# South of France



## Napoli (Apr 10, 2011)

Hi everybody,

Well, here I am. I moved to the South of France about a year ago, after realising University wasn't anything for me in The Netherlands. 

Since I was young I always wanted to be a beekeeper. Unfortunately at that age, I was twelve, they didn't had any beekeeping courses for children.. Sucked big time.. Anyhow, bees became on the background. But I always had strong feelings for it, man.. it's so fascinating!!!! So it always came back on school with project, you can guess what my subject most of the times would be..

When I was 18 I graduated in secondary school. Back in the Netherlands, you have to make a scientific project in your last year. Most important project in secondary school. Without a sufficient note you can have the best grades, but you won't graduate. So guess which subject I had.. Of course, bees. With two other friends I did research in how an Island can maintain the purity (if I may say that) of a race (bees of course). So there is this island where they breed carnolians. We went over there, took alot alot alot of wings. And then we scanned those wings, measured certain points in the wings, and we got the results. Apparently every race has a different ratio in certain wing-crosspoints. And we compared those with wings we got from the waste land.

It was very beautiful to see the results. Those from the island were all very clear carnolian, and all almost the same results. Those from the waste land were really scattered around the diagram. (in both places we took samples from several hives).

Well, in short. Our Project rocked. 
Too bad we were past the deadline.

Hmm, I didn't meant to write a whole book over here, but I think it is because of the enthousiasm.

Ok, let's continue. Started university, quited after 2 years, nothing for me. Went to France, started working, learned French, idea of beekeeping came back. Started searching, making contacts. Bought my gear, ordered 6 hives, going to join a professional beekeeper for a week, then a course for a week, and then my hives are arriving. In october I'll go to a .. uhhh, how can you say that.. beekeepers' school. It's a formation of 1 year.


So that's how it's going to start. Can't wait to get my hands stung, no really 

Cheers.


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## Doc5000 (Jul 3, 2009)

Congratulations. Good luck with the bees.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome, I would like to visit beekeepers in Europe.


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## Napoli (Apr 10, 2011)

@Doc5000 & AmericasBeekeeper
Thank you.

AmericasBeekeeper, this might then be something for you: http://apiarymap.com/


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Welcome to the site!


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Thank you for the website. I would like to arrange a beekeeping tour of Europe. I think we would take a charter bus - start at Buckfast Abbey near Devon England, to the Cueva de la Arana 80 km south-west of Valencia Spain, a couple centers of beekeeping and ancient beekeeping methods in Italy and Greece. Each is a significant event in the history of bees from Aristotle to Bro. Adam. Do you think a bus is good transportation considering nothing is near normal tourist routes? Thak you.


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## Napoli (Apr 10, 2011)

Sounds very nice! I'll make sure that I'll be at a stop if it's in the neighbourhood!

Hm, that depends on with how many you will be. If you can fill a bus, then I think it's the most practical and economic way to go. Of course you can teake a look at the websites of the different transport companies of europe, to see if you can make a nice combination of transport methods.

But still then, if it aren't common touristic places, then you would have alot to organize when you choose different kind of transports.

So yes, probably a charter bus would be the best solution (depends on certain factors of course).

www.easyjet.com
www.ryanair.com

www.eurolines.com


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## Riverratbees (Feb 10, 2010)

little honey goes along way good luck welcome 2 the site


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Thank you, I found Eurolines and another large European bus line. I hope we do NOT fill the bus so we can pick up a few friends along the journey.
It will be a while before it happens. I teach bee workshops every month at the University of South Florida Botanical Gardens. I also started an extension project to teach beekeeping in the 33 Florida counties that have less than 20 beekeepers. I think we will come in the off-season so most of the beekeepers here can get away from their bees. There are also the other teachers that have to get away from class.
The air route or even rail is too much with transfers to busses or vans. I think a chartered bus will be the best.


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## Esme (Mar 29, 2011)

Welcome! I hope you'll tell us about your progress, so those of us who only wish we could be beekeepers in Southern France can dream of being you. 

It's been far too long since I've been there. But the friends I travel with are still laughing at me for making them stop and look and buy honey everywhere we saw any. And I'm still hoarding my last precious drops of lavender honey from the region.


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