Our story
A family estate, a preserved Provençal heritage
Since 2019, Gilles Buisson has been bringing Domaine de Cugis back to life, in Cuges-les-Pins, in the heart of Provence.
On this family land, the olive trees, some of them a hundred years old, are regaining their place thanks to farming that respects nature, the terroir and Provençal traditions.
A land steeped in history
Cuges-les-Pins has a remarkable history. On 1 August 1794, Joseph Bonaparte and Julie Clary celebrated their wedding here.
In 1839, Victor Hugo passed through the village and stopped for lunch at an inn that family tradition links to the Bonifay family, part of the history of Domaine de Cugis.
Charmed by the local food, the writer noted in his travel account:
“One lunches admirably in Cuges.”
He mentions in particular the produce of the Provençal terroir, seasoned with garlic and oil.
Today, LE BUISSON – Domaine de Cugis carries this heritage on with an organic PDO Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence olive oil and carefully crafted gourmet creations.
A story of Provence. A memory to savour.
From tree to bottle
- Growing and harvest: organically grown trees, olives hand-picked at full ripeness.
- Cold extraction: low-temperature extraction to preserve aromas, flavours and nutrients.
- Blend: Aglandau, Verdale, Grossane and Picholine, led by Aglandau.
- Bottling: 250 ml bottle, limited series, PDO Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence.
Two centuries, nine dates
- 1794 – Joseph Bonaparte marries Julie Clary in Cuges-les-Pins.
- 1839 – Victor Hugo stops in Cuges and lunches there “admirably”, according to family tradition at the inn of the Bonifay family.
- 1929 – François Pascal Gabriel Bonifay (1874–1952), a farmer in Cuges-les-Pins, is made a Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit (appointment published in the Official Journal of 1 August 1929).
- 100 years – The family grove grows without pesticides or chemical fertilisers.
- 2019 – Gilles Buisson takes over the estate.
- 2021 – First international awards for Le Buisson oil.
- 2024 – Organic certification of the oil.
- 2025 – Silver Award at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition in New York: Le Buisson among the “World's Best Olive Oils”.
- 17 September 2025 – QUALISUD approves the estate as a grower of olives and producer of PDO Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence olive oil (see the decision).
Victor Hugo in Cuges, 1839
In 1839, Victor Hugo travelled through the south of France. On the road from Marseille to Toulon, he passed through Cuges-les-Pins, a Provençal village nestled among the hills, and stopped for lunch at a village inn. According to family tradition, the inn was run by the Bonifay family, part of the history of Domaine de Cugis.
“Cuges is a rather pretty little town set in a kind of great green bowl formed by high hills without the slightest break. One can only reach Cuges by going down, and only leave it by going up. The water, which runs down but does not climb, gathers in winter at the bottom of the bowl and forms a sort of lake there.
One lunches admirably in Cuges. True, you get clams instead of oysters, ewe's cheese instead of butter and jujubes instead of plums; but the table is covered with figpeckers and robins, slices of grilled tuna, sea bream and red mullet, purple figs and pink grapes, all duly seasoned with garlic and oil.”
Victor Hugo, En voyage – Alpes et Pyrénées, account of the 1839 journey (our translation)
A Provence of table and terroir, where oil naturally has its place. Almost two centuries later, Domaine de Cugis carries these flavours on with its organic PDO Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence olive oil and its gourmet creations. A story of Provence, a memory to savour.
Historical note: Victor Hugo's stop in Cuges-les-Pins in 1839 and his lunch at a village inn are attested by his travel account. Identifying this inn as that of the Bonifay family comes from family tradition; no archival document formally links them to date.
1929, an honour that celebrates our roots
The Golden Book diploma of the Order of Agricultural Merit dedicated to François Pascal Gabriel Bonifay, farmer in Cuges-les-Pins, kept by the family.
In Cuges-les-Pins, our family's story is closely tied to the land of Provence. In 1929, François Pascal Gabriel Bonifay (1874–1952), a farmer in Cuges-les-Pins, was made a Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit. The family diploma, carefully preserved, records an appointment published in the Official Journal of 1 August 1929.
At Domaine de Cugis, we share the same attachment to our land and to respect for what it produces. More than a memento, this honour reminds us of a simple conviction: beautiful things take root through time, work and passion.
Historical source: family diploma of the Order of Agricultural Merit, appointment dated 1 August 1929. The link with the estate reflects family heritage and transmission, without implying any legal or land continuity of the farm.
An oil awarded in New York
In 2025, the jury of the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world's largest olive oil quality competition, gave Le Buisson oil a Silver Award. In the current ranking of the Official Guide to the World's Best Olive Oils (October 2026), it stands 11th in France and 102nd worldwide.
“An unexpected victory, after several consecutive years of taking part. It clearly shows our progress in the quality olive oil market, with a new setting that showcases all the excellence and refinement we offer our customers. Thank you!”
Gilles Buisson, owner of Domaine de Cugis
See the official listing · Olive Oil Times ranking
2025, PDO Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence approval
On 17 September 2025, following the assessment carried out at the estate on 16 July, the certification body QUALISUD approved our company as a grower of olives, producer of PDO olive oil and marketer under the Protected Designation of Origin Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence.
In practice, our olives and our oil are inspected against the appellation's specifications: local varieties, production area, harvesting and extraction methods. A guarantee of origin and quality for every bottle of Le Buisson.
Extract from the QUALISUD certification decision (ref. AA-2025-3124), effective 17 September 2025, copied to the Syndicat AOC Huile d'Olive d'Aix-en-Provence.
The spreads
Alongside the oil, Le Buisson makes three organic spreads built on single-origin chocolates: Pur Pérou, Amazonas and Madagascar Sambirano. Fair-trade chocolate, selected nuts, extra virgin olive oil, no palm oil and no additives.
Organic certificate FR-BIO-16.250-0082665.2024.001 · certified by FR-BIO-16, Agriculture France.
