Douce Brise Apiary - Les Avants
A little more, and by the way...
We are Eileen and Gio, beekeepers in Les Avants since 2008. We embarked on our adventure with bees, somewhat on a whim, without really knowing why. Our passion has never wavered since. Over the years, our bond has strengthened.
For the first few years, we had mobile hives (called Dadant hives), which are most commonly seen in our region. Quite practical, they allow for rational beekeeping and save a significant amount of time. Although, with bees, it always takes longer than expected and they require total availability during the summer months. We had two locations, in Les Avants, next to our chalet, and in the Sonchaux region (above Villeneuve), where we were introduced to bees by our first master beekeeper, René.
Then, in 2015, we met Bruno, who was looking after a Bürki-type apiary (also called a Swiss apiary) in Les Avants. This apiary greatly changed our relationship with the bees. While it requires much more time, due to its cabin-like design where the colonies are visited inside, the relationship with the bees is much more intimate. This way for the history of the apiary...
After three seasons of jointly managing the apiary with Bruno, he gradually withdrew and flew away with the winged spirits of the bees. Since 2018, we have been the guardians of the apiary, for now. This type of apiary is tending to disappear, especially in French-speaking Switzerland. In Les Avants, it is the last of the four that existed at one time. However, we see not only the need to safeguard this beekeeping heritage, but also the possibility of offering our curious visitors a broader relationship with Nature in general and bees in particular.
Visits are conducted from the back of each hive housed in the cabin apiary. When you open the door, you face the entire colony, and the tour begins.
You have to take your time and sense the bees' mood to determine if they accept you. This close relationship leads us to listen carefully, without imposing anything, and to trust them to manage the apiary properly.
One by one, we take out the frames, covered in bees, and... we begin to become part of the colony, breathing at its rhythm. It's very important to feel if the bees accept you. If they do, then a kind of dance takes place. And it takes as long as it takes; it's impossible to force the pace.
This is a unique experience.
The apiary is located in the heart of the village, surrounded by a flower meadow managed to provide an optimal environment for the bees.
Local plants and tree species are key to healthy and thriving colonies. The rhythm of the seasons, in this location at an altitude of 1,000 meters, requires attentive and respectful care.
For us, the presence of the apiary offers all kinds of pollination opportunities, between wild and domestic species, plants, animals, and friendly ones. Honey, pollen, wax, propolis, hive air... are the visible parts of this precious and vast world, which allows Life.
