We spent a wonderful night on the farm at the Gîte rural La Bergerie in Courchavon and experienced the very best of farming life with Switzerland Tourism.
If you have never tried a farm stay in Switzerland, you should definitely consider it. It's a wonderful way to connect with nature in a relaxed and hospitable environment.
We arrived at the farm in Courchavon on Saturday afternoon and were already in awe of the scenery as we approached the village which is surrounded by rolling fields and forests.
We parked the car just outside the reception area and were shown to our rooms. The accommodation is simple but clean and spacious, and there are various room options from double rooms to dormitories and there is even the possibility to sleep on the hay! We were given a double room and one of the dormitories, both with their own sink, with a full bathroom shared with one other room on the same floor. We didn't want to leave the children alone so Jean slept with the boys in the dormitory while Alba and I took the double room.
From the moment we arrived, we felt disconnected from the stress of daily life and decided to explore the farm. Jude and Alba immediately ran off to feed the horses and say hello to the rabbits, leaving us to sit and enjoy a drink in the sunshine with Elio. A big bonus for us was the fact that the courtyard area with bar, dining area, and where all the animals are located, is really central and secure. Alba quickly made some friends and together they were soon happily feeding the ponies.
There is plenty to do on the farm including visiting the orchard, lots of places to walk to enjoy the views, or pay a visit to the sheep, but besides that, the whole area is packed with interesting activities to discover including grottes, parks and fromageries. The farm itself also has a little shop selling local products including their delicious damson jam which reminded me of my childhood. The children literally spent all afternoon running around the farm and we had to pull them away when it was time to eat.
Dinner is served at 7pm and we were happy to be eating outside which also meant that the children could play with their new friends between courses :-). We started with a nice salad, followed by a BBQ which included delicious local sausages flavoured with cumin (Saucisse d’Ajoie) and accompaniments and for dessert, a strawberry tiramisu which was delicious and quickly demolished by us all (especially Elio). After dinner we decided to enjoy the warm evening and stretch our legs with a little walk around the village. Rolf who owns the farm told us that the view a little further uphill was amazing so we went in that direction. He wasn't wrong!
After a busy day running around, we were all ready for bed. We slept well and the children really enjoyed being woken up by the sounds of the farm (Jude was fascinated by the cockerel) to another sunny day. Alba's sole objective as soon as she opened her eyes was to get dressed as fast as possible so that she could get downstairs to feed the horses, and look for the little cat we had met the evening before.
First on the agenda though was breakfast which consisted of local products including cheeses and homemade jams and delicious brioche and juices. Feeling refuelled we set about heading back to our rooms to pack up.
We have stayed in A LOT of places over the last few years but I can honestly say that I haven't often seen the children so sad to leave anywhere. They really enjoyed the freedom of the farm, and the fact that we felt safe enough to let them explore around us made a big difference for us all. Of course they also loved the animals, and the chance to make new friends, and Jean and I really appreciated the relaxed atmosphere, the local food and the people we met. Rolf was really friendly and made sure we were having a good time and was on hand in case we had any questions or needed help with anything.
Are you ready to try Agritourism in Switzerland? We can thoroughly recommend this for a family trip. We guarantee that your little ones will adore it and parents will love the tranquility and reconnection to nature.
Information
Discover more information on MySwitzerland ! They have listed many vacations on the farm, you can even sleep in the straw for some of them.
Gîte rural La Bergerie
Amstutz Rolf
Mormont 60, 2922 Courchavon
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