On the Andes' roof, the snow of Nevados glitters. Five thousand meters further down, among the valleys, the eternal spring : coffee trees in line take a sunbath.

The legend wants that the arabica's origin in Colombia starts with a jesuit priest, who had a taste for coffee. He would have brought some plants from europe via the West Indies. Since then, he gave order to plant coffee trees for penitence, Bourbon's variety. It had an immediate success and will never be denied.

Needing sunshine and altitude, the Coffea Arabica became in the XIXth century a real instrument for populating the Andes. Indeed, It is in an altitude of 900 to 2 000 meters that it found its predilection soil, the temperature oscillate between 17° C and 24°C and the precipitation about 1 800 to 2 800 mm. Today, more than 300 000 families cultivate coffee trees, mostly from the variety Tipica, Bourbon and Catura. Lands, as well as the know-how, is transmited from father to son.

The "cherries" are taken by hand and transported by Jeep Willies or mule. Then in a drum, the skin is taken off and washed with fresh water after a light fermentation. The drying is made under the sun on houses terraces or artificially with hot air. Once sold to the local cooperative, working women sorted the seeds one after another. The last quality control is made on the ports, by experts who analyse and taste each batch destinated to export.

With an annual production of 720 000 tons, that is to say 14% of the world market, Colombia is in pole position as a productor country of Arabica. The three-fourth of the annual harvest comes from the departments of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindio. Just like for vineyards, the native tang give a particular mark for each of the "vintage". A bourbon arabica will be fruity and acid in Neiva, balanced and suave in Popayan, soft and complete in Miraflorès. The coffee universe is complex as the one of wine.