Proceeds from the Parc des Princes' first honey harvest go to the Foundation

In the first ever honey harvest at the Parc des Princes, in over half a century’s history, 150 kilos of honey were collected by our beekeepers. Some 300 gift packs containing two 250g pots of honey will be on sale from today, exclusively in Paris Saint-Germain stores (Megastore and Champs Elysées).

"This honey has a very special taste for us," explains Sabrina Delannoy, the Managing Director of the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation. With the proceeds from the sale, we will be able to finance a vacation stay for women and children who are victims of violence, supervised by our educators, in the context of a new project, Allez les femmes, in partnership with the association Du côté des femmes".

The honey from the Parc des Princes’ hives is a polyfloral honey with a minty flavour and woody notes. It is a raw honey, as found in the hive, unfiltered and potted cold by traditional artisan beekeepers. Unpasteurised, free from additives and without any added sugar, it contains zero pesticides.

The bees gather pollen up to 3km around the Parc des Princes, in the Bois de Boulogne, the surrounding gardens and patios, and particularly from lime trees and horse chestnuts.

To produce the honey, Paris Saint-Germain called upon the expertise of a small, artisanal company based in the Paris suburb, called Apiterra. Established in Montreuil in 2010, this company has set up innovative urban beekeeping solutions to fight against the disappearance of bees.

“I am delighted to work with Paris Saint-Germain on this project that promotes biodiversity and saves the bees through beekeeping initiatives and activities” said Aurélien Zigante, beekeeper for the Paris Saint-Germain hives. “The Parc des Princes and its top-level athletes now share the venue with these new hives and their bees, which are also veritable athletes for biodiversity. I would like to applaud Paris Saint-Germain for this project, and for their ambition of doing that bit extra for the environment every day.”

For the last fifty years, Paris Saint-Germain has upheld the values of respect, commitment and passion, while striving to be approachable and respectful of the planet. One of the club’s many initiatives was to install 10 hives around the stadium.

This space was designed to be a site for sharing and for diversity just outside the stadium, a place where children and adults can come together and learn about the important role bees play in our ecosystem. Children from the Rouge & Bleu schools, pupils from local schools and the neighbourhood’s residents are invited to get involved in an educational programme that raises awareness about the world of bees and how to protect the environment. All profits from the sale of these pots of honey will go to the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation’s endowment fund, which helps to finance projects for children. The pictures on the labels of the pots were drawn by two children who attend the Rouge & Bleu schools, which are run by the Foundation.

The print on the gift box, which helps to make this a collector’s item, is by French-American artist Mambo, whose art injects everyday scenes with joy and humour. “When the club told me about the Parc des Princes’ honey, I thought it was both touching and poetic,” admits the artist. “When you think of the electric atmosphere in the stadium, the chanting of the spectators and the police cars, then the gentle buzz of the bees collecting nectar and working in their hives, it’s a lovely contrast. I thought I would illustrate it as a meeting between a supporter heading to the Parc, face painted like a warrior, and a bee that spots him, attracted by the colour. A tiny detail in the immense city of Paris, but a moment of pure poetry for anyone who sees it.”

Parc des Princes honey gift pack, 2 x 250g pots, with a print by Mambo, €39.99. Available exclusively from Paris Saint-Germain stores.

• Benefits will go to Paris Saint-Germain Foundation’s endowment fund