“It was important for me to open my estate to the public”: in Villeveyrac, immerse yourself in olive oil at the Moulin de la Dentelle

A visit to the olive grove and the mill

To the sound of cicadas, the visit begins with the olive groves located a few kilometers from the mill. Muriel explains to visitors how the fruits are picked. “For the jars, the olives are harvested by hand. It is quite a long and meticulous job. For oil production, we install large nets under the trees and shake them”. She takes the opportunity to raise awareness among the curious about the olives they eat. “Some black olives sold in processed food stores are harvested green and blackened with copper oxide. They are not ripe, explains Muriel. If it says CE, you can be sure that the olives do not come from France”.

After 30 minutes spent in the olive grove, return to the mill where Alexis, one of the employees, details the process of making the oil. “Don't think that bottling is done like in big factories. We produce small quantities. Everything is done by hand. The bottles are filled and labeled one by one”, he reveals. Visitors are amazed by the amount of work that Muriel and her employee have to do each year. "With around six kilos of fruit, we extract a liter of oil, but it depends on the year. It’s a lot of work", adds Muriel.

"Room to the best time !"

It’s time for tasting. "Place at the best time of the visit", rejoices a visitor. From olive oil flavored with lemon, Espelette pepper or ginger, there is something for everyone. Visitors discover, one after the other, all the oils sold by Muriel. "The tour and discovery of the products, everything is free. People are attracted and then they have fun in the store", confides Muriel. A successful bet for the olive producer, all the participants leave with a well-stocked basket. On the tourists' side, it's a satisfaction: “We learned a lot of things, I'm delighted”, concludes Isabelle. The farm is open every Thursday morning at 9 a.m. until August 15.

The Welcome to the Farm program

There are 130 farmers in Hérault who participate. This project aims to showcase the land, products and passion of local producers and farmers. Through this initiative, tourists are invited to stay on the farm, to walk around the farms and to taste local products, directly purchased on site. In Villeveyrac, Mas Gaël also participates in the scheme. It also offers direct sales of fruits and vegetables, and the possibility for customers to discuss the activity with the farmers.

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