Glamping on a Llama Farm
Zoo de la Flèche! Located in Sarthe, France, Zoo de la Flèche is the perfect destination for a family day out. Just a 45-minute drive away, it’s the ideal way to break up your farm stay and get a taste of the local wildlife. At …
Top 5 Activities in Sarthe, France ~ Located in the Loire Valley and known for its rolling hills, forests, and rivers, Sarthe, France offers visitors many activities and attractions to explore. Loire Valley Llama Farm Stay is a unique destination in Sarthe that provides guests …
Some may think that we have the winter off on our Farm Stay in France. In the same way that teachers get lots of holidays! The winter is for us, like school holidays are for teachers, a time to plan, prepare, find inspiration and recuperate.
Our 5 years here in Lavernat, France have been eventful, that’s for sure! Building a hospitality business from scratch has taken hard work and creative thinking. The farm has evolved each year as we have discovered our direction and what works for our guests, our animals and us.
So, winter 2022 / 23, what have we been up to?
We started strong with a wedding, our wedding! Postponed from April 2020 due to a pandemic that reared its ugly head a month before. The big day finally happened on September 10th. The sun shone, the sky was blue and much eating, drinking and dancing was partaken in.
Notes for future events:
Check Wi-Fi distance for Spotify.
Don’t kid yourself that “fruit” punch is a healthy alternative to wine.
Remember to eat.
Bench seats and “fruit” punch aren’t your friends.
Next up is the addition of The Stable Suite. Those that have been here may have noticed a pretty room that’s opposite the llamas stable. The book exchange, board games and puzzles that currently live there are being moved to one of the piggeries and the room is being refurbished with an en-suite shower room and toilet. So exciting! Work starts in 3 weeks, look out for updates on our social media.
We have ordered a new addition to join our beautiful belles.
The Lotus Belle, aka The Banana Tent, remains by the banana trees, overlooking the donkeys paddock and the llamas sand pit.
The Sibley, aka The Wild Tent, remains at the end of the orchard. The Wild Tent has had a trip to the U.K. for professional cleaning. It’s currently on its way back to France looking and feeling like new!
Brand new for 2023, we welcome The Nomad. To do this tent the justice it deserves we are building a new platform. The Nomad will take up residence under the shade of the willow tree, with views of the llama meadow.
Meanwhile, there is a project plan. It satisfies my need for lists and organisation!
Whilst the major projects take place, we will be pruning fruit trees, planting new shrubs and sowing seeds, repairing fencing, clearing more land of brambles within the llamas meadows.
But mostly we will be cuddling donkeys!
Part ONE – County Kerry, Ireland. August / September 2012
I don’t remember much of how it all began, mummy says that’s a good thing.
My earliest memories are of anger, hunger and fear, of my tummy rumbling and bubbling, of shame when I messed.
One night I remember being the scariest night in my short life, a monster of a storm, the thunder roared, it sounded like it was getting closer, coming for me, I needed to hide, the humans were shouting, one had me by the collar and I was thrown roughly into a van. I squeezed my eyes shut and took my mind to another place.
It had been quiet for a while, I thought that I was alone, I didn’t dare open my eyes.
“Hello beautiful, how have you got here?” I didn’t dare open my eyes.
I felt myself being untied and carried, the human was gentle and her voice, a quiet song, but still, I didn’t dare open my eyes.
Several days passed, they put food close to me, it smelt delicious but my tummy bubbled and I couldn’t eat it, they stroked me gently and whispered that I would be just fine, I couldn’t believe them.
Slowly I dared to open my eyes.
The humans were so excited, they talked and whispered that maybe I would pull through, that maybe I would start to eat, that maybe I was leaving the trance-like state, maybe I’d be ok.
I started to believe them, they wanted to give me a name! I heard the humans talking, giving their ideas for a name that would be worthy of me.. I think they got that muddled up, I’m sure that must have been deciding if I was worthy of a name! I was very nearly called Ribbons, I thought it was the best name I’d ever heard, it was going to be my name!
It was decided that to call me Ribbons because I was so so thin, skinny ribbons, would be a reminder of my start in life, so no, the name was not worthy.
Then the man that worn the blue overalls noticed that my ears and my nose weren’t very collie like, I felt panic, my tummy started to bubble again, I’d been found out, I wasn’t a proper collie and wasn’t worthy of a name, I squeezed my eyes shut again.
Has anyone seen that car advert that features the goat with attitude? The tag line is “Born Confident” and this pretty much sums up our youngest goat, Treacle!
New for Summer 2020: What have we been up to? The Llama Lodge is nearly complete! It’s private shower room looks superb! There will be no LLAMA dramas, with the brand new kitchen installed. (read more below…) Llama Farmer Academy! ~ We will soon be …
In our quest to be a bit different, the idea of the Llama Lodge was born.
Originally the ancient wine press, the brick and wood building is reminiscent of an alpine chalet. The Llama Lodge fits in perfectly with our offering of unusual and quirky places to stay at Loire Valley Llama Farm Stay. It has a stylish kitchenette / living room downstairs, then up the handmade staircase and through the hatch you enter the cosy and romantic bedroom with views across the valley to the front and of the llamas grazing at the rear.
At the front of the llama lodge is it’s own garden with table, chairs and a barbecue. The lodge has its own private shower room with shower cabin and separate sink.
Work is still underway, but will be finished in the next few weeks, a long time ahead of our re-opening in April for Summer Holiday Season 2020!
Have a look at all our unusual accommodations here
We are excited for Summer 2020! Loire Valley Llama Farm Stay re-opens on 1st April 2020 for Glamping in the Lotus Belle Tents, Luxury in the Llama Lodge and stop overs in the Old Barn Rooms. Contact us for availability, prices or just to say …
