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WELLNESS WEEK
A land of water in a sun-drenched country
The name "Thorades" comes from "Thor," which refers to a resurgence of water. The district is located on former marshes, fed by the Duransoles, these arms of the Durance that escaped from the river to irrigate the crops. In Graveson, the roads are lower than the fields. These are ancient rivers.
The farmhouse itself was built in antiquity on an eminence on the edge of the "Grand Clar," a marshy area. Water is in the DNA of the place. The Provençal sun, the mistral wind, and a rich limestone soil do the rest. It is this mixture, groundwater and surface dryness, that gives the Graveson terroir its singularity.
Graveson and the Alpilles
On the road between Arles and Avignon, Graveson nestles at the foot of the Alpilles mountains. Here, the mistral wind blows strong, the sun shines generously for over 2,700 hours a year, and the limestone soil naturally drains the water.
These conditions, harsh for humans, are ideal for olive trees. Water stress concentrates the aromas in the fruit. The wind cleanses the foliage. The heat accelerates ripening.
This is where your oil comes from: a terroir that doesn't cheat. Provence has been cultivating olive trees for over two millennia. The Alpilles are the birthplace of France's greatest olive oil appellations. Mas des Thorades follows in this tradition, with the ambition of producing oils worthy of this exceptional terroir.
Precision agriculture
Le Mas des Thorades plants at high density: 1,200 olive trees per hectare. Harvesting is mechanical. The varieties, Arbequina, Arboussana, Koroneiki... have been selected from nurseries and research centers in France and abroad for their specific aromatic profiles.
Every cultivation decision is carefully considered, discussed, and adapted to the terroir. Soil analyses, foliar analyses, base amendments, substrate protection. Irrigation is controlled by probes, installed in the plots with the company Padula, a specialist in the field. Water is distributed sparingly and precisely.
This approach draws on Spanish techniques (high density, irrigation technology), French standards for terroir, and the advice of seasoned professionals such as Miguel Varo, an agronomist specializing in olive oil.
"Make our land as self-sufficient as possible and only provide what the tree needs."
The olive tree in Provence
The olive tree has shaped Provence for over 2,000 years. It resists pathogens, adapts to drought, and takes root in arid and calcareous soils. Some millennia-old specimens still bear fruit. What grandparents planted, grandchildren harvest.
France produces approximately 5,000 tons of olive oil per year, for a national consumption of over 120,000 tons. Most of it comes from Spain, Italy, and Greece. The French industry is based on a different model: quality, terroir, traceability, protected appellations. Every liter produced in France finds a buyer.
"France consumes twenty-five times more olive oil than it produces, and French production accounts for barely 4 to 5% of national consumption."
Humility as a method
Olive growing requires patience. What worked one year may fail the next. Conditions change, the climate evolves, sun and rain don't arrive at the same time. To do is to redo.
The estate is surrounded by experienced professionals. Miguel Varo, an agricultural engineer, validates decisions and guides the management of the orchard. Margaux and Éric Bayol, from Domaine de Bournissac, have been contributing for twenty years to the development of an exceptional olive oil sector in Provence. They are family. The harvest from Mas des Thorades is processed in their mill, under Delphine's watchful eye.
After a few years of work, and if we had to do it again, 90% of the decisions made would be validated, and the remaining 10% fuel our vigilance. The day one thinks everything is accomplished, the end may be near.
"What worked this year might fail next year. To do is to redo. Humility, vigilance, and rigor."
Our Oils
Green fruity, ripe fruity, mature olives.
Three individuals, one shared commitment.
Blends of varieties selected for their aromatic profiles, pressed at the Domaine de Bournissac mill, under the supervision and expertise of Margaux and Eric Bayol.