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AOC — PDO — Corsica
Six seasonal honey flows, six portraits of the Corsican maquis — from a golden, floral spring to an amber, bitter autumn, Mele di Corsica is the only honey in the world to express the seasons of an entire island in this way.
Honey from Corsica, PDO (AOP) since 2000.
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Since Antiquity, numerous writings have attested to the abundance of Corsican honey: ancient authors highlighted its economic importance — it was used as tribute — and its medicinal virtues. Much later, Abbé della Rocca noted in 1787 that the wax produced on the island was sufficient to supply the churches of Rome. The density and diversity of Corsica's wild flora — maquis, chestnut groves, aromatic garrigue — and its island setting, which shields it from mainland pollution, make it a singular beekeeping territory.
Corsican villages preserve traces of this heritage in their names: in Quenza, Bastelica, Belgodère, Moltifau and Castifau, beekeeping has left its mark even on the toponymy — Moltifau literally means many honeycombs, and Castifau the castle of honeycombs. Traditional beekeepers used dry-stone apiaries — arnaghji — remarkable examples of which still survive: the Caselle apiary in Venaco is a wall fifteen metres long and ten metres deep, pierced with seventy-five flight holes accessed by a 1.30 m corridor; according to accounts from descendants, it was already in existence in 1840. The ancestral tools — the terracotta a fumarola smoker, fuelled by heather or dried cow dung, and the metal a mascara mask worn when opening the chestnut-wood hives — have since been replaced, but the gestures remain close to those of the elders.
In 1998, Miel de Corse obtained AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) recognition, becoming the first French terroir honey to showcase an entire range of products in this way. The notion seemed surprising for a product as difficult to pinpoint geographically as honey — bees fly, flowers grow everywhere. But Corsica proved that its island terroir and unique maquis produce honeys so distinct that official recognition was legitimate. European PDO (AOP) followed in 2000.
In 1862, the island had 26,442 hives — a historic peak for Corsican beekeeping. The trade union points out that at that time, Corsican honey had already won the Grand Gold Medal at a Universal Exposition in London, a sign of a reputation that already extended beyond the island's shores. However, an epidemic of acariosis was subsequently to decimate the colonies, reduced to just 13,000 hives as early as 1900.
The PDO specification defines six distinct honey flows, each rooted in a season and flora of the island.
clementine trees and fruit trees, or asphodel and viper's bugloss; very pale to pale golden; vegetal and floral, normal to medium sweetness, little or no acidity
tree heather and sea lavender, combined with broom, cistus and hawthorn; amber to dark amber; floral with distinct notes of coconut, liquorice or leather
(honeydew foraged on maquis vegetation, particularly metcalfa): cistus and sea lavender, oaks; dark; vegetal, woody, caramel, lingering malty taste
Hermann's kidney vetch, broom, Corsican thyme; pale to pale amber; generic floral, fairly high sweetness, short-lived finish
chestnut combined with brambles and maquis (heather, broom); amber to dark amber; phenolic, woody, tannic, highly persistent, marked bitterness
strawberry tree combined with ivy, chestnut and sarsaparilla; pale amber; phenolic, coffee grounds, distinct and lingering bitterness
The PDO requires complete traceability from hive to extraction: the bees are exclusively of the Corsican ecotype (Apis mellifera mellifera), foraging solely on the island's spontaneous, natural plant associations. Water content must remain below 18% (with up to 19% tolerated for the late chestnut-grove and autumn maquis flows). Extraction is carried out by cold centrifugation; filtration is mandatory, leaving intact the components inherent to honey, and pasteurisation is prohibited. Any artificial feeding of colonies is prohibited in the fifteen days preceding the honey flow and until harvesting.
Two threats weigh on production: the chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus), an invasive gall wasp that makes chestnut-grove honey flows more unpredictable; and climate change, which since 2016 has reduced honeydew honey production. The strategies of PDO beekeepers have evolved accordingly.
Appearance
Viscous liquid to crystallised depending on the honey flow; palette ranging from very pale golden (spring) to dark amber (chestnut grove, honeydew, autumn maquis); smooth, glossy surface
Aroma
Plant-like and floral, discreet (spring); more distinctive floral notes of coconut or liquorice (spring maquis); woody and phenolic, marked by chestnut (chestnut grove); woody and animal, coffee grounds (honeydew and autumn maquis)
Taste
Normal to medium sweetness and little acidity for spring honey flows; marked bitterness and long lingering finish for chestnut grove and autumn maquis; malty and persistent taste for honeydew flows
Texture
Smooth, dense and coating; some honey flows crystallise, whilst others remain liquid for longer
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Miel de Corse is savoured at room temperature, spread on Corsican bread (country bread or pane di casa), accompanied by fresh Brocciu or Niolo cheese. Chestnut-grove honey, powerful and slightly bitter, pairs particularly well with soft cheeses and meats. Spring honey, more delicate, accompanies desserts and maquis herbal teas.
Since: 1998
Area covered: All of Corsica (2A + 2B)
Key requirements: Corsican bee ecotype · wild spontaneous flora only · 6 geolocated honey flows · cold extraction · water content ≤ 18% · 166 authorised beekeepers (2025)
Since: 2000
Area covered: All of Corsica (2A + 2B)
Key requirements: European registration of the appellation d'origine contrôlée, confirming the requirements of the national specification.
Trade association
Artisan
Artisan
Artisan
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