One kiss my Bonnie Sweetheart…..
The words of Alfred Noyes refer to ‘yellow gold’ as the prize the Highwayman sought during his nocturnal activities although visiting the Saint Chinian district of Languedoc, South of France offers something equally valuable to the Sporting hunter, trophy Wild Boar under moonlight!
Having shot Wild Boar in a variety of Eastern European locations and the same for trophy pigs internationally, I thought it would make a nice change of pace to go somewhere warm for a change when I could relax and enjoy the moment rather than dress for arctic survival or a cold wet day ‘on the hill’ and the South of France provided exactly that.
Aside from the relatively short hop over, the familiarity many of us feel towards our European neighbours goes a long way towards making this the perfect destination for those who like their Boar Shooting but who perhaps also have non-hunting partners and families to consider? Let us therefore introduce you to Domaine Bois de la Gineste.
The estate and visitor accommodations have been designed with families and larger groups in mind where a fabulous private swimming pool overlooks the nearby village of Pierreue and its vineyards. It is private and since the estate is situated at the top of the valley it is not overlooked.
Boar Hunting is conducted under a full moon where the 26 hides and high seats have been situated overlooking fields encompassed by almost impenetrable Green Oak and associated foliage. At night the forest literally comes to life before you as the resident Red and Fallow Deer compliment a significant population of Boar which have entered the estate via the neighbouring 35,000Ha National Park.
During our visit we used a variety of hides and high seats and had numerous shooting opportunities at each of them. We also spent one evening moving from position to position after each shot was taken when again we found pigs at every location, sometimes in modest groups of 5-10 animals with one location boasting over 60 Wild Boar feeding in place for almost an hour. The highest bag for a single evening’s sport is 35 pigs taken by 7 guns and in our opinion many more could be taken if the client so wished.
The estate boasts a battery of Sako Rifles complimented by Zeiss IR scopes, each was in ‘new’ condition and perfectly serviceable for the task in hand although flights to Montpelier via Easyjet and similar are more than happy to accommodate Sporting Rifles from visiting hunters. Bow Hunters are equally welcome where the estates hides and high seats really come into their own.
Aside from the excellent hunting and luxurious facilities, the Estate is situated in a fabulous area for tourism with the Mediterranean just 30 minutes away and a profusion of non-hunting activities to engage in making Domaine Bois de la Gineste the ideal location for those looking to balance a family holiday with some nocturnal sport.
Meals are served either in the large dining area or on the patio by the pool (which is illuminated by night) and for those taking the Executive package, a 3-course lunch is prepared by Le Grand Chef M. Frederic Revilla, one of the Country’s most celebrated Chefs, complimented by a selection of fine wines from the ‘Appellation Saint Chinian Controle’, described by Master of Wine Matthew Stubbs as ‘the most exciting and spectacular place to make wine on earth’!
The climate here is one of the many reasons why the World’s beautiful people flock to the South of France and attractions such as the Flamingos of the Camarque, spectacular caves and bizarre ‘Orgues de Roussillion’. In addition the local rivers are ideal for Canoeing with several centres specialising in this available relatively close to the estate.
Facilities and sport such as these are unusual since the Estate has been designed with families and larger groups in mind. That said, this is the perfect location for the discerning Sportsman looking for guaranteed opportunities to shoot complimented by facilities and a location ideal for his family to share!
For more information on Wild Boar Hunting in the South of France and for loads of photographs, please visit http://www.thehuntingagency.com/france/boarhuntinginthesouthoffrance/ or see http://www.huntingandshootingnews.com/hsn-nov/index.html#/6/ to view the article online, thank you