The main phenolic compounds (oleuropein, verbascoside, rutin, luteolin 7-glucoside) were separated and determined by HPLC for three varieties (Picholine, Lucques, Salonenque) during the development and maturation of the fruit and for eight other varieties (Bouteillan, Verdale, Cailletier, Zrappola, Tanche, Lll, L365, VP7) just during the maturation. Oleuropein content could reach 14% of the dry matter in young fruit and remains very important at harvest for green picked varieties. Furthermore, small-fruit varieties are characterized by high oleuropein and low verbascoside contents, while large-fruit varieties are characterized by low oleuropein and high verbascoside contents.