🐾 La Ruche Animals – Old & New

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First published: August 2025

Last updated: November 2025

At La Ruche, right next to Ursula Gîte in Nicorps, Normandy, animals aren’t just part of the scenery — they’re part of the family. Over the years, we’ve shared our home with dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, and even llamas. Many arrived after being rescued in Normandy or rehomed from difficult pasts, and each one has a story worth telling 🐶🐔🦙.

Guests staying at our family-friendly gîte in Normandy often tell us that meeting our animals becomes one of their holiday highlights. From feeding the llamas to collecting freshly laid eggs, it’s all part of what makes a stay at Holidays-Normandy feel truly special.

🐕 Our Rescue Dogs – Loyal Hearts from Two Countries

We moved from the UK to France with two beautiful border collies who taught us everything about loyalty and resilience:

• Kryten – A Welsh collie with epilepsy, who defied every prognosis and lived to the grand age of 16. His determination, joy and tail wag could brighten even a stormy Normandy day 🧡
• Hallie – An Irish collie born with cerebellar hypoplasia (a neurological condition more common in cats!). She was wobbly, funny, and full of spirit, living peacefully to 8 years old and passing in her favourite sunspot in the garden 🌼

When we arrived in France, the rescues continued — because it seems animals in need always find their way to La Ruche:

• Brien – Rescued from the SPA in Cherbourg, this Austrian border collie is still going strong at 12+. Deaf but unstoppable, his obsession with tennis balls is legendary 🎾❤️
• Gipsy – Rescued from Brittany, wise and slightly grumpy in her later years, but loyal to the end. She made it to 14 💞
• Bubbles – A golden retriever found abandoned and 20 kg underweight near La Ruche. After a bath, we realised he wasn’t brown — just muddy! He recovered and quickly became Robin’s not-so-secret favourite. Tragically, he passed after eating a poisoned rat — a heartbreaking reminder why we never, ever use poison on the property 💔🐾

Every one of them brought laughter, muddy paw prints, and a sense of purpose. Visitors often remark how peaceful our dogs are — calm, trusting souls who reflect the quiet life they’ve found here in the Normandy countryside.

🐈 The Cats of La Ruche – Mischief, Comfort & Character

Columbia and Magenta – Rescued from the Cats Protection League in London, they travelled to France with us and ruled the loft at La Ruche like royalty. Magenta has since passed, but Columbia — affectionately called “Lummy” — is still around, rounder than ever and competing with Janet the llama for “biggest belly” 🐱.

Eddie – Our latest arrival. She appeared after Storm Ciarán, bedraggled, meowing and absolutely determined to stay. We gave her a safe space in the barn (the same building that houses Ursula Gîte and a few other areas — one day, perhaps, another gîte 👀). She’s now queen of the house — and yes, she sleeps on Mum’s bed every night 😼.

If you find her sneaking into Ursula Gîte, please feel free to gently escort her out. She means no harm… but she *will* try to move in (and she loves helping herself to guests’ snacks!).

🐓 Chickens, Ducks & the Everyday Farmyard Choir

We’ve rehomed hens through Poules pour Tous, a fantastic French organisation that gives rescued laying hens in France a second chance at a happy free-range life 🐔🥚.

Our hens now enjoy big open spaces, sunshine, dust baths and the occasional chat with a llama. Children staying at the gîte love collecting eggs in the morning — it’s a small ritual that captures the heart of rural life.

And then there are the ducks! All hatched here and hand-reared after their mother disappeared on day one. Each has its own personality — from bossy to bashful — and they still waddle up to the terrace for food and attention 🦆. The sound of their feet on the patio is still one of my favourite sounds

🦙 The Llamas – Gentle, Quirky & Proudly Independent

Ursula, Pichou and Janet are our elegant field guardians. Rehomed from difficult situations, they’ve transformed here into calm, confident characters who fascinate guests. Ursula is the matriarch — observant but kind. Pichou is shy, quiet and always watchful. Janet, Ursula’s daughter, is a diva — she’ll pose for photos and happily take carrots, but cuddles are off-limits!

The llamas live freely in spacious pastures overlooking Nicorps and the Normandy countryside. Their presence brings a serene rhythm to life here — guests often say watching them graze in the morning mist is “better than meditation.”

If you stay with us, you’re always welcome to come and meet them — just ask! We’re happy to introduce you safely and share their favourite snacks (carrots, always carrots 🥕).

🌿 Caring for Our Animals – The La Ruche Way

We’re often asked how we manage so many animals. The answer is simple: with love, patience, and plenty of apple peelings 🍏. All our animals are vaccinated, microchipped, and given space to live naturally. We avoid chemicals and poisons and rely instead on careful pasture management — it keeps both the land and the creatures healthy.

We also support local rescue efforts in Normandy, from the SPA shelters to small independent sanctuaries. If you’re looking to adopt while in France, we’re always happy to share advice and contacts — there are many animals here waiting for their forever homes ❤️.

🏡 Meeting the Animals During Your Stay

Guests love getting to know our animal family. Whether you’re visiting as a couple, a group of friends, or a family with young children, the animals bring the place to life. In the mornings you might hear the hens clucking, the ducks chatting, or the llamas humming softly in the field. It’s all part of the experience of staying in a rural Normandy gîte surrounded by nature and animals.

Families often spend hours simply observing — or joining in! From gentle brushing sessions with the llamas to collecting eggs or throwing Brien his beloved tennis ball, it’s a peaceful antidote to modern life.

Our home isn’t a petting zoo — it’s a home that animals share with us. But for those who love nature, kindness and a slower pace, it’s a truly special connection.

💬 Why We Rescue – And What It Teaches Us

It’s never been a deliberate mission — somehow, the animals find us. We always check for microchips at the vet, and every rescue that stays becomes family. Over time, we’ve realised that caring for animals isn’t just about giving them shelter — it’s about learning patience, humility and gratitude. Each one, from a frightened cat to a wise old dog, has something to teach about resilience and trust.

We often say we only seem to get the “broken ones” — but to us, they’re perfect. Every scar, limp and quirk tells a story of survival. And when you see them relaxed, tails wagging or ears twitching in the evening light, you realise: this is what a second chance looks like.

🌾 The Bigger Picture – Life with Animals in Normandy

Normandy’s countryside life revolves around nature — cows in the fields, swallows over barns, and the quiet hum of tractors at dawn. Living among animals keeps us grounded and grateful. It’s part of what makes La Manche and Coutances so special: a rhythm of life that still respects the land and its creatures.

Visitors often say staying here feels “restorative.” Maybe it’s the calm. Maybe it’s Brien’s sleepy grin, Eddie’s purr, or the llamas watching the sunset. But one thing’s certain — the animals at La Ruche make this place feel alive, loved and utterly real 🐾.

🌟 Final Thought – Heart, Home & Second Chances

At La Ruche, every animal — past or present — has a place in our story. They remind us that kindness still matters, that healing takes time, and that love doesn’t need to be perfect to be powerful.

So if you visit and want to meet them, just ask. We’ll introduce you to the llamas, show you where the hens hide their eggs, and share a few tails (and tales) from our ever-growing family. Because at Holidays-Normandy, it’s not just about where you stay — it’s about who you share it with 🐕🐈🦙❤️.

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