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Walnut and walnut oil: pinnacle of Vaud’s excellence
Native walnut trees have been an integral part of the landscape of Vaud for several centuries and their nuts produce delicious artisanal oils. While production peaked during the second world war and then strongly decreased due to climate and the competition with industrially produced oils, in the past few years there has been growing interest in the traditional method. Walnut oil has been protected by a Protected Designation of Origin (AOP in Switzerland) since 2020.
The nuts are harvested when ripe in the fall in the canton of Vaud and then dried before being pressed at the Moulin de Sévery according to ancestral artisanal techniques. The result is a golden-colored liquid with a powerful aroma and plenty of benefits.
The Moulin de Sévery is the last mill in Switzerland to operate all year round, six days a week. The know-how and the mastery of the techniques of the oil-making craft have been passed on from generation to generation in the Bovey family since 1810.
To discover this product of excellence from every angle, the Maison de la Noix was created in 2022: it brings together various experiences including visits to the Moulin de Sévery, product tastings and a restaurant area with local dishes… and the house oil, of course. A place to discover with family, friends or groups.
Huile de noix AOP. Taste this typically Waldensian product!
Additional information
Plan your visits
Moulin et Huilerie de Sévery, 10, Route du Moulin, Moulins de Sévery, Sévery, Hautemorges, District de Morges, Vaud, 1141, Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra
What is Huile de Noix AOP?
About nutsProduction of Huile de noix AOPA family historyThe Fondation du Moulin: for the preservation of our heritageBranded customersThe Maison de la Noix: a gourmet projectImportant dates to remember
About nuts
The walnut tree is native to Switzerland. Although half of the walnut trees in Vaud were lost to the frost of 1956, 110 hectares of walnut trees were planted in the canton in 2010, bringing their number to 25,000. In 2012, an additional walnut grove was created behind the oil mill, where 50 new walnut trees were planted.
Measuring between 15 and 20 metres, the walnut tree is recognizable by its slender, light gray trunk, as well as its rather large alternating leaves. The walnut, an oleaginous nut, grows on this tree. It comes wrapped in a green husk which then cracks and reveals the shell underneath. Inside this shell is the seed: this is the part of the nut that we eat!
The walnut is known for its high content of omega-3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Excellent for both taste and health, the walnut can be eaten fresh, dried, or pressed into oil. Discover its journey from the tree to the plate at the Moulin de Sévery.
Production of Huile de noix AOP
The Huile de noix AOP is made exclusively from Waldensian walnuts. Harvested in autumn directly from the ground, they are quickly dried before being “cracked” with a nutcracker to separate the shell and the kernel. The kernels freed from their shells are then crushed in the oil mill to give a compact paste. In order to release the flavours and fix the golden pigments on the walnut oil, the paste is roasted for about twenty minutes. It is then pressed in the old-fashioned way to recover the oil. After resting for a few days, the precious liquid can be bottled in opaque containers to avoid any oxidation of this exceptional oil.
Old-fashioned pressing: a question of tradition and taste
The Mill presses its nuts according to centuries-old traditional methods to extract the oil. The old-fashioned pressing is done through a metal base inside which an endless screw, or Archimedes screw, compresses the dry fruit or oilseed. At the end of the screw, a retaining die gives the necessary pressure for the oil to separate from the dry matter. This residue, thus obtained, is called the cake. The harvested oil from the first pressing is filtered through fabric plates.
A family history
The history of the Moulin de Sévery dates back to 1228, the first written record of the mill. Since 1810, six generations of the Bovey family, and recently the seventh, have succeeded each other at the head of the Mill. From father to son, and now from father to daughter, the know-how and the mastery of the techniques of the oil-making craft are perpetuated from generation to generation. Taken over in 2002 by Jean-Luc Bovey, a member of the sixth generation and current owner, the Mill can count on Maveline and Dessilia Bovey, worthy representatives of the seventh generation.
The Fondation du Moulin: for the preservation of our heritage
The year 2013 symbolizes the creation of the Fondation du Moulin. The Foundation’s objective is to promote the heritage of the Moulin de Sévery, the last artisanal oil mill in Switzerland that is active all year round. The Foundation will play an active role, in collaboration with experienced players in the field of nutrition and gastronomy, in various ways.
- In a support and contribution to the nutritional optimization, respecting gastronomy and pleasure.
- By offering high quality artisanal vegetable oils.
- By contributing to the diversity of oils and derived products, aiming to facilitate access to a balanced diet.
- By supporting, through the training of young people and adults, the (re)discovery of authentic tastes and the pleasure of their positive effects.
Thus, the Foundation works for a safeguard of the heritage, the traditional artisanal oil mill, and the related ancestral trades.
In June 2020, the walnut oil of the Moulin de Sévery obtained the Protected Designation of Origin (AOP). This typically Waldensian product is now protected.
Branded customers
Among the customers of the Moulin de Sévery are some of the best restaurateurs in the region, such as the three-starred chef Franck Giovannini of the Hôtel de Ville in Crissier, the avant-garde chef Denis Martin of Vevey, or chef Romain Dercile of the Fleur de Sel in Cossonay. In addition to demanding restaurateurs, most of the clientele is made up of private individuals, but also of farmers who bring their products to the Bovey family for processing. Every year, 70 tons of nuts leave the Moulin de Sévery in liquid form, after pressing.
The Maison de la Noix: a gourmet project
Since the spring of 2022, the Maison de la Noix invites individuals and groups to a terribly gourmet stopover: guided tours, product tastings and a new restaurant space will delight the most delicate palates.
The Mill welcomes its visitors from Monday to Saturday. They can also bring their own raw materials (walnuts for example) and leave with a freshly pressed oil. By immersing themselves in the world of the artisanal oil mill during a guided tour, the happy visitors are welcomed by a team of professional and passionate craftsmen, by the scents of the finished products and by the clanking of the belts turning at the mercy of the wooden pulleys. In a historical setting dominated by the imposing bucket wheel, the Moulin de Sévery stands in all its splendor.
Important dates to remember
2003: The Moulin de Sévery is officially registered on the list of the General Protection of Historical Monuments of the Canton of Vaud. The same year, the Fête à la Noix was launched to revive the century-old tradition.
2008: The Mill is classified as a Swiss culinary heritage site, then as a Vaudois heritage site.
2012: The production of walnut oil is listed as intangible world heritage in the canton of Vaud according to the UNESCO regulations.
2020: In June 2020, the Moulin de Sévery walnut oil obtains the Protected Designation of Origin (AOP in Switzerland). This typically Vaudois product is now protected.
Romain Dercile’s recipe
Walnuts are used to enhance many dishes. The Huile de noix AOP also enhances a wide variety of dishes with its delicate flavours.
Romain Dercile, Chef at the Restaurant La Fleur de Sel, has created a special recipe for the Great Sites of Taste. Discover the video and make the recipe at home!
Ciselé of arctic char with Huile de noix AOP and Fleur des Alpes
Regional actors
