We’ve been keeping bees for a few years now and have just started up a beekeeping blog Bees in France - do please have a look and tell us what you think.
When we started up in France, we couldn’t find much information on the web that was France specific so we’ve decided to chronicle our journey in the hope that we can encourage others to start up and help our bees survive. We’d also love to contact other beekeepers - we know that there are lots out there!
I’m hoping that there are some other beekeepers, bee enthusiasts or just people interested in the future of our bees on SF, so I’m off to set up group - please come along and join in the discussion.
Hi Kathryn,
How interesting! We are trying desperately to sell our house here in the Languedoc region of France so we can buy a smallholding somewhere in SW France - the climate here is too hot for animals or general crops so hence the move required - not to mention the price of land and property in this part of France!
Anyway, I would really really love to keep Bees as part of our small holding livestock - I would really appreciate any advice you have to give about any courses I could go on, as I have no experience at all, so need to learn from scratch.
I will look at your forum with interest.
Best
Sara
Hi I have just found your reply to Kathryn and I have just started to keep bees in the Deux Sevres area. I do go to Bee school but find it hard as my french is not what it should be. I did keep bees for a time in England so I know a bit. I wish there were some English speaking bee keepers to help us new folks trying to do our bit.
Its very hot here at the moment so good luck with your move, hope to chat soon
Gloria
Hello Just found both the posts and worked out how to reply. I have just started to keep Bees in the Deux Sevres region. I also write an article every other month in the Deux sevres magazine entitled experiences of a new bee keeper stings and all. As I say in my piece you can buy books that will tell you how to do it but I write as it really is mistakes as well.From clearing my field to installing the bees and inspecting them, how it feels to open a hive with 5,000 bees in. So many bits that the books dont tell you.
A few of us helping each other over the internet would be a nice idea.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Gloria
Hi @Kathryn_Dobson
I am planning to keep bees when we finally move to France at our house in The Chartreuse. So I was very interested in your blog but the link does not work for me.
Is it just me that is struggling?
A couple of Facebook based, ‘Bee groups in France’ may also be worth checking out:
“Bees en les Pyrenees”
Hi Gloria,
I’m in the Deux Sevres and have bought a new hive out from England. I did a bee keeping course ten years ago, but would love to join a like minded bee group and I would really like to do another course as soon as its safe to do so.
Are you still open to, or have you formed a ‘Bee Friendly’ group? If so, may I please join? I’ve been immersed in restoring an old priory and getting a business up and running, but now wish to actually emerge from non stop work and find friends in the area and a love of bees seems a great way forward!
Best wishes for a bountiful and safe 2021,
Paula
It looks like it’s a difficult time for beekeepers; I read an article in La Dépêche du Midi today about the struggle beekeepers in Occitanie are having to cope with pesticides and Asian hornets. I wish you luck, we all know how important a healthy bee population is.
On an unrelated topic I also read of a tragedy in Monbazillac. I know at least one regular poster lives there. How ever was a loaded gun taken to a party?
My partner is the same, I got her a hive and equipment for Christmas so she hopes to be busy in the spring.
Very sad, just a couple of km away from chez moi. He was at lycée with 2 of my daughters but they didn’t know him ( it’s a huge lycée).