Living the dream


For many, the idea of having a property in the countryside is the dream, and if it can produce an income then so much the better. Whether it is a gîte, a B&B or even a small market garden business, there's plenty of opportunities in Burgundy to make dreams come true. Here's the story of one family that has done just that and made a big success of it!

The Paillards

Love was definitely in the air when Thibault and Victoria met during a university exchange programme. They loved the outdoors and they were both passionate about apiculture - that’s beekeeping to you and me!
They very quickly became a couple and started their own family and began to scale their hobby into a business with five hives. Things were going well but they needed more space and a location far from field crops and pesticides but not too far away from friends and family. And so, the decision was made to move to Burgundy.


Thibault was born in the region, knowing the area well, and they soon found what they were looking for in the small village of Saint-Léger-du-Bois, about 30 mins drive west of Beaune. A farm with lots of potential and located close to the Chateau de Sully, one of Burgundy’s most spectacular Renaissance homes and a popular tourist location.

Not only did they build their own dream business but they also decided to share it with others and turned part of the property into a B&B, described by one of their recent guests as “a little corner of paradise”.

The honey business is going from strength-to-strength with vintages (Editor: yes, like wine, they do refer to vintages) determined by the season: Dandelion honey in the Spring; Linden (a sort of lime) honey in early Summer, followed by Chestnut honey in mid-June. And they don’t plan to stop there,

Thibault says: “We want to maximise other products from the hive and promote the health benefits of things like royal jelly and propolis, which is a resin compound produced by the bees that is popular as a natural remedy for things like the common cold and flu-like symptoms”

So for Thibault and Victoria, life in Burgundy definitely gives them a buzz (Editor: sorry!).

Editor’s note: Thibault and Victoria bought their property through France4U in November 2018. If you would like to know more about their Bed & Breakfast see here or you can email Thibault