Twenty years ago, I settled down in the Layon valley and I fell in love with this charming place. This beautiful valley is ideal for hiking: among glens and hillsides, the vineyard landscape changes with seasons. Moreover this area offers a high floristic diversity and historical and geological curiosities.

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First of all, I used to be a teacher during 11 years. Then, I quitted because I wanted a job closer to nature and animals. So I used to work as an animal keeper and as a guide in a zoological park for a few years.

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But, I really wanted to come back into the Layon valley, so I have worked two and half years in the estate “la Bergerie”, which the winegrowers were turning to organic viticulture. I discovered the world of wine: culture, terroirs, winemaking and tasting methods… And I met winemakers, passionate about their work: they always want to produce higher quality wine while respecting environment.

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Unfortunately, our beautiful Layon valley and its wines are still unknown. So I have decided to put together my pedagogical skills and my oenological knowledges, in order to help people discover this exceptional place.

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Thanks to my hikes, people can discover the valley and its vineyards through various topics such as AOC, typical grape varieties, terroirs, winemaking processes… My “walking trails” follow public footpaths but also private ones, in winegrowers’ vineyards. These different treks are completed with historical stories, geological observations, flora and fauna explanations… and of course, a wine tasting to illustrate my point.

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“Les vignes selon Val” was born.