Douce Brise Apiary - Les Avants
Short history of the apiary
We started beekeeping in 2008, in Les Avants, then with a second location near Sonchaux (until 2017). In 2016, we met another apiary in Les Avants, which is now our only beloved apiary...
The apiary was built by Bruno Tedeschi towards the end of the 1970s, in the enchanting village of Les Avants (above Montreux). A lover of bees, Bruno created a dream apiary there, modeled on the typical Swiss apiaries (also called Bürki) and lovingly took care of his colonies for more than 40 years, often with the help of his wife Verena.
In 2016, we were contacted by his family, to help Bruno take care of the colonies and do the harvest. The encounter was magical and colorful! We then had the chance to share a few seasons with him, in this apiary which we too fell in love with. Note that this type of apiary tends to disappear today, replaced by mobile hives (named Dadant), more rational and practical.
Yes, it's true that such an apiary requires much more time from the beekeeper (we talk about it as a watchmaker's beekeeping, as it is the apiary that dictates its rhythm, and not the beekeeper ), but it also conceals something marvelous that we didn't suspect before we were able to share it with Bruno... Beekeeping and contact with bees are completely different from today's usual hives. Visits to the colonies take place inside the apiary, immersed with the bees, who must accept us, which is not that easy. And that changes everything... Living these intense moments in the heart of the colonies made us rediscover beekeeping, with an incredibly strong new dimension. Contact with them then becomes a unique and unprecedented experience.
So thank you to Bruno, for this fantastic encounter! Now that he has flown away with the spirits of the bees, his apiary remains marked by his memory. And also, warm thanks to Julia, his granddaughter, who allows us today to work to perpetuate this magnificent apiary and to be its guardians...
2021-22, we undertook an in-depth renovation of the apiary.
During the renovation of the railway tunnel (MOB), in 2021, vibrations made the clusters of bees fall down and the bees froze to death (it was terrible...). As the apiary was left without bees, and until there is no more risk, we've taken the opportunity to do a major renovation work... 40 years after its creation, it is about time.
Restoration of earthworks, cleaning of the earth, uprooting of old tree stumps, clearing...
All the hive entrances have been dismantled, to be repainted (non-toxic paint of course), as well as the facade, exposed to the sun.
The different colors help (a little) the bees to better recognize their respective hive, even if it is above all the hormonal signature produced by the queen that gives each hive its identity.
The bees aspire to live in harmony with the nature that surrounds them and the work of the beekeeper does not stop at the care of the colonies. Taking care of the environment of the apiary is just as important and is part of the job, even if it is not the most visible part. It is important to ensure that there are diverse sources of nectar and pollen throughout the year, that everything is clean and unpolluted, that there is a source of fresh water nearby ( a colony can drink up to 1 liter per day in summer!).
We cleaned the place of all sorts of things accumulated over the years...
... pruned the bushes and brambles that had invaded nice supports for mobile hives...
This allows us to install our Dadant hives, and thus have both types of hives in the same place: the Bürki, or Swiss hives, which are in the cabin and the mobile Dadant. Each type of hive has its advantages.
and redid the terraces and the dry stone walls.
Complete sanding of the facade. Time consuming...
Floor scraping, to remove all stains of wax, propolis and others. One of the hardest steps...
before and after...
slowly taking shape!
Cleaning between the hive cabinets and the walls. The mice had made a nest under the scale...
And here is the facade redone and ready for winter. The hive entrances will be installed again, in the spring!
Spring 2023: the work is finished and the apiary is ready to welcome the bees! Finally !!!
A restored and refurbished environment will be a magnificent place for the bees to flourish. We also plan to offer tours of the apiary to allow those who wish to discover this enchanted world.
This work has occupied us since 2021 and the colonies will be reintroduced in the spring of 2023, for a nice restart.
We are very pleased to welcome you there and to be able to offer you Honey of Les Avants, on every yearly harvest (usually in August). Our website will also give you regular news and more details on our bee practice.
Thank you for your patience and loyalty. And feel free to stay in touch with us, with your feedback and questions, at: info@doucebrise.ch
See you soon ! we are looking forward...
Eileen and Giovanni