Maison Chardin
1883
The Teachings of Voirnot at the Origins of Chardin Honey
Joseph Chardin, then a schoolteacher, moved with his wife and their four sons to Villers-sous-Prény to join his friend, Father Voirnot. Father Voirnot had been conducting beekeeping research for several years and was becoming well-known in the beekeeping world by giving lectures and writing books. With all his research, Father Voirnot created the patented Voirnot hive. The Voirnot hive is a cube designed for the bees' well-being, the result of Father Voirnot's extensive research and experimentation. The cube is the parallelepiped closest to the sphere, which is the shape that best manages temperature within the hive.
"Taking discerningly from the existing system what was good, the master made eclectic beekeeping. He studied the natural history of the bee more through experience than reading; he wanted a hive that was not a prison where our dear bees worked in discomfort and were constantly tormented by their keeper, but a pleasant dwelling where everything should contribute to their well-being and the development of their industrious activity. To summarize his thinking, instead of forcing the bees to adapt to the hive, Mr. Voirnot strove to adapt the hive to the bees."
The Voirnot hive is the one we still use, and have been using for five generations.
Father Voirnot taught beekeeping to Joseph Chardin, sharing his philosophy and knowledge. He entrusted the manufacturing and commercialization of the Voirnot Hive to him before retiring.
Joseph then moved his family to Martigny Les Bains and developed his beekeeping business with two of his sons.
1920
Auguste, Jean, and Louis Chardin, three brothers united around the beekeeping business: honey, hives, and confections
Joseph passed on a hardworking and entrepreneurial spirit to them. Auguste Chardin, Joseph's eldest son, developed the beekeeping business. His son Jean developed a honey confectionery business, and his son Louis manufactured and marketed Voirnot hives and beekeeping equipment.
At that time, many customers of the A. Chardin Beekeeping Establishment lived in the French colonies. Auguste then offered honey in metal tins to facilitate transportation and avoid breakage.
The family participated in fairs and exhibitions, where the brothers won numerous medals for the quality of their honey.
October 1, 1924
Joseph Chardin publishes the teachings of Father Voirnot in his book "Eclectic Beekeeping"
Joseph Chardin, with the teachings of Father Voirnot and following his death, popularized Voirnot's methods in a heritage book, "Eclectic Beekeeping."
1960
Pierre and Paulette Chardin, a third generation of epicurean travelers
Pierre Chardin, one of Auguste's six children, had always practiced beekeeping alongside his father and developed "Les Ruchers Chardin" upon his father's retirement.
Pierre, whom we all call "Pierrot," and his wife Paulette were epicureans and travelers. Curious about the world's treasures and other cultures, they traveled across different continents and interacted with the artists of their time. Forward-thinking, they were never short of ideas.
They developed the small honey shop in Martigny-les-Bains. At the time, the village was a bustling spa town in the summer. You could buy honey there, visit a glass hive set up for the occasion, try to find the queen (like playing "Where's Waldo!"), and enjoy Paulette Chardin's patient and passionate teaching for anyone interested.
They also drew inspiration from their travels and were the first to offer honey in trays to hotels, boarding schools, and institutions in France (back then, ecology was not a topic).
1984
Etienne Laval, the avant-garde beekeeper
Pierre Chardin did not have children, so one of his sister Madelaine's sons, Etienne Laval, who spent many of his youth summers working in beekeeping, decided to continue.
The great spa era of Martigny-les-Bains was over, and visitors were rare in the small shop. Etienne was one of the first to offer his artisanal honey in medium and large stores in the Grand-Est region of France. It could be found in Nancy, the Hautes-Vosges, La Bresse, Gérardmer, and more. The honey from Chardin Laval Apiaries was also used in confections and gingerbread at Les Soeurs Macarons in Nancy and Confiserie Bressaude in La Bresse.
Guided by values of respect, mutual help, and generosity, Etienne regularly exchanged ideas with many beekeepers in the region. Concerned about the future of beekeepers and beekeeping, he also initiated one of the first collective brand projects supported by several beekeepers in the Grand-Est: "It's Us! The Beekeepers of the Grand-Est." A spreadable honey with guaranteed local origins sold in large and medium stores in Lorraine, Champagne-Ardennes, and Alsace. The goal was twofold: to make quality honey accessible to as many people as possible while ensuring a market for local beekeepers.
2021
The fifth generation!
Léo Laval, Etienne's son, and his longtime friend Anthony continued the beekeeping business after working alongside Etienne for six years. Nina Laval, Etienne's daughter, dedicated herself to rebranding the family business for the new generation by creating an online store and sharing our philosophy on social media.
The fifth generation decided to sell their honey exclusively in 1kg metal tins through their online store.
We adapt to our times, but we are committed to preserving the values that have remained unchanged since 1883: sensible, demanding, and pleasurable beekeeping.
