Monopoly, Skyjo, Unlock… This game house has almost 1,000 board games

Are you more into Monopoly or The Good Pay? Or are you a fan of Unlock, an escape room? Or are you a fan of board games where you have to think of a tactic to destroy your opponent? No matter what you like, you will surely find what you are looking for at the “Les Curies” ludogite in Aujols.

The concept: a lodge where board games are available. It is Pierre Pettera, and his partner Marie Molina-Kervellec, who run this establishment, open since April 2023. There are 16 others in France. Like in Sologny where the “L’escale à jeux” gîte has more than 10,000, quite a catalog. In the old Lotoise farm, which can accommodate up to 6 people (not counting the Brunard mill which can also be rented for two people), there are 997 games which are self-service. “We have more than some stores!”, smiles Pierre.

The conditions to receive the ludogîte label: have furnished tourist accommodation for at least four people, have an extensive and recent toy library as well as live on site. “It’s important. This means that we can give advice. Or come and explain a slightly complicated rule of the game,” describes the Lotois. The goal: to advise people so that they have a good stay.

Objective: a thousand games by Christmas

How did this adventure begin? “We met in a games bar with Marie! In Toulouse, I organized game evenings and theme weekends. I had people at my house almost all the time! Then, we moved to Cahors “After two years of living in the city center of Cahors, we decided to buy nearby. We already had the Ludogite project when we bought this land with our house, the old farm and the mill. Rock. He continues: “My partner and I are big players. Before embarking on this adventure, we already had 480 games,” smiles Pierre. The goal: to surpass the thousand games mark by Christmas. “It’s only a matter of days!”

Are all the couple’s games on display in the cottage? No. “At home, we still have quite a few games. Especially very rare and very expensive things. Like card games that are no longer published,” confides the player. And has he tested all the games in his lodge? Almost. “I don’t have time to play everything! On the other hand, I can explain the rules of 600 games easily,” says Pierre.

In the catalog, some Lotois games are present, such as “La Tour de Luzech” or those by Antoine Boccara. The latter won the 2024 Golden Ace with “Mon Puzzle Aventure”, a game particularly popular in Pierre’s family. The Lotois is also behind the creation of “La Fiesta de Los Muertos”. On the Périgord side, Pierre owns the game “Auca”: “It is very difficult to find it. I am in contact with Hervé, from the Apprenti Sage, in Cahors. He has a small stock of it, I redirect people who enjoyed it the game towards him”. The latest releases also hit the shelves very quickly, such as “In the footsteps of Marie Curie”. A game that Pierre was quick to buy: “Our name is Les Curies, and we have a windmill. So, we’re looking to buy all the games that have windmills and that talk about Pierre and Marie Curie!”

Spend time together

A concept that attracts. “We have people who never play, others who are experts. We have players who come from Toulouse and who came to spend a weekend here. Afterwards, they bought six or seven games that they had tested They will come back this winter,” says Pierre. Many families rent the ludogîte. “I also had a few foreigners who rented here by chance. We have a few games in foreign languages, like English, Japanese, Italian, German…” And the little ones are not left out: a whole shelf is dedicated to them. And this, thanks to the couple’s two children, who, without a doubt, will be keen on board games like their parents.

People’s feedback on this experience has been very positive. Pierre Pettera concludes: “People don’t turn on the television, they really spend time together. Parents have told me that they played with their children for the first time, it warms the heart.”