Switzerland & France

This morning, we visited a farm and cider house run by father and daughter Emanuel and Constance Hyest. The cider house is located in Norman Vexin at the eastern end of Normandy. The family has operated the farm for four generations and it survived both world wars without damage. We enjoyed a farm tour, and cider and calvados tasting.Read more

In 2018, Xavier Frémin decided to expand the family farm and start beekeeping in order to improve the pollination of his crops. He began with just one hive, but has now expanded to 350 hives. As the apiary grew, his wife Charlotte joined him in running the business. In addition to honey, they produce flours (wheat, corn, chickpeas), oils (rapeseed, sunflower), and pasta. They also host an educational center where they instruct students, tourists, and other farm visitors on the practice of beekeeping.

Recently, Xavier was hired by French president, Emmanuel Macron, to manage the beekeeping at the Palace Elysée.Read more