The organisation
Gatherings in step with the estates
Joining Les Chevaliers de l’Astrée does not mean having to be present regularly. Everyone is free to experience their connection with the estates in their own way, nearby or entirely from afar.
Meeting freely
A weekend to discover the places differently
For those who would one day like to come and see for themselves, gatherings are offered over the years, usually for the length of a weekend.
They are an opportunity to discover the places differently, meet other Dames and Chevaliers, and share time around the landscapes, harvests and history of the estates.
Three landscapes, three seasons
The Chevaliers’ calendar
Every year · May · Near La Roche-Posay
Les Eaux de Velours
The spring gathering is the organisation’s main annual meeting. The weekend can bring together time on the estate, the general meeting, walks and a variety of activities in the surrounding area.
Depending on the year, people’s wishes, the weather and what is possible, the programme may include a visit to Angles-sur-l’Anglin, a day at Futuroscope, discovering birds of prey in Chauvigny, a convivial meal in La Roche-Posay or other local excursions.
The idea is not to fill every hour. Above all, it is to take the time to meet again.
Every two years · September · Berry
Les Mille Légendes
When apple season arrives, the orchard offers a completely different setting. The gathering may begin with picking fruit, continue with making apple compote together, and then give way to a meal, a walk or an evening devoted to the stories and traditions of the Berry.
A storyteller, bourrées, local heritage or a walk around a lake may become part of the programme depending on the year and the conditions.
Here, the landscape naturally sets the pace: ripe fruit, paths and the beginning of autumn.
The following year · October · Spain
Les Terres d’Aragon
In Aragon, the autumn gathering may accompany the almond harvest and the discovery of olive trees, stone villages and Mediterranean landscapes.
Walks beside the water, heritage discoveries, activities around birds of prey and traditional meals may complete the stay.
A few days to discover an estate in its wider surroundings and understand what makes it so different from the French landscapes.
On site… and from afar
Activities to share
The gatherings are not based solely on visits and excursions in the surrounding area.
The Fellowship space also has its own games, workshops and activities. Some of them can leave the screen for a weekend and become moments shared together on the estates.
- Watercolour and activities inspired by the living world.
- Knots and practical skills to pass on.
- Recipes inspired by the estates.
- Music, stories, games and other diversions.
An activity may begin in the Fellowship space, be enjoyed together during a gathering, then continue at home. People who cannot travel may also be able to take part in some activities from afar, or later discover the stories, photographs and creations that came out of the weekend.
The Fellowship space does not replace the gatherings. It helps maintain the connection between them and offers every Dame and Chevalier a way to take part, wherever they are.
A deliberately simple rhythm
Every way of being a Chevalier has the same value
Chevaliers can meet at Les Eaux de Velours each spring. Then, in autumn, the Berry and Aragon alternate from one year to the next.
None of these gatherings is compulsory. Some people will come regularly. Others only once. Others will follow the entire adventure from home.
Announced programmes remain indicative: they evolve with the seasons, the weather, availability and what the organisation is able to arrange.
What matters is not doing everything. It is knowing that, one day, if the wish is there, somewhere there is an estate and a group of people you can come and meet.
Supporting the estates over time
How resources are used
Membership fees and other resources enable the non-profit organisation to care for the estates, sustain the project and prepare for its future.
Essential day-to-day operating needs — the tools, administrative work and resources required to keep the project running — are covered first. These needs are relatively limited and predictable, so as resources grow, they represent a smaller proportion of the whole.
- Cover essential needs: first provide the tools, administrative work and resources required for day-to-day operation.
- Care for the estates: maintain the places and fund the work they need.
- Support biodiversity: plant, restore and create refuges that benefit the living world.
- Bring projects to life: organise gatherings, workshops and initiatives connected with the estates.
- Prepare for the future: develop the project carefully and welcome new estates when that becomes possible.
- Keep a safety margin: deal with unforeseen needs without weakening work already under way.
These areas of action do not form a fixed allocation. The amounts devoted to each may evolve according to actual needs, the seasons, projects and available resources.
The aim is simple: once essential needs have been covered, to devote as much as possible directly to the estates, the living world and practical action.
It is also possible to take part without becoming a member. A voluntary donation, some time or practical know-how can help the organisation move forward.
Season after season
Announcements will become memories and achievements
Echoes of the Living World can tell the story of gatherings, harvests, plantings, creations and the stories born on the estates.