Sticky origami . . .

Or rather the potential for it was realised when we drove over to Crissay -sur-Manse. Regarded as one of the most beautiful villages in France, it just oozes charm. We've often driven through the narrow and picturesque streets on our way to somewhere else. But never stopped. This time we did at the suggestion of friends of ours in Cravant, who told us about a honey producer and family who lives and works there. Crissay is only about a fifteen minute drive from Cravant, but the landscape is very different, much flatter, wider and more open. The colours are more yellow and gold as there's crop farming over there. 

Crissay has some history. The streets are lined with houses from the 15th and 16th century  which are made out of tufa stone. The inspiring ruins are now all that remain of the fortified castle, and the 16th century church contains the tomb of the wife of the French critique and poet Joachim du Bellay - a master of 16th century poetic forms. He was a member of The Pléiade, a group of French Renaissance poets.

The purpose of our visit was obviously less cultural and more edible.  Alexandra Carré-Laubigeau is the Apicultrice. I think she's third generation. Their little shop is part of their house. The house sits side on to the road. Only the door to the shop is accessible from the road, so visitors can't see or intrude into the rest of the family home. The family uses another door or the gated driveway to get in. It's a practical arrangement. The link is to their website

Honey tasting is no different from wine tasting, in as much as  you need to start with the right one and work your way through the range. There is a point to it. There were five honeys. Absolutely delicious from the first, the palest through the increasingly golden coloured, to a blend with hazelnuts. We also tasted the honey and lemon marmalade, which is more like a French conserve. Quite beautiful. We bought that and two of the honeys.  There were other products such as honey cakes, hand cream and oils. So interesting and all neatly arranged in this lovely front parlour.

It was the husband who met us. Guess in his 30s and who gave us a brief run down of the family history. His wife Alexandra has taken over from her father in law, who decided to retire. But there is someone else in the family who's developed a different type of skill. Alexandra's mother in law enjoys origami. The sales cash box was positioned in one corner and hanging overhead were about twenty different flapping birds, in all sorts of colours and patterned papers. They're not shown on the website. Mike being an origami groupie was delighted, and of course it gave us something else to chat about. So we were there for a while. A lovely visit.  

As for paper and honey - not easy companions. Can imagine some very sticky situations.