Saint-Girons. Christel, from choreographer to sheep maker

“In my family, it was often said that I was inhabited by the spirit of my grandmother, and today, I really feel this presence.” On the farm, to take care of the herd, Christel can count on Aymeric and Ben, her accomplices in this adventure which brought her into contact with the sheep. “Aymeric, a passionate shepherd, joined us to organize transhumance and develop dynamic rotational grazing practices. Ben takes care of the care and ensures the health of our sheep using natural approaches.” The flock of sheep, of the Ouessant and Skudde breeds, was carefully chosen for the exceptional quality of its wool. “These small, rustic breeds were obvious to us. Their wool spins and felts wonderfully,” explains Christel. The work around wool begins with shearing, carried out with care to guarantee high quality raw material. After shearing, the wool goes through several stages: washing, carding, spinning and sometimes felting. Each step is an alchemy that reveals the natural beauty of the fiber. She specifies that certain wools are transformed by hand on site for her “Holga” collection, while others go through a spinning mill before being worked by her team. This is where the other “accomplices” artisans come in, as she affectionately calls them: Anne, for the confection, Agathe, expert in dye plants, Marion and Clothilde for the catering area. The “Holga” collection embodies the free and wild spirit of nature. Each piece is created from sheep’s wool, worked entirely by hand. “It’s a way of paying homage to the nobility of this material,” underlines Christel. The “Bam” collection uses wool collected locally and transformed in collaboration with other artisans. “We want to create a network that promotes French wool, while raising public awareness of its multiple possibilities.”

The tavern, a new cultural place

Beyond the collections, the small group imagined La guinguette, a space which aims to be a place of transmission and awareness. “We teach people to rediscover this subject that is too often neglected,” she explains. With its tea room, its restaurant, and its bar, a real living space where storytellers, musicians, authors and other artists can express themselves freely, “La guinguette de la laine” created in Alas is an innovative cultural hub, where sense many Couserannais, a little weaned from such places in the canton. “We must create new models, based on mutual aid and respect for nature,” she concludes with conviction. And it works.