National Geographic Traveller (UK) - Food
The chestnut grower of Collobrières
Every October in Provence, villagers in Collobrières go mad for chestnuts. And for Fabien Tamboloni, it’s the most important time of year. Words: Carolyn Boyd
For Fabien Tamboloni, October is the month when his hard work comes to fruition. As the owner of a grove set deep in the chestnut and cork oak forests of the Massif de Maures, just an hour inland from Saint-tropez in southeast France, he’s one of Collobrières’ many chestnut producers carving out a living in an area where they’ve been grown for centuries.
“The Romans introduced them here. They’re the same as the chestnuts in Northern Italy,” he explains. “And in October, we collect about 180 kilos a day.”
While many of Collobrières’ producers learned from previous generations of their families, Fabien came to chestnut farming fresh, although he was used to the woods, having worked in forestry in his home region of Jura. When he started, he lived off-grid in a cabin close to his grove for the first few years, just as many of his fellow growers do. “When we lived in the cabin, we’d see wild tortoises and buzzards — my wife even saw a wolf once,” he says. “This was before my son was born in the cabin, and we stayed there until he started school. But the school run wasn’t very easy from up there.”
Now based in a house closer to town, Fabien and his family use the crop to produce crème de chataigne — a blend of puréed chestnuts and honey that can be used in tarts, on crepes and in desserts such as the famous Mont Blanc. Fabien also offers nature walks, so visitors can get a better understanding of an area impacted by environmental challenges such as forest fires and climate change. “We also have a problem with the wild boar, who eat about half of the crop,” he says. In an attempt to control boar numbers, many locals hunt them. During the Fête de Chataîgne festival, where chestnuts are in plentiful supply and Fabien sells jars of crème de chataigne, one dish has pride of place in local restaurants: wild boar and chestnut stew. GETTING STARTED: Join in with the Fête de Chataîgne for the last three Sundays in October, when you can meet the producers, watch them toast chestnuts over open fires, and buy chestnuts in all their guises.