Frequently Asked Question

Some accommodations do not accept dogs, so it is imperative to let us know if you wish to be accompanied by a dog, so that we can offer you an appropriate circuit. Your dog must be docile: he must accept other animals: donkeys, cats, dogs, rabbits, pigs that he will meet in the different accommodations where you will stay. Your dog must be kept on a leash on arrival at the accommodation and if the owner requests it, you must let it be tied.

Is your dog sufficiently trained for hiking? (remember to visit your veterinarian before the hike for advice).

Your reservation will be effective as soon as we have received the deposit of 30% of the totality of your stay.
The various contacts or questionnaires do not commit you financially.
Our general conditions of sale can be downloaded here

For hikes with donkeys you are limited to 35 kg of luggage, this weight including the weight of your luggage AND children supposed to ride on the back of the donkey during the hike.
For other types of hikes, if luggage transport is included and the maximum weight is 13 KG per person.

Yes!
Even if we can lend you a bicycle helmet for mountain biking or donkey hiking, nothing beats the comfort of a personal helmet adapted to its morphology.

Baggage preparation:

Do not load too much: the donkey carries 30 to 35 kilos maximum weight of luggage and children included: take only useful things! Two bags in which you will have to distribute your luggage in a balanced way (a scale to weigh the luggage will be provided for the duration of the hike) will be given to you the day before or the morning of the hike.

What you need:

• Your clothes (don't forget a practical and light rain suit and caps).
• A good pair of hiking shoes and possibly a second pair to rest your feet in the evening BUT LIGHT (sandal type).
• Shower gel and shampoo not provided in guest rooms.
• A bottle per person of at least 1.5 liters which will be filled each morning before your departure.
• A small emergency pharmacy (antiseptic, bandages, anti mosquitoes and anti ticks, tick puller, sunscreen).
• A MTB helmet for children riding the donkey (MANDATORY, not supplied).
• One or more small backpacks that allow you to unload the donkey when the children are tired or to carry the surplus that the donkey cannot carry.
• Garbage bags for storing your clothes: garbage bags are very light, waterproof, strong and space-saving: it's even better than a backpack or a sports bag. Suitcases to avoid absolutely.

What you don't need:

• you do not need towels, sheets or sleeping bags.
• You do not need picnic equipment, everything will be provided with the picnic from the first day (only for donkey treks).
• Games for children (there is everything you need in accommodation).
• Extra food (including donkey), meals, breakfasts and picnics are plentiful, don't worry.

Are included :

• Overnight in your room.
• Sheets.
• Bath towels.
• Breakfast.

Not including:

• Shower gel and cosmetics.

Optional :

• Drinks excluding meals.
• Evening meals.
• Picnics.

In view of the maximum weight that a donkey can carry (30 to 35 kilos maximum per donkey, weight of luggage and children included), we recommend taking a donkey for 3 to 4 people; this rule varies according to the age of the children and their ability to walk the whole hike or not: we therefore advise you to carefully assess the weight that the donkey will have to carry during the hike and possibly take an additional donkey option if necessary.

Donkeys can carry young children (under your responsibility) for short distances several times a day when they are tired or require the necessary advancement more quickly. If you want to do this hike with very young children under 3 years old, it is quite possible but they should be worn by an adult (baby carrier, hiking baby carrier bag).

For hikes with a donkey and other stays on the Brionnais, you leave from the village of Melay:

You are going to the village of Melay in Saône et Loire: department 71

Saône et Loire is served by the A6, A39 and A40 motorways and by the national road Center Europe Atlantic.



By road, Melay is 9 hours south of London, 7 hours south of Brussels and Bruges, 3 hours west of Geneva, 4 hours south of Paris, 2 hours south west of Dijon, 1 hour 30 minutes south west of Chalon sur saône , 1h30 north-west of Lyon, 1h west of Mâcon, and 20 mins north of Roanne. On Google Map, enter the destination "donkey buggers".
By train, enter as arrival destination: MARCIGNY

If you come from the North of France or Europe, you can stop at the Le Creusot - Montchanin TGV station where you will take a bus which will drop you off an hour later at the Marcigny stop where a taxi will have to be reserved to take you to your destination. If you come from the south of France or Europe, you must reach Roanne station where we will pick you up where a bus will drop you off at the Pouilly sous Charlieu stop where a taxi will have to be reserved to take you to your destination.
SNCF information: 00 33 (0) 8 92 35 35 35 - https://www.oui.sncf/billet-train

We work with KINOUSASSUR and offer comprehensive epidemic multi-risk insurance (cancellation and interruption insurance + repatriation insurance) at the rate of 4.05% of the total amount of your stay up to €2,500 and 4.84% for any stay over €2,500. €.
Please consult their presentation to learn about their contracts and conditions to enjoy your stay with peace of mind.

Download the cancellation and interruption insurance notice

Download the repatriation assistance notice

A DONKEY IS NOT Stubborn!
The donkey is sensitive, he needs to feel safe and will never take a path that he considers dangerous for you and for him, or if he has a problem that he tries to make you understand ( badly installed equipment, pains because like us, they can have back pain, tendinitis, but they cannot tell us ...) in these cases, he puts the handbrake. So, no, a donkey is not stubborn, but on the contrary, it is a very thoughtful animal which, if it is confident, will follow you to the end of the world. Now that you know, you no longer need to ask us if your donkey will move forward: yes, it will!

There are 7 breeds of donkeys in France (many more in the world!):

The Baudet du Poitou is one of the best known to the public, it measures between 1.40 and 1.56 m at the withers and weighs 300 to 410 kilos! her dress is hairy and goes from brown bay to black the ears are large, and carried in a "fan"
More information: Poitou breed website

The Grand Noir du Berry, elegant and distinguished, it measures between 1.35 and 1.45 m at the withers, its dress is bay-brown to dark bay-brown without crucial stripe or mullet stripe and without welts; the belly is gray-white as well as the tip of the nose and the rim of the eyes, the large ears carried quite straight.
More information: Grand Noir du Berry breed website


The Cotentin donkey measures between 1.15 and 1.35 m at the withers, its coat is ash gray bluish gray or dove gray with or without stripes on the limbs and mullet stripe or crucial band; the belly is gray-white the ears are darker around and at the base.
More information: Cotentin breed website

The Normandy donkey measures 1.10 to 1.25 m at the withers, its dress is bay-brown with crucial band, cross of Saint-André, the belly is gray-white, the ears of good size well opened with the lighter interior, the eye is lively wearing white glasses.
More information: Normandy breed website

The donkey of Provence, or shepherd's donkey, it measures between 1.20 and 1.33 m at the withers, its dress is predominantly dove gray which can vary from very light colors to the darkest colors nuanced with red and brown with a black St. Andrew's cross on the back well marked. Around the eyes is often white as well as the tips of the lips, the neckline is thick.
More information: Provence breed website

The donkey of the Pyrenees which includes two types the Gascon and the Catalan. is tall because he can measure up to 1.60 m at the withers, his coat is shiny black to dark brown bay, the tip of the nose around the eyes and the belly are discolored, the hair is very short, the ears are tall and carried straight.
The Catalan donkey is large, 1.45 to 1.60 m at the withers, its coat is bay-brown with white marks around the mouth and under the belly, the hair is short, the ears are very long with brown or red hairs.
More information: Pyrenees breed website

The Bourbonnais donkey measures 1.18 to 1.32 at the withers, it is stocky, its dress is nuanced in chocolate tones with the crucial band, gray to light gray belly, the tail is long, the tip of the nose light gray , the ears are the color of the coat.
More information: Bourbonnais breed website

Due to its origin (arid and semi-desert countries), the donkey likes dry land. He will easily find his natural nutritional balance there. It will therefore be necessary to pay attention to very rich pastures, in particular in nitrogen, and very humid. If this is the case, it is advisable to supplement with dry foods: straw, branches. The donkey fears overfeeding more than underfeeding. Which does not mean that you can neglect your donkey's diet, but rather that you have to be attentive to its needs and its good health.

The donkey's basic food is grass, so its digestive system is based on the absorption of grass.

In the meadow and at rest, a donkey will need around 1 ha to feed itself all year round, depending of course on the region and the quality of the grass.
It is essential to plot the pasture to allow the ground to rest and the grass to grow back in good conditions.

Hay: it is given to replace the grass or to supplement it.
Hay of good nutritional quality is hay that has remained fairly green, contains all its flowers and seeds and smells good. In staple food it will take around 4 to 5 kg per day.

Alfalfa, clover: it can be given to compensate for lower quality hay, for donkeys at the end of gestation or nursing, in cold winters, but it cannot replace grass or hay.
We can recognize its good quality by the same criteria as hay, pay close attention to the risk of mold (a moldy alfalfa or clover can abort a donkey!!) We can give between 0.500g and 1 kg per day.

Straw: It can be distributed in several cases and can in no way be harmful to the health of the donkey, but you should know that it is not very nourishing.
It can therefore be used as a supplement to enrich a diet that is too low in cellulose (and the donkey needs it a lot).
We also give straw to dry up a donkey (in this case she will have nothing else to eat and little to drink for about 3 days. This diet must not happen too suddenly and it will often be necessary to provide care additional to the udders).
It can be useful in case of severe cold, given between meals it helps to maintain the digestive system in function and therefore to keep a good body heat.

Cereals: Barley, bran, corn, oats, cakes, wheat is not recommended and is not very popular with donkeys. The grains are either whole and in this case it is preferable to let them soak overnight before giving them, which makes them more digestible, or flattened, crushed or in flour, in these cases it is advisable to moisten them to prevent the donkey breathes too much dust.
These cereals each have their own properties and will be distributed mainly as an energy supplement during work, for donkeys at the end of gestation or nursing, to "fix" a donkey that has lost too much weight.
The quantities will be to be assessed by the breeder. As an indication, one can give 0.500 g of barley per day for a lactating donkey lacking in milk, very thin or deficient. BEWARE of excess.

Complete feed for horses: can be used but is very expensive and not very suitable for donkeys. There are several kinds and the dosages are specific to each brand. It will therefore be necessary to be well informed before giving it. Watch out for excess.

Salt: It is very important because donkeys consume a lot of it. The best is to put them at will.
It is found either in the form of a salt stone or in coarse salt or in a bucket, it can be embellished with minerals and trace elements. These are not necessary permanently but can be used in cures during the winter or during lactation. They can be found in other, more balanced and better suited packaging in the event of deficiencies.

Water: The best is obviously to put it at will. She must be very clean, the donkey is sober but still drinks about 10 L a day.

The donkey in the meadow eats all day, so it will have to be taken into account in the distribution of meals. If you feed it only once a day, the donkey will binge and digest poorly, thus getting less benefit from the food. It is therefore advisable to give at least twice a day, and more often still in period.

Brionnais is a small region, located in the south west of Burgundy. It is famous for its Romanesque churches, its castles, its gastronomy (region of origin of Charolais beef) and its green landscapes.
Located in the department of Saône et Loire, for the linguist Mario Rossi, the name “Brionnais” appears, in its current form, in the 14th century, it succeeds Briennois, Brienois, and pagus brianensis. Various assumptions are made about the origin of the name. Does it come from its capital: Briennum (Briennon), Briannum (Briant) or even a disappeared Gallic oppidum (Semur: Snemurum, old walls) or from a Gallic tribe: Brannoves, Branovices? In any case, it is the southern extremity of the country of the Aedui.