One of the edible souvenirs I brought home from my Easter weekend in Lourmarin was a large jar of thick, amber-colored honey. It came from my aunt’s beehives and was harvested late last summer. I prefer honeys that are floral and mellow rather than those with a sharp, sap-like or woody bitterness, and this jar proved to be an ideal match.
My aunt explained that bees collect nectar from different flowers as the seasons change, so each harvest produces a unique blend and color. Because she missed the end-of-spring harvest last year, this honey is a combination of spring and summer nectars. That makes it a true polyfloral honey — often called miel mille-fleurs or “thousand-flower” honey — with a layered, nuanced character.
The texture is exactly what I enjoy: mostly velvety with a gentle graininess, a little like fine embroidered fabric. It’s pleasantly sweet without any bitter aftertaste, complex in flavor yet immediately enjoyable. With its floral notes and smooth mouthfeel, it works beautifully on toast, stirred into yogurt, or drizzled over ripe fruit and soft cheeses.
I shared the jar with my neighbors right away — they love honey, and I like being generous. Along with the honey, I brought back several rounds of local goat cheese in varying stages of ripeness. They didn’t last long; the cheeses paired wonderfully with the honey while they lasted. I also returned with fresh herbs from the garden: sage, blossoming rosemary, and a small thyme plant that made the trip home by train. The thyme now lives in our herb patch, where it will continue to offer fragrance and flavor to our cooking.
Visiting Lourmarin reminded me how much regional produce reflects its place and season. Small-scale beekeeping and backyard gardens create foods with personality — honey that carries the scent of nearby flowers, cheeses shaped by local techniques, and herbs with the sun-soaked aroma of Provençal gardens. These simple, authentic flavors are what make culinary souvenirs worth bringing home.
Whether you prefer a straightforward, floral honey or something more rustic and woodsy, sampling local varieties is the best way to discover what suits your palate. This mille-fleurs jar remains one of my favorite finds from that trip: a sweet, aromatic reminder of Lourmarin’s countryside and my aunt’s attentive care of her bees.