From sustainable production to organic farming

We have adopted the principles of organic farming, with the use of green manure, compost, biological pest control, and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and control pests.

• Pheromone traps allow to capture some pests like the olive tree fly or the eudemis (a type of moth) in the vineyard, and to assess the threshold for specific actions.
• We disperse natural predators (Métaphicus) to control some pests of the olive trees.
• Natural copper based products are used to fight rots
• We adapt the pruning of the grapevines to increase sun exposure and limit the risk of diseases, while improving work conditions.
• We enrich the soil with a fermentation of oil production residues from our own mill
• We do not use any synthetic chemicals on the Domaine.

The careful management of the natural surroundings

• Numerous terraces or "restanques " in Provencal are regularly renovated and rebuilt.  Olive tree farming allows to maintain those man made features of the traditional Provencal landscale, and a very efficient way to control soil erosion.
• To raise awareness of the young people to landscape preservation, elementary school pupils are invited every year to take part in the replanting of new olive trees.
• A botanical path has been established to allow visitors to discover the botanical richness and variety of the Domaine.
• Chemical weed killers have been replaced by thermal weed control equipment from the French company OIKO, an innovator in this area.  Propane burners roast the roots of unwanted weeds.
• A compost is also used as ground cover to limit water evaporation and weed growth/

A production of quality olives

• The Domaine owns its mill.  To obtain the highest quality, each varietal is pressed separately.  Oils are assembled like for a great wine, with percentages changing according to the flavor sought.
• The olive varietals are selected for their flavors and resistance to climate.
• The pruning for fruit bearing eliminates the wood that has already produced and encourages the stems that will produce fruits in the coming years.  The tree takes a hollow shape to allow the sun to shine on the branches and the fruits.
• The Domaine uses only the by-products of its farming for soil enrichment, under the permanent control of an independent authority.