Huile d'olive de Nice

Huile d'olive de Nice is a 'ripe fruity' olive oil produced in the Department of Alpes-Maritimes, France, from orchards in which at least 95 % of the trees are of the Cailletier variety. It is characterised by a predominantly almond-like flavour, with pungency no greater than 2 and bitterness no greater than 1.5 on the International Olive Oil Council organoleptic scale.

About this designation

Registered as a PDO under file number PDO-FR-0322, with EU protection dating from 29 October 2003, Huile d'olive de Nice is produced entirely within a defined zone in the Department of Alpes-Maritimes, encompassing named municipalities and cantons from the coastal fringe to inland valleys including those of the Var, Vésubie, Tinée and Estéron rivers. Every stage of production, from the cultivation of the olives to their transformation into oil, must take place within this geographical area. The specification requires that at least 95 % of the trees in any orchard are of the Cailletier variety; the remaining trees may be pollinators or 'old local varieties', defined as varieties planted before the frost of 1956 with a significant number of trees still present in the production area. The oil is classified as 'ripe fruity' in type. Its free acidity, expressed in terms of oleic acid, must not exceed 1 g per 100 g of olive oil. The peroxide value at first marketing is restricted to 16 milliequivalents of oxygen peroxide per kilogramme of oil. Pungency must be less than or equal to 2 and bitterness less than or equal to 1.5 according to the International Olive Oil Council organoleptic scale. Labels must carry the name 'Huile d'olive de Nice', the words 'appellation d'origine protégée' or 'A.O.P.', and the European Union PDO logo, all in the same visual field. The applicant group is the Syndicat interprofessionnel de l'olive de Nice, based in Nice.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 29 October 2003 under file number PDO-FR-0322 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013698).
• At least 95 % of the trees in each orchard must be of the Cailletier variety; no other variety may exceed the remaining 5 % allowance.
• Free acidity must not exceed 1 g per 100 g of olive oil, and the peroxide value at first marketing is capped at 16 milliequivalents of oxygen peroxide per kilogramme.
• All processes from olive cultivation to oil production must be carried out within the defined geographical area in the Department of Alpes-Maritimes.

Tasting notes

Niçois EVOO from Alpes-Maritimes coast, Cailletier cultivar (also known as Niçoise olive — the small black salade-niçoise olive). Light fruity intensity, very delicate balanced flavor, sweet-mild profile with light almond notes — among France's gentlest oils. Olives: small black-purple Cailletier, brined whole, intensely flavored despite small size.

HoReCa use

**Foundation of Niçois cuisine** — salade niçoise (oil and olives both essential), socca (chickpea pancake), pissaladière, ratatouille; pairs with Bellet wines.

Packaging

• Oil: glass-bottle-250ml
• glass-bottle-500ml
• glass-bottle-750ml. Olives: jar-200g
• jar-500g
• vacuum-pack-200g
• bucket-1kg

Seasonality