The Aveyron Chamber of Agriculture encourages Saint-Affricain farmers to develop farm tourism

Office de tourisme et Chambre d'agriculture ont présenté les possibilités aux agriculteurs. Midi libre – Marilyn Beaufour

La Chambre d’agriculture de l’Aveyron cherche à développer le tourisme à la ferme, notamment sur le territoire saint-affricain.

Combine livestock breeding and tourism, why not? Yes but how to do it when you are a breeder? The Chamber of Agriculture of Aveyron and the The Tourist Office organized the first meeting for the development of agritourism on Friday April 12 and invited stakeholders and producers of milk, meat, cheese and honey. The observation: in the territory, only five breeders organize visits to their farms and 21 practice direct sales. The idea is to expand the tourist offering by offering guided excursions on the know-how of farmers and to diversify their activities with financial gain at stake. This can range from a simple visit or restoration to a camping area with a reception building for vacationers and locals.

Define your audience and reception method

Some are enthusiastic, like Nadia Fargeix-Bondia, beekeeper in Saint-Affrique. She details the management of her business: "My partner manages the hives and I manage the paid guided tours with tasting (8 €). They still represent 50% of our turnover for 1,123 visitors in 2023. We also program two-day courses, either for initiation to setting up hives or for advanced training. ."

An internship to get started in welcoming the public

The course will take place this fall and will take place over two and a half days, i.e. one and a half days of collective workshops (motivation, objectives, visiting circuits, setting up activities , a tasting, participation in milking…, communication, regulation, taxation…), half a day collective visit to a farm and a half-day visit to the farm of the participating producer with security of the areas at risk. risks and search for the most suitable route to the public. Zero cost for the breeder, the internship is entirely supported by the Vivea fund (Fund for the training of living entrepreneurs). Registration: 05 65 73 77 12.

Others started and then became discouraged, because the activity was too time-consuming or the free visits did not allow them to get by financially. This is the case of Corinne Vezy, from Gaec des Fleurines, in Roquefort. As for breeder Julia Caumes from Saint-Rome-de-Cernon, she refuses to practice any profession other than her own. "I think it’s dangerous with our exposed equipment", she justifies. Marion Ninot, director of the tourist office, encourages interested producers participating in the meeting to define their audiences, their schedules and their mode of reception. The Aveyron Chamber of Agriculture will support them in putting together a file followed by a two and a half day course in order to acquire the tools to get started. A great way to share your profession.