Paris, capital of bees ?

The Jardin du Luxembourg is more than just a big open space. The garden has secret, hidden places and even a huge colony of over a million inhabitants: bees..

The beehives of the Jardin du Luxembourg is the first apiculture school of the Société Central d’Apiculture (Central Beekeeping Society), founded in 1856 by Henri Hamet and installed in the Jardin du Luxembourg in the same year, thanks to a plot given to them by the Marquee of Hautpoul, senior member of the Senate, with around twenty bee colonies. The garden was reduced in size by Baron Hausmann in 1866, and the hives were moved to their current location in 1872. A full restoration was done in 19911.

Paris honey is reputedly one of the best because of the huge variety of flowers present in the city. The bees have more nectar on offer here than in the countryside!

The Jardin du Luxembourg is not the only place in Paris where you can find beehives. Here’s a little list of surprising places where you might come across them:

– on the roof of the two opera houses (Garnier and Bastille)
– in the Parc Geroges Brassens (15th arrondissement)
– in the Parc De La Villette
– in the gardens of the Augustine convent (Couvent des Sœurs Augustines, 13th arrondissement)
– on the Basilica in Saint Denis, just outside Paris
– in the Parc Kellerman (13th arrondissement)

Saint Ouen, on the outskirts of Paris, is very keen on bees, with special installations and displays on some roundabouts there. Some of the inhabitants even have beehives on their balconies…

Tomorrow we will be talking about another unusual place where three beehives have just been set up…