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Marie-Cécile Itier
Published on
Nov 15 2024 at 5:00 p.m
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“Today we are at 982 jeuxwe hope to have some 1,000 for Christmas ! » rejoices Pierre Pettera, who with his partner Marie Molina-Kervellec owns the gîte Les Curies in Aujols in the Lot, a few minutes from Cahors. They are one of the 16 ludogîtes in France (a 17e is currently under construction) a concept which combines tourist lodge and game library.
Arrived at Cahors 8 years ago, Pierre Pettera and Marie Molina-Kervellec left the city center 2 years ago for a house in the countryside. They unearthed Les Curies, in Aujols, a old 19th century farme century in which they have fitted out two vacation rentals: the ludogite in the barn and a guest room in the old windmill (the Brunard mill), which dates from the 16the century. They have been open since last season, and quickly filled up.
Game enthusiasts
Marie Molina-Kervellec and Pierre Pettera were already passionate about board games. They had more than 400 of them, and actually met in a games bar.
They chose to join the ludogîte association after discovering it at the 2022 Cannes International Games Festival. “We created this ludogîte because it’s precisely what we would have liked to have on vacation,” explains Pierre. Pettera.
The association has created a label with several constraints that they willingly accept: a toy lodge must be a furnished tourist accommodation for at least 4 people, have a comprehensive and recent toy library – the toy lodge in the network which has the fewest games offers them all likewise 500 -, with all types of games, for all ages and tastes, and live on site to be able to advise and explain the games to people if necessary.
At the Curies, of the thousand games available, Pierre Pettera tested 70% of them. The missing 30% are mainly extensions of existing games or escape games. In addition, he is able to explain almost all the rules or game mechanics.
Games for all tastes and all ages
The games offered are as diverse as they are varied. Great classics and essentials of course like Monopoly, but also more advanced games, up to the very latest novelties, like “Park Mania Theme” or “In the Footsteps of Marie Curie”, which were released a few days ago in penalty. Moreover, he closely follows gaming news and knows all the new features.
Thus, it can respond to all the requests of tenants, whose profiles are very varied.
Walks, swimming pool, and games
60% of visitors are people who come only for the games library. “In summer, most go for walks and visits in the morning, then they stay in the afternoon to play in the cool shelter of the stone walls, before enjoying the swimming pool, and they start playing again in the evening » explains Pierre Pettera. Some also come to the lodge to test games before buying them later. And then there are the visitors who did not expect to find so many games and discover them during their stay.
The tenants come from all over France, many from the Toulouse region but also from Paris, Brittany and the north. They stay for a weekend, one, or even two weeks to break away from everyday life and enter the world of games.
From the easiest games to those for specialists
In the lodge, the games are classified by category: those for children in a shelf within their reach, large board games in a library – the higher you go up the floors, the more complicated the games are. In another library, we find cooperative and semi-cooperative games, but also puzzle and investigation games, as well as party games.
Most are French-English multilingual games, but the lodge also offers games in German, Italian, Spanish, and even Japanese, for games brought back by the couple after a trip to the land of the rising sun.
In addition, Pierre Pettera highlights certain games that he recommends to visitors, his current favorites: we currently find “Faraway” or “2 pomme 3 pains”. He also recommends games according to the desires and tastes of visitors, but also the number of players. And for those who do not wish to ask for help, the book “A History of the Board Game” is available with the rules of the 40 reference board games, of course all available at the gîte.
To go even further in the concept, even the furniture is suitable for games: the coffee table is ideal for gathering 6 people around it, as for that of the dining room, it is a large square table for playing all around a central plateau. The decoration is also oriented around games.
80% of the games offered are ideally played by 4 people, but the gîte can accommodate up to 6 people, and even up to 8, with the mill's guest room.
A selection for Christmas
As Christmas approaches, Pierre Pettera shares with us some of his favorite games that will have an impact under the tree.
For younger children, from 2-3 years old, “My adventure puzzle”, a game that allows you to play while telling stories.
For children, from 6 years old (and even younger), “La Planche des pirates” “a very funny game that works very well with the family” he assures.
For average players, from 10 years old, “In the footsteps of Marie Curie”, a game to also play with the family.
For adults and good players: “Windmill Valley”, an action management game for good players, a game lasting around 90 minutes.
Moments of sharing
Their passion for gaming is not only shared within the lodge. Pierre Pettera and Marie Molina-Kervellec participate in various fairs, in particular to promote the concept of ludogîtes with the other members of the association. Outside of the tourist season, they happily lend games to their children's school, and participate in the activities of the La Tresse association in Lalbenque.
However, no video games are offered. “We have a TV in the lodge, but people don’t necessarily turn it on. When we are told “we didn’t turn on the holiday TV”, it’s because we have done our part of the work, our contract has been fulfilled! »concludes Pierre Pettera.
Contact: ludogîte Les Curies in Aujols, information and reservation: 06 28 78 37 09 / https://lescuries.fr/
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