Château de Montcaud Honey: From bees to Harvest

Seventeen beehives under the park trees

Installed in 2019, our hives have found their home amidst the five hectares of parkland that surround the Château. From a distance, the scene appears motionless: wooden boxes lined up in the shade, almost inconspicuous, Up close, however, it is quite a different story. A ceaseless ballet of tens of thousands of bees coming and going, each carrying out its mission for the day.

Why bees matter so much

It's easy to forget, whilst enjoying a slice of bread with honey, that the bulk of the bees' work is not something we actually eat. As they forage, they carry pollen from flower to flower, enabling much of the local flora to reproduce: from the park’s linden trees to the surrounding vineyards and orchards. Without pollinators, there would be no fruit or seeds, and the entire ecological balance would be at risk. Our bees do more than simply produce honey; in their own way, they sustain the biodiversity that gives our corner of Provence its unique charm.

From flower to jar: the harvesting process

It all begins in spring, when our bees forage on the estate’s linden, acacia and wild lavender blossoms. Then comes summer - harvest season - when the honey is extracted from the hives and jarred just as it is, with nothing added or removed. It’s a seemingly simple process, yet one that depends entirely on the weather over the past year: bountiful seasons can yield up to 300 kilos, while leaner ones barely produce 50.

A quiet commitment to biodiversity

Installing beehives in the grounds of a five-star hotel is no mere marketing ploy. It is the natural extension of a deep connection to nature that has driven the founding family since the Château’s revival - the very same spirit that preserved the park’s centuries-old trees rather than sacrificing them for a more conventional garden. Our bees embody this same philosophy: preservation over development at any cost.

From hive to table, and from our boutique to your home

Montcaud honey can be enjoyed at breakfast, spread over a slice of still-warm bread, or subtly incorporated into Chef Matthieu Hervé’s culinary creations. Being 100% natural, its flavour varies from season to season, depending on what the bees have foraged in the preceding weeks. For guests wishing to take home a more lasting memento than simply a slice of toast with honey, jars are also available in our boutique, offering a way to bring the taste of the region - and the Château - back home with them until their next visit.

So, the next time you take a bite of your honey on toast whilst having breakfast on the terrace, you’ll know that the beehive is never far away. And perhaps you’ll even leave with your own jar of honey, packed in your suitcase as you leave the Château.