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Jean Christophe ARRII

U Palazzu

Artisanal PDO Olive Oil – B&B

Visits : April - October

Regions : Sud Corse

Categories : Around the olive tree and the chestnut tree, Restaurants & guest houses, farm & cottage holidays

Agricultural sectors : Oliu di Corsica

U Palazzu - Village
20112 Sainte Lucie de Tallano
  04.95.70.23.01. |   06.13.44.09.51.
  arrii-jc@hotmail.fr

Jean-Christophe Arrii is an heir, but not to a fortune – what this dynamic young producer took from his ancestors was a passion for growing, picking and pressing olives. “Like my grandfather, I have an almost intimate relationship with this tree,” he admits. For Arrii, producing olive oil is very much a way of life, requiring patience, sacrifice, and relentless effort.

People wouldn’t believe how much work is involved.  We sometimes have to pull up trees out in the scrubland that are perhaps a hundred years old, to prune them and wait to see if they can still give us anything,” he explains. Jean-Christophe is also keen to show visitors each step of the production process and the various aspects his job entails.

But while oil production appears to be in his genes, Arrii’s work pays homage not just to his family, but also to his professional mentor: Don-Jean Santa, one of the island’s most legendary olive-oil producers. “He taught me everything, and supported me through every step when I was setting up – he’s definitely my role model.” With a host of future projects in mind and a visible determination to succeed, Jean-Christophe has recently taken on the restoration of his family’s immense villa. After bringing the ancient olive press back to life, he is now gradually renovating each room of the Palazzu, getting it ready to welcome guests and share his passion for the craft.