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Matteu ANDREUCCI

Le rucher de San Biaggiu

PDO honey

Visits : April to October by appointment

Regions : Sartinesi Valincu Taravu

Categories : Honey

Agricultural sectors : Corsican honey

As is often the case in agropastoral societies, it's all about passing on knowledge! François Andreucci’s journey is no exception to this rule.  “When I was young, I used to walk around the surrounding areas of the village with my grandfather to visit our traditional hives, made in the hollowed trunks of chestnut trees. My grandfather taught me all the basics of beekeeping in a way that was well thought-out and respectful of nature. I made my career in Paris but never abandoned our hives. I came back 5 or 6 times a year to install modern hives and left with the car loaded with honey to sell it in shops”, he recalls. 

Then one day, the humming of the bees in François Andreucci’s ears grew in volume, and he decided to return to the village and establish his own bee farm.

Now, besides various honeys, he creates other products with his companion Corinne (aperitifs, gingerbread, mead, liqueurs, and so on) to satisfy his own curiosity and that of his customers. But the desire to pass on his own knowledge began to make itself felt, and it is now, accompanied by his son Matthew, who also returned from mainland France where he gave up his engineering job, that he continues to bring life to the San Biaggiu apiary.As is often the case in agropastoral societies, it's all about passing on knowledge! François Andreucci’s journey is no exception to this rule.

2019: Matteu Andreucci, François’s son, has taken up the torch. A new text will be translated into English, Italian and Corsican. As is often the case in agro-pastoral societies, everything is a matter of passing things on! Matteu Andreucci’s case is no exception. “As a young child, I used to visit the hives of the family farm with my father, who had learnt his skills from his father and his grandfather. My father gave me all the basics for beekeeping that is respectful of the environment and the bees. I worked on the mainland for a long time while continuing to learn the theory of beekeeping. Each trip back to Corsica was an opportunity for me to contribute to the family farm.” One day, Matteu Andreucci felt the buzzing of the bees get stronger and stronger and he decided to take over the family business, which has now been going for more than four generations. The practice has changed significantly as the breeding of queens and transhumance give rhythm to the seasons and the hollowed chestnut trunk hives of his great-grandfather have evolved into connected hives. Thus the new family business takes off with a blend of tradition and modernity. Today, besides the various honeys of the AOC range of Corsican honey, Matteu Andreucci has been diversifying the business with other products (propolis, pollen, aperitifs, herbs, etc.) to satisfy his curiosity and his creativity and to prolong and galvanise the history of the San Biaggiu apiary.”