Listen free for 30 days
-
The Olive Farm
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Entertainment & Celebrities
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £19.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Olive Harvest
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Returning to their home after an extended absence, Carol and her husband, Michel, are looking forward to summer together on the farm. Then a shocking blow leaves Carol alone, and the future looks uncertain. The Olive Harvest takes us beyond the perimeters of her olive groves to where hunters, poets, beekeepers, boars and gypsies abide. In search of the language of troubadours, the dark and sometimes barbarous heart of Provence is revealed.
-
-
A honest and engaging personal book
- By Silvermoongal on 09-02-22
-
Return to the Olive Farm
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After 16 months of travelling round the Mediterranean in search of the ancient secrets of the olive tree, Carol returns to her beloved olive farm in the south of France. However, the homecoming celebrations are overshadowed by disturbing discoveries.
-
-
Easy Listening
- By J. Carter on 06-10-16
-
The Olive Tree
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Olive Tree charts Carol Drinkwater's colourful and often dangerous journey in search of the routes that olive cultivation has taken over the centuries. Set during a springtime Mediterranean that is evocative and perennial, it is above all a tale of our time.
-
-
A travelog par excellence
- By Kevin on 24-08-09
-
An Act of Love
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
France, 1943. Forced to flee war ravaged Poland, Sara and her parents are offered refuge in a beautiful but dilapidated house in the French Alps. It seems the perfect hideaway, despite haunting traces of the previous occupants who left in haste. But shadows soon fall over Sara's blissful summer and her blossoming romance with local villager Alain. As the Nazis close in, the family is forced to make a harrowing choice that could drive them apart forever, while Sara's own bid for freedom risks several lives.
-
-
An absolutely fantastic book.
- By Anonymous User on 05-12-21
-
My Twenty-Five Years in Provence
- Reflections on Then and Now
- By: Peter Mayle
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 4 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A celebration of 25 years of Provençal living - of lessons learned and changes observed - with his final book, Peter Mayle has crafted a lasting love letter to his adopted home, marked by his signature warmth, wit, and humor.
-
-
narration
- By Lyn D on 29-12-19
-
The House on the Edge of the Cliff
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No-one else knows what happened that summer. Or so she believes. Grace first came to France a lifetime ago. Young and full of dreams of adventure, she met two very different men. She fell under the spell of one. The other fell under hers. Until one summer night shattered everything. Now, Grace is living an idyllic life with her husband, sheltered from the world in a magnificent Provençal villa perched atop a windswept cliff. Every day she looks out over the sea - the only witness to that fateful night years ago. Until a stranger arrives at the house. A stranger who knows everything.
-
-
a waste of a credit
- By Sarah on 09-07-20
-
The Olive Harvest
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Returning to their home after an extended absence, Carol and her husband, Michel, are looking forward to summer together on the farm. Then a shocking blow leaves Carol alone, and the future looks uncertain. The Olive Harvest takes us beyond the perimeters of her olive groves to where hunters, poets, beekeepers, boars and gypsies abide. In search of the language of troubadours, the dark and sometimes barbarous heart of Provence is revealed.
-
-
A honest and engaging personal book
- By Silvermoongal on 09-02-22
-
Return to the Olive Farm
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After 16 months of travelling round the Mediterranean in search of the ancient secrets of the olive tree, Carol returns to her beloved olive farm in the south of France. However, the homecoming celebrations are overshadowed by disturbing discoveries.
-
-
Easy Listening
- By J. Carter on 06-10-16
-
The Olive Tree
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Olive Tree charts Carol Drinkwater's colourful and often dangerous journey in search of the routes that olive cultivation has taken over the centuries. Set during a springtime Mediterranean that is evocative and perennial, it is above all a tale of our time.
-
-
A travelog par excellence
- By Kevin on 24-08-09
-
An Act of Love
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
France, 1943. Forced to flee war ravaged Poland, Sara and her parents are offered refuge in a beautiful but dilapidated house in the French Alps. It seems the perfect hideaway, despite haunting traces of the previous occupants who left in haste. But shadows soon fall over Sara's blissful summer and her blossoming romance with local villager Alain. As the Nazis close in, the family is forced to make a harrowing choice that could drive them apart forever, while Sara's own bid for freedom risks several lives.
-
-
An absolutely fantastic book.
- By Anonymous User on 05-12-21
-
My Twenty-Five Years in Provence
- Reflections on Then and Now
- By: Peter Mayle
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 4 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A celebration of 25 years of Provençal living - of lessons learned and changes observed - with his final book, Peter Mayle has crafted a lasting love letter to his adopted home, marked by his signature warmth, wit, and humor.
-
-
narration
- By Lyn D on 29-12-19
-
The House on the Edge of the Cliff
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No-one else knows what happened that summer. Or so she believes. Grace first came to France a lifetime ago. Young and full of dreams of adventure, she met two very different men. She fell under the spell of one. The other fell under hers. Until one summer night shattered everything. Now, Grace is living an idyllic life with her husband, sheltered from the world in a magnificent Provençal villa perched atop a windswept cliff. Every day she looks out over the sea - the only witness to that fateful night years ago. Until a stranger arrives at the house. A stranger who knows everything.
-
-
a waste of a credit
- By Sarah on 09-07-20
-
My Good Life in France
- In Pursuit of the Rural Dream
- By: Janine Marsh
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One grey dismal day, Janine Marsh was on a trip to northern France to pick up some cheap wine. She returned to England a few hours later having put in an offer on a rundown old barn in the rural Seven Valleys area of Pas de Calais. This was not something she'd expected or planned for. Janine eventually gave up her job in London to move with her husband to live the good life in France. Or so she hoped. While getting to grips with the locals and la vie Française, and renovating her dilapidated new house, a building lacking the comforts of mains drainage, heating, or proper rooms.
-
-
loved it
- By JohnJenner on 28-10-20
-
The Forgotten Summer
- By: Carol Drinkwater
- Narrated by: Carol Drinkwater
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The annual grape harvest at the Cambon family's magnificent vineyard is always a cause for celebration. But not this year. When an accident destroys the crop, Clarisse Cambon knows exactly who to blame - her daughter-in-law, Jane. Forced to take charge of the ailing vineyard, Jane uncovers proof that Luc may not be the man she fell in love with 20 years ago. And, worse still, she knows that her old enemy, Clarisse, is the only one who knows the truth....
-
-
A light tale with little depth
- By Suzy on 07-03-17
-
The Little Vineyard in Provence
- A warm, escapist read for 2020
- By: Ruth Kelly
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ava's marriage has been a lie. For the past five years her husband Mark has been squandering their money on gambling and dodgy deals that have amounted to nothing. Mark has left Ava and their daughter, Sophia, to fend for themselves with a mountain of debt. Then Ava is shocked to learn her grandfather has passed away and left his entire vineyard, Chateau Montrose, to her. What does Ava know about making wine?
-
-
A Bazzin' Listen!
- By marshy1950 on 27-07-20
-
The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society
- By: Chris Stewart
- Narrated by: Chris Stewart
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society finds Chris Stewart and his family still living on their farm, El Varo -- but life there never stands still. You will find yourself laughing out loud as Chris is instructed by his daughter on the way to treat dung beetles, bluffs his way as an art history guide to millionaire Bostonians, collects seeds in North Africa, and joins an Almond Blossom Appreciation Society. And you'll cringe as he tries his hand at office work in Granada.
-
-
lemons
- By Amazon Customer on 13-06-20
-
C'est la Folie
- One Man's Quest for a More Meaningful Life
- By: Michael Wright
- Narrated by: Michael Wright
- Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One day in late summer, Michael Wright gave up his comfortable South London existence and, with only his long-suffering cat for company, set out to begin a new life. His destination was "La Folie", a dilapidated 15th century farmhouse in need of love and renovation in the heart of rural France.
-
-
C'est formidable !
- By Timothy on 23-12-12
-
Afloat
- A Memoir
- By: Danie Couchman
- Narrated by: Danie Couchman
- Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Danie Couchman grew up on the move, her family never staying still long enough for her to say where she's from. At 25, and living in her 17th home, she finds herself drowning in the rush of London life and makes an impulsive decision: to buy a narrowboat and make it her home. Surrounded by an eclectic and itinerant community in the uncharted territory of the capital's urban wilderness, Danie becomes fully immersed in this hidden world. Each day on board her boat, Genesis, is an adventure full of disaster and magic.
-
-
Fantastic story! I loved it.
- By Anonymous User on 29-08-20
-
Rush Home Road
- By: Lori Lansens
- Narrated by: Ruby Dee
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a 70-year-old woman finds a five-year-old girl abandoned on her doorstep, she is thrust into a sorrowful past that can only be conquered with the help of the girl who opened her memory - the very girl she is trying to save. This first novel, according to author Jacquelyn Mitchard, is one of "exquisite power, honesty, and conviction...quite nearly without flaws."
-
The Proposal
- The English Garden Series, Book 1
- By: Lori Wick
- Narrated by: Virginia Leishman
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed, best-selling author Lori Wick’s The Proposal is a moving tale of Christ’s love at work in early 19th-century London. William Jennings is not married and likes it that way. But when a relative passes away, he is suddenly guardian of three young children. This unexpected development provides him a male heir without the bother of a wife, yet the children quickly become more than he can handle. Finding help from a truly remarkable woman, he learns to see the world in a completely different light.
-
-
Good Storyline with Strong Christian Emphasis
- By VioletRuth on 28-03-22
-
The Garden of the Gods
- By: Gerald Durrell
- Narrated by: Christopher Timothy
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The enchanted island of Corfu was home to Gerald Durrell and his family for five years before the Second World War. For the passionate young zoologist, Corfu was a natural paradise, teeming with strange birds and beasts that he could collect watch and care for. But life was not without its problems - Gerald’s family often objected to his animal-collecting activities, especially when the beasts wound up in the family’s villa or even worse - the fridge.
-
-
This is a great book.
- By L on 24-12-12
-
Last Days of the Bus Club
- By: Chris Stewart
- Narrated by: Chris Stewart
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's two decades since Chris Stewart moved to his farm on the wrong side of a river in southern Spain and his daughter Chlöe is preparing to leave for university. We find Chris, a local literary celebrity, using his fame to help his old sheep-shearing partner find work on a raucous road trip; cooking a TV lunch for visiting British chef, Rick Stein; and, most movingly, visiting famine-stricken Niger for Oxfam.
-
-
I liked it a lot will read his other works if here
- By Mark on 20-01-20
-
Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools
- By: Victoria Twead
- Narrated by: Jilly Bond
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If Joe and Vicky had known what relocating to a tiny mountain village in Andalucía would really be like, they might have hesitated. They can have no idea of the culture shock in store for them...no idea they'll become reluctant chicken farmers and own the most dangerous cockerel in Spain...no idea they'll help capture a vulture and be rescued by a mule. Will they stay, or will they return to the relative sanity of England?
-
-
amazing
- By Anonymous User on 10-03-22
-
The Dream Engine
- Blunderbuss, Book 1
- By: Sean Platt, Johnny B. Truant
- Narrated by: Ray Chase
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Eila Doyle first sees the strange boy beckoning in whispers from somewhere deep in her imagination, she questioned her sanity. She was used to seeing strange things with her eyes closed - that's what Eila did all day while strapped to the Blunderbuss, building whatever the Ministry of Manifestation required - but never before have those images felt so real, or so dangerous. After Eila learns the terrible truth about her reality and the monsters inside it, she thinks that maybe madness might be her only escape.
Summary
For many, Carol Drinkwater will be forever remembered for her part as the wholesome Helen Herriot in the television series All Creatures Great and Small.
But since being a successful actress in England, she has spent the past 13 years in France with her husband Michel. This is the story of her new life, of the trials and tribulations of acquiring an olive farm, restoring it, farming the olives, overcoming the heartaches of taking on a new French family and slowly coming to understand the workings and life of a vivacious Provencal community - opening the door to vibrant Mediterranean world....
More from the same
What listeners say about The Olive Farm
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- chris
- 14-04-11
A charming easy listener
One of the first audio books I bought was Peter Mayle's Year in Provence, having heard it on Radio 4's book of the week, and this is a return to similar territory but the with added interest of the development of an olive farm and the attendant technical and horticultural activities. The author narrator is an accomplished actress, who does an excellent job of bringing it all to life and overall it is a charming easy listener, which provided an interesting break from my usual crime and history diet.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- pamela
- 23-03-15
long windedno
Would you try another book written by Carol Drinkwater or narrated by Carol Drinkwater?
no
Has The Olive Farm put you off other books in this genre?
yes
Would you be willing to try another one of Carol Drinkwater’s performances?
no
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
It was like reading a tourists guide book
Any additional comments?
if you are looking for a book with a good story this is not it
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nichola H.
- 18-02-21
real life in France
I enjoyed the story of starting a new life in France. The dream and the reality.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Amazon Customer
- 28-10-11
Problem oriented story steps to farm south France
It's a story about international family (Irish woman & divorced French man w. family) buying almost ruined house together. In story house is situated between Cannes and Frejus. Story is the Irish womans point of view.
First summer they move in before they own house. It's made possible by pre-payment and scheduled buying agreement. Starting without water, electricity and leaking roof they manage to spend a summer without quarrels. In the end she get's to stage of starting olive garden.
It's quite like Peter Mayle's Year in provence, but it doesn't concentrate French-English confrontation and secrets of France like Mayle does a lot. It's more problems oriented like handling bying a property as (Irish) foreigner and owning house as foreigner and living abroad. So if you are even thinking bying house in France this is really worth of listening.
Sample is too short to tell enough of this book. If you liked the "Year in Provence" you most likely end up bying more than this first book. I liked it and it was easy enough to listen as not a native English speaker.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Chris Stanfield
- 17-02-21
Highly recommended read
I bought this book on a special offer and I'm so glad I did, its well written and enchanting
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Autumn Rose
- 05-01-21
Good story
This was an interesting story for me ...as a Francophile and the ups and downs of living in France!
However ...I got slightly exhausted by the descriptive writing being a tad OTT
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jacqueline
- 04-12-20
Loved it
Was special to experience their lives, their adventures. Will listen to the next one eagerly.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- A George
- 01-11-20
Wonderfully written and read
Carol’s retelling of her story is memorising, the descriptions of the places and people make you feel you are there with her. It is a truly inspirational read and listening to it read by Carol add the most fantastic depth to the story - recommending to everyone who will listen
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
- Celia
- 04-05-11
The Olive Farm
A lovely easy ready. Really takes you to the hot countryside outside Cannes. Have not been able to put it down and definitely for anyone that craves sunshine and sunny days.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 21-11-21
The olive farm
Totally captivated by this book. Beautifully written with many colourful descriptions. Can not wait to listen to the next book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- silkieweaver
- 09-05-12
An enjoyable listen
Where does The Olive Farm rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
I'd rank this title somewhere in the top third of all the books I've listened to.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Olive Farm?
I thought the most memorable scenes involved Carol dealing with forces outside her control -- French bureaucracy, the locals, various animals, storms and fires.
Which character – as performed by Carol Drinkwater – was your favorite?
I found it interesting that she is a much more complex character herself than the one she is most famous for portraying on television. She is not afraid to reveal her quirks.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, it was perfect in about one-hour bites, as I listened to it on my lunch hour.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- IreneTH
- 11-01-12
courage and chaos
Where does The Olive Farm rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
In the personal memoir genre this book ranks very high.
What did you like best about this story?
the honesty of the author
What does Carol Drinkwater bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Carol Drinkwater's language, voice, and attention to detail.. She is an excellent and intelligent reader and uses language and description so well that you really can visualize her description of the area and all its attributes. This is a case, given her skills, that could only have been narrated by the author.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No.
Any additional comments?
I'm going to move on to the next olive book in her series.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- NathanHeinrich
- 29-06-20
Carol Drinkwater is my Favorite Newly Discovered Author!
During these strange and challenging times of 2020’s pandemic, civil unrest and political turmoil, I desperately needed something to remind me what was real and what really mattered in life; The Olive Garden was just that beautiful reminder!
Set partly on the Mediterranean, in divine Southern France, this memoir of Carol Drinkwater’s early days, details the joys, struggles, heartbreaks and triumphs of reclaiming an abandoned villa and surrounding property complete with citrus and olive groves and transforming it into a productive, award winning, producer of olive oil.
Laugh, cry and hide under the covers in fear as Carol Drinkwater recounts this riveting tale in her own words in her own alluring voice!
The perfect antidote for fear. The perfect reason to exploit your own dreams. The exact reason why “biting off more than you can chew” is always the right thing to do when following your heart.
Listen and Love!
Thanks a million times Carol! I only hope to sit down and discuss this story with you in person one day over a dish of olive oil and a glass of Rosé.
Cheers!
- Nathan Heinrich
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Kindle Customer
- 17-06-19
Read this book, rather than listen to it.
I enjoyed the author's story but I was surprised at the end to find she had also narrated the book. The author mentions in the book that she is an actress. However, I found her narration lacked emotional impact. There was little difference in tone between happy days/events versus trying/difficult days.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Heather Barney
- 09-05-16
Most Pleasant
Would you listen to The Olive Farm again? Why?
I have listened to this book several times. It is beautiful. At first it made me want to move and have those same experiences then I realized that I need to create them in my own way, In my own home, with my own family. Love this book so much
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Sandra
- 05-11-12
Travel, Romance and DIY
What did you love best about The Olive Farm?
I liked hearing about following their dreams and dealing with some tough odds to make things happen.
Any additional comments?
This is a good book for those who like hearing about living in a different country, travel also about a new love coming together. Written and narrated by the actress who was the wife in All Creatures Great and Small. Wanted the second book but it is not on audible so I will have to read it!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- sally j landers
- 23-01-22
The best medicine
Provence 2023 a must. Tenacity, love and friends.Watching the series too, a tonic for any time .
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Nadene B Gillis
- 30-08-21
Liquid sunshine!
This was a delightful audio experience which stayed with me when I was too busy to listen. The sights, sounds and smells of the south coast of France were all around me as I listened to the excellent narration by the author, Carol Drinkwater. I am looking forward to listening to the next book, Return to the Olive Farm, very soon.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- A. Landry
- 27-09-19
Could have been so much better
Chose this book because who doesn't dream of owning a farm/vineyard in France or southern Italy? Ever since Under the Tuscan sun, Americans have been fascinated with the idea of leaving the US for a sun drenched property overlooking the Med. Problem here is the way she jumps around between matters of the farm and her acting life, and it is distracting. Add in that she appears to care for her dogs and then mentions nothing about their welfare and I came away thinking she was a bad/careless dog owner. She also tends to be a bit histrionic about every obstacle and I grew irritated with this helpless, frustrated approach she had to every challenge. Not what I, as a urban farmer, expect from someone who loves and works the land. When you own acreage and/or a farm, sh$t happens and trying to create drama out of small obstacles got tiring as the book went on. What was nice was her descriptions of the land and I felt myself seeing it through her eyes. Her tendency to overdramatizing everything hurt the charm of the book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Virginia Sanden
- 01-10-16
Delightful!
I read this book many years ago and Carol Drinkwater's warmth came shining through. So too her audible reading. As a lover and former owner in the South of France, all the places, things and people were deliciously familiar to me. I could smell the smells, taste the tastes. It made me long to return. Thank you