and dried fruit. To know the right date for the harvest, depending on the expected result, Luberon we can find very well-preserved fossils of vertebrates, mammal footsteps, insects and plant residues. we use modern technology: we tests olives on a regular basis and analyse them prior to the harvest, to know the percentage of oil and how spicy and bitter it is. 3 OUR TREES THE LUBERON 4000 olive trees spread over 15 hectares of land, planted in 1998, 1999 and 2000. 5 varieties of olives: Aglandau 80%. The The forest area north of you is called the Luberon. This mountain range gives the name to the whole region. The Luberon rest is divided between 4 other varieties called Bouteillan, Picholine, Salonenque and Cayon. These are the 5 varieties of extends from Cavaillon to Manosque and covers an area of 3,000 km2. It connects the Mediterranean sea and the the AOC Provence label. Our trees are fairly young. Irrigation is key for the growth of the trees as well as for the fruit. southern Alps. The highest peak reaches 1125 m and is named Mourre Nègre. It is located just in front of you. You can The most important time of irrigation is April, May and June when the trees are in blossom and fruit begins to form. recognize it by the high mast with all the mounted antennas. This is a beautiful area for hiking and biking. And in clear Water is also needed for the lipogenesis (the production of the oil in the fruit) If it rains in the spring and if we have a few storms in the summer, it won’t be necessary to water. The olive tree is characterized by its longevity; these trees can reach 100 years of age and much more. If the trunk of the tree disappears throughout the ageing process; new shoots grow from the base of the tree, ensure its durability and reproduce a new tree. The olive tree is also known to be very rustic, enabling the tree to grow in a very hot climate and in very poor soil. 8 THE LUBERON REGIONAL NATURAL PARK Here you can also see young olive trees, planted in 2010 (Aglandau, Bouteillan, Salonenque and Cayon). The Luberon Natural Park covers an area of more than 185,000 hectares, extending from Cavaillon (Vaucluse) to Lurs (Alpes- de- Hautes-Provence) along both sides of the Luberon mountain range (1125m high at the peak of Mourre Nègre). 4 VIEW OF THE 2009 GROVE Located at the point where the climate of the Alps meets the climate of the Mediterranean, the Luberon is not only In front of you, you can see our young olive grove planted in 2009. At the bottom of the hill, the stream called the Laval home to an exceptional variety of flora and fauna, but also has a rich architectural heritage and landscape. The Luberon flows from the Luberon out into the Durance river to the South of Cadenet. It runs through 4 communes : Cadenet, Natural Park is also a thriving area, with a population of 174,500 inhabitants living in 77 towns and villages. Vaugines, Cucuron and Puyvert. It also goes through our estate which is why we decided to call it Laval. The river In December 1997 the Luberon Natural Park was officially included in the list of UNESCO World Network of Durance is the longest river in Provence. Its sources is in the Alps, 2632m high in “Mont Chenaillet”, close to the Italian Biosphere Reserves, acknowledging the essential role of the Luberon in the preservation of the region’s ecological border, and it flows into the Rhône 305 km further on. The Durance Valley has carved out a route going from North balance and also its important cultural heritage on an international level. The Luberon Natural Park is also a member to South, crossing 4 departments and a plateau, all of which are filled with a rich history. It is the true spinal column of of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network. Provence : from the Alps to the “Crau” plain, the Durance runs through the Provence Alps Côte d’Azur region and provides 75% of its water needs.

5 A CERTIFIED ORGANIC PRODUCTION We do not use any chemical product during the cultivation of the olive trees farming we only use organic fertilizers. We 9 HISTORY OF THE OLIVE TREE mow the grass instead of using weed killer. In fact, the grass harbours a a large amount of insects which help us fight against pests and diseases in the olive tree. We mow the grass twice a year and we control weeds on few centimeters with a special tractor which control the waterborne competition of the olive trees by removing a part of weeds. However, we need to conserve a part of this THE YEARLY CYCLE OF OLIVE TREE CULTIVATION vegetation because it has an important number of insects which help us to fight against the enemies of the olive tree. To fight against the olive fly we use neutral clay, kaolinite which forms a natural barrier and prevents the fly from laying its eggs. To have our land and production certified as organic we had to go through a very thorough administrative process which took several years before obtaining the actual certification. Taille Floraison Fécondation Nouaison Grossissement Véraison Maturation Récolte The certification is issued by a recognized certification authority which makes regular checks and takes frequent samples to ensure that the guidelines of organic agriculture are respected. Our recognized certification authority is called ECOCERT. mars mai/juin juin juillet juil à nov septembre sept à déc nov à dec

The olive tree appeared for the first time in a wild form approx.. 14,000 years ago in Asia Minor. There still exists today 6 THE DIFFERENT VARIETY OF OLIVE TREES (possible return to the boutique for the shorter walk or you can carry on for the longer walk for another 30 mn) large forests of wild olive trees. The spreading of olive trees is linked to the spreading of the Mediterranean climate, There are more than 2000 different varieties of olives in the world. There are about 300 varieties in France; however which started about 10,000 years ago. The first known olive growers were Phoenician and Syrians in 4 000 BC. Little not all of these are suitable for the production of olives. Amongst the most famous ones, we have the Sabine in by little the olive tree spread due to trade in the Middle East in Palestine and Cyprus. Around 3,500 B.C. the olive tree Corsica, the Olivière in the Pyrénééns, the Lucques in the Hérault but it’s in Provence that the most varieties are reached Crete and the Aegean coast: various frescos and earthenware jugs from the beginning of the third millennium grown: B.C. are evidence of intensive trading in olive oil. Olive branches found in Egyptian graves shows, that even in Egypt Aglaudau, Bouteillan, Tanche, Grossane, Petit Ribier, salonenque, Cayon, Picholine, Cayetier... The most famous varieties already in 1,500 B.C. olive trees were cultivated. Due to migration of people, conquests and trade the olive tree spread in the South are the Picholine and the Aglandau, which we can find in the Gard, the Ardèche, the Hérault or the throughout the whole Mediterranean region: Italy, Spain, France, Tunisia, Morocco... Bouches du Rhône. At Bastide du Laval, we grow 80% of Aglandau, 5% of Salonenque, 5% of Bouteillan, 5% of Cayon In Provence the olive tree appeared in its wild form already a long time ago: fossilized leaves, dating from 8,000 B.C. and 5% of Picholine. This diversity of varieties of olives enables us to vary the taste and to create different olive oils. have been found in Roquevaire in France. The olive cultivation was introduced in 6,000 B.C. by the Phoenicians who It also helps us optimize the pollination of our trees. Most of the olive trees are self pollinators but however some founded Massilia (Marseille) and who taught the inhabitants how to grow olive trees. That’s why you can still find olive varieties more so than others. For instance the Aglandau olive which forms the majority of our orchard is tricky to trees today which are between 1,000 and 2,000 years old. get to self -pollinate. The best variety to pollinate the Aglandau is the Picholine. But the other way round is not true. 10 HEALTH AND BENEFITS OF USING OLIVE OIL Olive oil contains many unsaturated fats, e.g. Omega 9. These are important due to their positive impact on the cardiovascular system, as they can reduce the cholesterol levels. These positive ingredients are accompanied by polyphenols – containing many antioxidants, and by vitamin E – also known for its antioxidant proteins. The cuisine of Crete, the origin of the OLIVE TREE TRAIL Mediterranean cooking, is based on olive oil. In this type of diet, benefitting from the sunshine and fresh air, fruit and vegetables (fresh or dried) playing a major role – together with fish and cereals. Therefore this kind of diet contains very little animal fat, but lots of olive oil! This diet became famous in the 1960s as the reason for the legendary longevity of the inhabitants of Crete and it is today the model for healthy eating and the way to avoid sickness. PROTECTED AREA

Is it possible to heat olive oil ? You can heat olive oil as long as you keep within an adequate temperature range. Its high boiling point of 210° C means olive oil can even be used for deep frying. Below this temperature the oil does not change its structure nor lose its richness of antioxidants and unsaturated fats. But the heat destroys all the flavor of the oil. Therefore it is recommended to use a simple, ordinary oil without any strong flavor in the kitchen for cooking and frying and to use a high value oil with a rich fruity taste to flavor dishes after cooking.

11 THE HISTORY OF THE FORTRESS CASTELLAR The path to your right takes you in a few minutes to the old fortress of Castellar. It is a fortified site perched high on the hillside, with a commanding 360° view over the route taken by the Durance river and surrounding area from the Luberon to the Meyrargues gorge and the mountain of Sainte Victoire. In 2007 the fortress of Castellar was part of major excavation project undertabken by the University of Provence Aix-Marseille and headed which was headed by the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique). The fortress was constructed at the end of the Iron Age on a site of more than a hectare., notable for an internal talus, presumed to have been built as a fortification and which was the central interest of the research. The site is famous for the discovery of treasure and a dedication to the goddess Dexiva, a local goddess, engraved in Latin on a marble stone. The engraving is also dedicated to the “Caudellenses”, the origin of the word Cadenet, a nearby village. The site was an important place of workship and ny extension, Dexiva as the protector of the people of Cadenet. From here you can easily distinguish the fortress from the canal slope.

12 THE HISTORY OF CADENET 1 BASTIDE DU LAVAL, OLIVE OIL MILL & ESTATE Facing the Luberon, you will see the village of Cadenet to your left in the dip and the remains of its castle. You will also be able to make out the village of Vaugines just in front of you, then the first houses of Cucuron on your right and the combe of Lourmarin to your left, a natural passage way to the northern face of the Luberon. We can find traces Bastide du Laval is, in fact, the old XIXth century farm (wine and vegetable farm) located below just next to the olive oil mill. From of the origins of the village of Cadenet in its exact location in the Gallo-Roman era through the discovery of stone here you can also see the cedar tree estimated to be about 300 years old. As the grapevines were getting too old and the grape tablets (steles), inscriptions or ceramics. It was in the Middle Ages that Cadenet really made it’s mark in the history of variety not suitable, we decided to remove them as soon as we bought the estate in 1998, it is then that we started to transform the region. Rostang de Cadenet, a Lord built the first castle in the XIth century, strategically located on a rocky ridge the property into an olive grove; however we decided to replant a few hectares of Merlot vines. The Laval is the small river which dominating the valley of the Durance. This castle endured many vicissitudes from the Middle Ages to the modern times. originates in the Luberon and runs through the estate. This river was previously used for irrigation purposes. 30 hectares of land, Although rebuilt many times, there are now only remains from different eras. Troglodyec houses were dug out of the 4000 trees and 20 years later Bastide du Laval has become a well-known olive oil farm, certified as AOP Provence (PDO : Protected cliff in the surrounding area. The village benefitted from the traffic on the Durance river and grew.In the XVIIth Century designation of origin) and organic agriculture whose main purpose is the production of olives of exceptional quality, grown to the village enjoyed fortune and prosperity. produce top range olive oils. The olive oil mill opened in 2014. It was a vital step to enable us to control all the requirements leading At that time the castle was dismantled & the economic expansion took place outside the its walls. to the production of exceptional olive oils. Cadenet continued to prosper in the first half of the xixth Century by developing its craft trades. Numerous wickerwork workshops using the reeds cultivated in the Durance Valley were established. However the most charming story is that of André Estienne, better known by the name of “’Arcole’ drum”. This young man from Cadenet, the son of an olive oil grower, joined Napoleon’s Army and distinguished himself at the battle of Arcole in 1796. Risking his life, he went behind the enemy lines to make as much noise as possible with his drum to make the enemy believe that reinforcements were arriving. His heroic action resulted in the Austrian army fleeing. He received the medal of the Légion d’Honneur. A monument in the centre of the village pays tribute to André Estienne. bastidedulaval.com 04 90 08 95 80