Honey of callune, chestnut tree, Mount Lozere and mountain - Miellerie de Vielvic

Pierre de La Rue du Can took over the farm founded by his grandfather in 1996 and joined two of his uncles who taught him the beekeeping trade. Located in Vielvic, near Villefort at the foot of the Lozère mountain, the farm has 900 hives producing honeys from callune, chestnut, mountain, forest..

Our hives are distributed in the valley of Cèze and Chassezac, the most distant are 30 km from the farm, it is easier to monitor them. The experience led us to maintain our apiaries on the territory of the National Park. We have the satisfaction of producing honeys that taste good. Some people find them a little too strong sometimes! It is an environment where there are no crops, therefore no phytosanitary products. The successive flowerings give tasty honeys. All this allows us to enhance the value of our products and to stand out from the competition because it is a global market, honey is produced in China, in South America...We only offer what we produce and some years there is less choice. The brand Esprit parc national allows us to make our customers aware that the honey they buy comes from a preserved environment where the flowers are not treated.

Interview by Luc Carrascosa - France Bleu Gard Lozère - August 2021

At the Parc national des Cévennes in Lozère, Catherine de La Rue du Can is a committed ambassador for Esprit parc nationalEsprit parc national. At the head of the Miellerie de Vielvic with her husband, Pierre, she continues the family tradition that began in 1937, while playing an active role in the brand's national governance.

Since the launch ofEsprit parc national in 2015, their honeys were among the very first agricultural products to join our approach.

With 550 beehives transhuming through the seasons on different altitudinal levels, the honey house harvests honeys that are typical and full of character: chestnut, callune, mountain, Mont Lozère... Our quality is second to none, and we regularly win awards in the "miels de France" competition !

Her commitment doesn't stop at the apiary. As a professional, she sits on the brand's national management committee, alongside elected representatives, national parks and the OFB.

I defend a pragmatic and inclusive vision: Esprit parc national has its requirements, but practical constraints must also be taken into account. It must not become a barrier. In particular, my involvement has helped to make Esprit parc national accessible to beekeepers who are not certified organic, but whose practices are respectful of the living world.

Faced with the predominance of tourism in labelled products (almost two-thirds), Catherine is campaigning for better promotion of agricultural produce.

Producers don't always have the time to promote their products. With this in mind, the Esprit parc national gives them good visibility, and that's important.

The Miellerie de Vielvic regularly takes part in National Park events, such as the recent "Dialogues des plantes" show. Annual meetings are also organized to promote links between producers and tourism service providers. Exchanges are always a source of progress. Everyone has tips to share. We need to create a dynamic.