Benoit Colomb Pact Gdt Crtloccitanie 0037440 MdDuring her vacation on the Causse Méjean, Jade and her family tried out a visit to the Hyelzas farm on the sublime Causse Méjean. This vast limestone plateau, France’s least populated, is an ideal playground for nature lovers and discovery enthusiasts! To do so, they opted for a visit to the Armand et Marie farm, followed by a tasting of their artisanal ice creams.
Herd of ewes on the Causse MéjeanEwes and Men
In the heart of the Causse Méjean, young farmers have taken up the challenge of offering tours of their farms, in partnership with La Ferme Caussenarde d’Autrefois and the teams at Le Fédou. Thus was born the “Des Brebis et des Hommes” association.
Herds on the Causse Méjean
Artisanal ice creams made with sheep's milk. Ferme Armand et Marie, ewe breeders in Hyelzas on the Causse Méjean.The strengths of Les Brebis et des Hommes :
Ewes and men
On thismid-afternoon in June, we meet Anaïs, who is in charge of guiding groups to discover the world ofCaussenardeagriculture , with therearing of ewes, the management of a farm, and the manufacture and sale of dairy products, in particular cheese.
We begin our activity with a fun, self-guided familytour of the Caussenarde Farm of yesteryear, which takes us back to a time when mechanization was not yet the order of the day and manual labor was the order of the day. Discovering this ancient way of life in the heart of a preserved Caussenarde farm allows us to assess the extent of changes in the rural world. Indeed, where better than in this house, with its architecture, furnishings and tools straight out of centuries gone by, can we grasp the upheavals that rural communities have undergone since the last century?
Of sheep and men
The tour continues at the current sheep farm, just a few steps from the Ferme Caussenarde d’Autrefois, where we meet Anais at a beautifully decorated table. We’re offered an organic fruit juice and introduced to the quiz we’re going to play to test our knowledge of agriculture, from land to animals to cereals. The quiz awakens all our senses, with games involving touching, feeling, smelling and listening. It’s hard for us to recognize and differentiate between certain cereals that we eat regularly, such as barley, oats and wheat. My family and I loved this activity!
Farm of Armand and Marie, ewe breeders in Hyelzas on the Causse Méjean. Meet the farmers and their ewes.Of sheep and men
At the end of the quiz, Anaïs takes us into the heart of the sheepfold, where the ewes go about their business just as milking is about to begin. The rest of the time, the flock lives outdoors, enjoying the vast expanses of the Méjean. We discover the lifestyle of these gregariousanimals, and their attraction to agriculture for their milk and even their wool. We were even lucky enough to be allowed into their park to pet them and observe them up close. We continued our visit with a tour of the milking parlour, with lots of information on the production of milk, cheese and other products, such as their famous organic ewe’s milk ice creams.
Farm of Armand and Marie, ewe breeders in Hyelzas on the Causse Méjean. Meet the farmers and their ewes.My family and I loved the contact with the animals, and the sheep are so gentle!
Fromagerie "Le Fédou" in Hyelzas on the Causse Méjean.Des Brebis et des Hommes
After all these discoveries, our visit comes to an end at the Fédou cheese dairy, where we are offered a tasting of ewe’s milk cheeses produced on site. Each one different from the next, their flavors enchant our taste buds. You can distinguish them by smell, taste, or the woody or fruitier fragrance of some. The best part of the tasting: sitting on an open-air terrace, we’re lucky enough to enjoy an exceptional panorama of the immensity of the Causse Méjean, a truly sensational view. Before leaving the premises, my family stops by the store to buy some cheese to share with friends and family, or simply to keep the pleasure going.
Des Brebis et des Hommes
Now in the process of converting to organic farming, they have named their range of desserts and ice creams“Armand et Marie” in homage to their grandparents.
The Armand et Marie farm ice-cream parlour brings you organicice creams and crêpes made withewe’s milk fromthe farm.
A treat for young and old alike!
Benoit Colomb Pact Gdt Crtloccitanie 0037438 MdThese organic ewe’s milk ice creams and crêpes are well deserved – we had a wonderful time!
Anaïs and her ewe Gaëc de Hyelzas on the Causse Méjean. Visit her farm.Des Brebis et des Hommes
We left happy with this successful afternoon, thanks to the discovery of a profession with farmerspassionate about what they do and quality products. It was an exciting time for my family and I, as we discovered an ancestral know-how and local gastronomy that we’ll always remember fondly.
The association des brebis et des Hommes is located in the village of Hyelzas on the Causse Méjean.
Des brebis et des hommes brings together: the Caussenarde Farm of yesteryear, the Armand et Marie farm ice-cream parlour and the Fédou cheese dairy.
Open in summer and by reservation the rest of the year.
