Heading to Paris this weekend? Then you absolutely must head to the southwestern edge of the Jardin du Luxembourg (one of my favorite places on this planet) to discover the "ruches", the beehives that reside in the garden. This hidden corner will come to life this weekend for the " Fête du Miel ", the honey festival.
The beehives have been in the garden since 1856. And as expected in Paris, the hives are fit for a queen. Each wooden hive has its own copper roof. The bees even have their own fountain to quench their thirst. The French capital has been pesticide free for over ten years now. So not only are these bees happy to be surrounded by acacia trees, lavender and chestnut trees, they are healthy too. You can get a diploma in bee keeping at the apiary school located in the garden. Some dream of getting a cooking diploma in Paris. I dream of getting my bee keeping diploma in Paris. The beekeeping school sells its honey only once a year during the honey festival, a true reason to celebrate!
The bee house is located near the rue de Fleuris entrance of the gardens. Have you discovered the bees in Paris? They are in fact everywhere, on the rooftops of the Bastille and Garnier opera houses, sitting atop of Notre Dame, La Tour d'Argent, le Grand Palais...Just look up.
