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OLI’S MOLI

Medieval village nestled in the heights on the Verdon Gorges road, Bargemon is one of the most beautiful and picturesque sites in Dracénie. Nicknamed "Pearl of the Haut Var", its heritage is one of the most important in our region. Abundant rivers, underground or not, supply the village and its surroundings. Fountains and wash houses enchant us on every street corner. Many mills still existed a few decades ago. The extraction of different minerals, flour milling and olive cultivation were the primary activities of the village with livestock breeding and cereal cultivation. 

The Pré-Conduit mill located in the Doux valley is one of the many mills that lined the Usines canal. Already included in the inventory of national heritage ordered by Napoleon III to Prosper Mérimée in the middle of the 18th century, it was one of the large mills which combined the extraction of olive oil and gasoline. Jewels of our village and our traditions, the years have damaged it. 

We cannot abandon this communal mill.

Image by Melina Kiefer

The Bargemon olive mill

RESTORATION OF THE MILL AND VALORIZATION OF THE OLIVE GROWING HERITAGE

Revival of the mill: towards a living museum

"Initially, this municipal mill was shared by three municipalities: Bargemon, Claviers, and Seillans. In good years, we
crushed up to 120 tonnes of olives here,” explains Catherine.

Almost in ruins in 1979, part of the Bargemon oil mill was restored by the Riou Olive Oil Syndicate, under the name Coopérative de l'Est-Varois (1).

When this cooperative dissolved in 2019, “its members in the prime of their life found no one to take over. The town found itself alone, with its mill.”

Creation of the Moli d’Oli association

In 2020, the oil mill operates thanks to municipal employees and volunteers, who are then mobilized to help the miller.
“But it had become difficult for the town hall to send municipal employees to the mill for two months,” continues
Catherine.
It was at this moment that the association Moli d’Oli is born in April 2021. And gets busy. Objective: mobilize troops, rehabilitate everything.

"We signed an agreement with the town hall. Knocked on the door of the Heritage Foundation to benefit from sponsorship. We made ourselves known here and there. We even went so far as to contact the production of the TV show La treasure map so that the mill has visibility."

Moli d’Oli is also a recent winner of the Heritage Loto (our previous editions).

The association estimates the amount of the rehabilitation work at 700,000 euros, divided into two tranches. "The first includes
the frame, the millstone, the water wheel, the underworld, the retaining wall..."

Without forgetting the renovation of the canals, because the water no longer reached the paddle wheel. At least until
recently. "We managed to get a net flowing again during Heritage Days! It was magical..."

Looking for volunteers

The second phase will be launched in 2026. It will consist of restoring all the interiors, starting with the renovation
reessence to transform it into a living museum.

"We will explain how it worked. We will continue to provide training for people who wish to take care of their olive trees. We will set up school visits around crushing, but also manufacturing workshops around olives, exhibitions, etc. It’s a place that must live!”

Please note that the association invites anyone who wishes to join its ranks.

“All goodwill is welcome. We also need plumbing skills,
masonry, framework…”

the Association

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Following the dissolution of the olive cooperative, the Moli d'Oli association was created in partnership with the town hall which owns this exceptional municipal mill. 

A very motivated team, which you can join with your skills, your availability, your experience, and support us by bringing us your olives.

Its goal:

- Renovate the buildings (mill and inventory), perpetuate the extraction of olive oil using the traditional stone mill method.


- Develop and secure the surrounding areas


- Develop cultural and heritage activities around the olive tree.


- Respect the environment by bringing up to date the use of hell, the storage of pomace and their use as natural fertilizer. 


- Restore the paddle wheel and put it back into service using the factories canal.


- Make ressence a lively place for meeting and sharing.

Image de Melina Kiefer
Apport Trituration

Lundi - Mecredi - Vendredi

7h - 9h

Sur RDV uniquement au

Boutique

Mardi et Vendredi

15h - 19h

(sauf Janvier - Mars)

Samedi

10h - 12h 15h - 19h

+33 (0) 7 83 09 64 23

+33 (0) 4 94 67 87 09

+33 (0) 7 83 09 64 23

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