Meet the animals at the Toue village mini-farm

Our Toue des Demoiselles village, located in Chassenard in the Auvergne region of France, is an unusual and definitively natural village. The site, where our Toues Cabanées houseboats float on the Etang des Demoiselles on the banks of the Loire, is classified Natura 2000. At the entrance stands an authentic renovated Bourbonnaise farmhouse, typical of the region. It’s the ideal place for a country vacation.

The Village Toue des Demoiselles is the perfect place to take a break and recharge your batteries in the green, with our unusual nature-focused gîtes, but also with the mini-farm and its endearing animals. Did you know that most of them are rescued from the slaughterhouse? They enjoy a well-deserved and peaceful retirement in the Toue des Demoiselles village.

Ready for an aperitif on the terrace with a view of the animals? We’ll take care of the introductions.

Donkeys and horses, two amazing couples

In the donkey and horse enclosure, a stone’s throw from the first trailers and the Toues cabanées, live two donkeys: Jimmy and Mac, magnificent with their big ears and the cross on their backs, and two mares: Yaourt and Hulotte. It’s often said that spirits are calmed by contact with horses, and it’s true. These two mares radiate serenity alongside the more spirited donkeys.

Despite what you might think, you’ll always see a mare and a donkey stuck together: Yaourt and Jimmy on one side, and the inseparable Mac and Hulotte on the other. Initially, we only had Yaourt and Jimmy at Village Toue, so they formed a beautiful relationship. Mac and Hulotte had also been together for years before being taken in by our unusual Auvergne village.

Elvis and Madonna, buddies like pigs

Star names for our two mini-farm mascots. You can’t make them up! Elvis is the patriarch of the gang, a magnificent Vietnamese pig. He’s always the first to reach his bowl when food is distributed. More discreet, Madonna, but just as endearing, follows him as often as possible. Their lives are hectic, always clinging to each other at times, arguing at others, and sometimes we observe them talking to each other, without understanding why. If only we could understand what they’re saying to each other…

Their enclosure is not far from the bar terrace. So you can watch them while enjoying a quiet moment with friends or loved ones.

The sheep pen

Next to the swimming pool and playground, you can watch Couscous, the most beautiful sheep in our unusual village. Far too busy grazing on the grass in his paddock or resting in his hut, he won’t hold it against you if you miss your plunge or if your best jump on the trampolines next door is a bit of a dud.

Underneath his air of not being interested in you, accompanied by a sheep, he’s always very attentive to what’s going on around him. We wonder what he thinks of all this commotion, but in any case, our Couscous doesn’t seem to mind – quite the contrary.

The farmyard

Since the beginning of 2021, we’ve been welcoming new young ladies to Toue Village: Chickens. The chickens were missing from our mini-farm. They bring life to their little corner of the countryside and enable us to offer you fresh eggs to enjoy at breakfast or any other time of day.

Toue Village: a natural habitat for many animal species

Over the years, we’ve built up a very strong bond with all the animals on our mini-farm, but we have to admit that watching animals in the wild in their natural habitat is absolutely magical. From your gîte flottant, la Toue Cabanée, your roulotte or our other unusual accommodations in the Village Toue, you can observe, and above all hear, the frogs that live in the pond. Many fish from the Loire come to venture into our pond, much to the delight of “no kill” fishing enthusiasts. We also see a family of wild ducks, who regularly come to visit us, and have fun splashing around between the boats. They’re absolutely adorable, with countless ducklings following in their wake. Not to mention the few swallows that make themselves at home next to the old stones of our Bourbonnais farmhouse.

In a nutshell

Our Toue des Demoiselles village is our original little corner of the countryside for relaxing, unusual vacations in our unusual gîtes in the Allier region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Families with children will particularly appreciate the close proximity to the animals that live in total freedom in this green setting. An active vacation for children and a relaxing one for parents, thanks to the many outdoor games available for all ages (slides, swings, beach volleyball, trampolines, archery, swimming pool, etc.), and the walks along the banks of the Loire or on the “voie verte” promise excursions for all levels by bike or on foot for a relaxing and hyperactive holiday.

Find out more about our Village Toue, our unusual accommodations and activities on our website : link