Testimonial: Jean-Hubert François, creator of La Ferme François

When did Ferme François come into being, and how did the project evolve towards business tourism?

Jean-Hubert François - Ferme François has been in existence for 12 years, growing crops and raising livestock. The agritourism part of the business was added four years ago. The aim is to welcome the general public, in particular business customers such as works councils, companies themselves and government departments, for team-building activities and seminars. The programme might include a morning work session, followed after lunch by team-building and relaxation activities such as quad biking, paintball or a massage at the spa. We try to accommodate all requests.

What we haven't done yet, we just haven't been asked to do yet! For example, we've just organised for the first time an event combining a workshop with chefs, a quad bike ride, and activities in which the chefs themselves take part among the participants.

Despite its size, Ferme François is not confined to its own territory...

Jean-Hubert François - We are also now able to organise external services, in particular with the CNES [Centre national d'études spatiales, editor's note]. We bring the farm to these professionals in Kourou, with the ovens, quads and so on. Every time, our biggest challenge is that the guests always leave with a smile, a unique souvenir and the desire to come back.

What types of events do you host here?

Jean-Hubert François - We host events for between 10 and 450 people. For evening events, we can arrange buses to take participants back to Kourou or Cayenne, for example. If some people want to sleep on site, I can provide hammocks or cots. Accommodation is not my speciality, it's another job, but it's a service I provide.

What makes you stand out in the agri-tourism sector?

Jean-Hubert François - There are other agritourism sites that offer far more activities, but we're always in greater demand because organisers are looking for a 'home from home'.

What equipment do you use for meetings?

Jean-Hubert François - When people come here, they like to get away from conventional settings. There's a games room on the ground floor that can be set up for small meetings. But as we are welcoming more and more large groups, we have set up a 400 m² space on the first floor, for around a hundred people. It's quite simple, a bit 'rootsy', but that's because that's what people are looking for!