Les Oliviers de Giuseppone - Pianottoli's green gold

L'alivi di Giuseppone, l'oru verde di Pianottoli in Corsica

In Pianottoli-Caldarello, two lovers of the land made a promise from their meeting on the benches of Corte: to live at nature's pace.
In their olive grove, protected by a fine powder of 100% natural white clay, Camille and Marc look after their trees every day as if they were treasures. Their battle? Protecting the health of the fruit against the devastating onslaught of the fruit fly, capable of wiping out months of patience and care.

Meet them here

1. Well-oiled organization

• Can you describe a typical day on your farm? Our days start early! Between pruning the olive trees, fencing, spraying white clay, trapping flies and harvesting, there's no room for routine. We then press our oil in our own mill before putting it into vats and bottles. Market days round off the week - a real full-time job, 7 days a week.
• You use wwoofers. Wwoofing is above all a philosophy of sharing. Volunteers come to discover our know-how and take part in the life of the farm for five half-days a week. In exchange, they are provided with food and lodging, and immersed in our day-to-day life, helping each other out, sharing meals and socializing.
• What was your latest acquisition? We invested in a wine press. We used to have to drive three hours to press our olives! Today, everything is done on site, which saves us a lot of time and gives us real autonomy.

2. A story of preserved flavors and respect for nature

• Tell us about your olive trees. We have around 2,700 olive trees, only half of which are farmed. Three varieties make up our cuvées: germania di Casinca, pitchulina and zinzala. Each has its own character, and that's what makes our oil unique.
• What's your daily "silent battle"? The olive fly, without a doubt. It's a constant battle to preserve the quality of the fruit. And then there's the whole administrative side of the business... much less poetic!
• Your organic approach? No pesticides, no chemical fertilizers. We want to keep the soil alive. Around our plots, there's nothing but scrubland and cows: a preserved environment, with no treatments.

3. An assertive desire to sublimate the olive in everyday life...

• The bottles have a beautiful visual identity. Who chose them? We have kept the containers chosen by my parents: an opaque can, essential to protect the oil from light, and a label designed by my grandfather. It represents the village fountain.
• What do you think is the most unforgivable mistake you make with olive oil? Mixing it with vinegar! Good olive oil is best enjoyed on its own, to appreciate all its subtlety.
• How would you describe the character of your oil? It changes every year, but we can say that it stands out for its power and aromatic intensity.
• Where can I buy your products? Direct from the markets in Sartène, Pianottoli, Bonifacio and Lecci, as well as from the U Core Paesanu producers' store in Porto-Vecchio.

4. ...and a pleasure in every moment

• What do you particularly enjoy doing? Pruning the olive trees. It's a moment we love. You're shaping the structure of the tree, preparing for the future of the harvest.
• A tasting anecdote? One day, a customer asked us for spring olive oil! She had mistaken it for honey... We still laugh about it!
• Marc: Winter. It's quieter, so I can devote myself to pruning and maintaining the estate. Camille: The end of the harvest. It's soothing to be alone with our trees and chickens.
• And your dream today? One day off a month! Marc doesn't even know the beaches of Pianottoli...
• Finally, what do you feel when you walk through your olive grove? A great sense of pride. The pride of having built all this with our own hands, and of seeing the earth give it back to us, season after season.