Weekend with a donkey & plant-based painting workshop in Sologne
Discover the fascinating art of plant painting in the heart of the Loire Valley while hiking with a donkey for a weekend.
In the heart of the Loire Valley, between deep forests and peaceful clearings, this stay combines guided hiking with a donkey, immersion in farm life and discovery of the fascinating world of birds of prey.
A weekend accessible to all, children from 6 years old.
A rare experience: an introduction to falconry
Alongside Brigitte Cohu, a passionate falconer, you will discover an ancestral art based on trust, respect and the bond between humans and birds.
You learn to observe birds of prey, to understand their behavior, their role in nature, their history.
Then comes the suspended moment: holding a bird of prey on the glove, feeling the power of its wings, witnessing its controlled flight.
A profoundly impactful, authentic, and educational experience.
The highlights of this hiking trip
- A nature weekend in Sologne to recharge your batteries in the heart of a preserved environment
- A hike with a donkey, a gentle, friendly activity accessible to all
- A plant-based painting workshop to create with the colors of nature
- An ideal holiday for families or friends, easy and fun
- An original experience blending nature, creativity and well-being
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Destination
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Start time
Contres (41700) -
Departure time
9:00 -
Arriving time
17:00 -
Equipment
Bring appropriate clothing for each activity.
Picture gallery
Friday June 12 2026
Settle into your unusual accommodation: cabin, trapper tent or vintage van nestled in the forest.
A basket of local produce awaits you for dinner.
The weekend begins in the calm of Sologne.
Saturday June 13 2026
The day begins with the discovery of dye plants and their harvesting in the wild. Alongside Aurore Livernet, an artist specializing in plant-based paints, you'll explore the forest in a new way. During a foraging walk, you'll learn to identify dye plants and observe the nuances that nature reveals along the way.
Leaves, flowers and bark then become the raw material for creation. Guided step by step, you will discover how to transform these plants into natural inks, watercolors and plant-based pigments, and then compose your own color palette.
In a friendly and inspiring atmosphere, everyone makes their own drawing materials, experiments with different techniques and creates a personal artwork.
This artistic workshop in the heart of nature becomes a true sensory experience: we observe, we pick, we transform… and the forest gradually becomes a palette.
A creative and rejuvenating moment to experience with family, as a couple or with friends, to leave with unique works and a new perspective on the colours of nature.
In the afternoon, you go for a walk with the donkeys on the forest paths and each break will allow you to draw the landscapes and the donkeys with the pigments created in the morning.
In the evening, a campfire and an atmosphere under the stars.
Sunday June 14 2026
After breakfast, several optional activities are available:
- Bike ride to Cheverny Castle
- Self-guided hike with a donkey
- Hike “The Call of the Wild” with a donkey and a forest ranger
- Visit one or more Loire Valley castles at your own pace
- Visit to Beauval Zoo
From €150 per adult for 2 to 3 participants
From €115 per person for 4 participants
These prices are given as an indication only; depending on your requests, a quote will be drawn up before booking: in particular for groups of more than 5 people, for people wishing for separate rooms.
These prices include:
- 2 nights in unusual accommodation
- 2 breakfasts
- 1 basket of local produce
- 1 picnic basket
The workshops are entirely optional and can be booked individually. This flexibility allows everyone to create their own weekend according to their preferences:
- Plant painting workshop (including the associated donkey ride): €45 per person
For Sunday, we can add the following activities:
- "Call of the Wild" hike with a forest ranger and his donkeys: €65
- Bike rental: €25 per person
These prices do not include:
- Drinks and your personal expenses
- Entrance fees to the castles you could visit and entrance to Beauval Zoo
- All expenses not mentioned in this rate include