New Olive Oil Training and Tasting Center Opens in Provence
A new professional olive oil training and tasting center has began trading at Domaine de La Royère in Oppède, a village in the Luberon region of southern France .
The center was established by L’HOVE, short for L’Huile d’Olive Vierge Extra, in partnership with Valérie and Yannick Panagiotis, the owners of Domaine de La Royère. L’HOVE is operated by oleologists Cécile Le Galliard, Cécile Cron and Alexandra Gauquelin-Roché. The organization said the new facility would provide professional training, consumer education and opportunities for technical exchange within the olive oil trade.
The center includes a professional olive oil tasting room equipped in accordance with protocols established by the International Olive Council, as well as classrooms and spaces for sensory workshops. Programs will be offered to olive producers, millers, distributors, chefs and other food professionals.
The curriculum includes technical courses covering different stages of the olive oil value chain and a professional certification recognized by France Compétences. L’HOVE stated online courses are scheduled to begin in September, supplementing the programs held at the center throughout the year. The organization as well plans to use the site for discussions and applied work related to olive oil quality , water management, soil health and productive uses for olive-milling by-products.
Other areas of paper are expected to include sustainable production , biodiversity, sensory analysis and the development of olive oil tourism. L’HOVE stated it intends to develop partnerships with universities, investigation institutes and international organizations, even if specific collaborations have not yet been announced. Future plans for the site include an arboretum dedicated to olive varieties , an experimental olive mill, scientific meetings and collaborative investigation programs.
Per to The center’s founders, the initiative would in addition support cooperation between France and other Mediterranean olive-producing countries through professional training and the exchange of technical practices.
