1 an de projet en 5 minutes et 38 photos
ROULOPA lettre d’info 2017
Ever member of the Roulopa team wishes you a happy new year 2018. May your projects come to life, with joy and good humor.
1 year project in 5 minutes
In a year, a lot of water has flowed under the bridges.
From the idea, from the project of life and roaming cottage to horse trailers, we have come to the realization. For most of this past year, we had to continue the ludothèque Bonne Pioche (Florian was the gamebrarian, myslef the president), keep up the good work at the Saint Denis de Pile townhall technical services and start the project whenever we could.
October 2016
While Florian is in Paris as a kids carer for a group of teens, I stubble upon an advertisement for a wagon and a horse.
We are not psychologically ready and have neither the funds nor a place to accommodate this horse over one ton. So as always, we trust the universe and send a message. We believe in !
On his return, Flo supports me. Zorba, the percheron, is 40km from our friends Christelle and Yseult association “ANETH: trailers and lives” in Morbihan. They make a pre-visit for us a few days later. Verdict, the trailer asks for work but the horse is nickel. Never mind, without money, we organize a collecte de fond sous forme de prêt. Within a couple of weeks, we manage to collect 6000€ ! Thank you to all, particularly Jade, one of our patrons. We planned to refund everything as soon as our VW campervan had been sold, it took longer than expected.
In the meantime, we got to met Hervanne and Greg, the owners of the local equestrian center.
Not only do they have room for Zorba, our futur percheron horse, but they are eager to help the project. We were to realize that they were not to provide only some help but we were to receive all their love, make new friends and get motivations and logistical support.
November 2016
Little by little, the house is getting emptier one car boot sale or grailist ad after the other.
The money collected allows us to spare and add up to what we managed to out aside the past two years.
We will keep selling our good all along 2017 to finance the works to be done one the wagon and care for our horse.
December 2016
Zorba the percheron horse arrived in december 2016, its wagon in January 2017.
We rented a horse van and went to get Zorba all the up to Britanny. Franck Boileau.
The equestrian centre Greg and Hervanne are becoming good friends. They offered to host Zorba for free; it prooved to be a little more problematic when Zorba started escaping regularly.
They welcomed us and our horse with open arms. We try to help them as much as we can, whenever our construction planning permits it.
We learned to know each-over, humans and horses.
January 2017
When our camper van was sold, at lost, we bought a 2004 Renault Master which proved to be a 3500€ lose. We then bought a 1991 VW T4 still taking us around to this day.
The wagon is delivered on a stormy day, without a scratch!
February 2017
Many came to help us renovating the wagon we bought to Pascal at Emmaüs Angoulême (86) (Katia, Fabien, Jean, Jimmy, Bruno) since then, it allowed to practice horse pulling with Zorba. The Roulopia wagon will be a gift to the equestrian centre.
The house is on sold. Visits are spare, the price being too high.
We find a “forestier” pulling horse collar thanks to Stéphane in Dordogne.
This item is essential to a well adjusted equipment and a good quality pulling power.
February the 18th, we organised the 1st Roulopa party. Bruno joins us with his wagon pulled by a tractor. The party advertisment is also published by the ecologist mouvement EELV.
We have two wagons for the 1st Roulopa party!
At least 30 people turned out to share a meal, discover our project and listen to an improvised singing session live from the wagon front plateform.
February the 28th, Florian helps the equestrian centre to organise a treasure hunt. One of the many ways we can provide a helping hand.
March 2017
Most of the wood work and painting is done with the help of Jean-Yves and Pascale . The wagon is changing fast! prometteur.
Mars 25th, we are lucky enough to meet Corentin. Corentin Bourreau, masseur stretcher and horse physiotherapist.
He was keen on showing us all the tricks to strectching a pulling horse without harming your back.
here are the videos.
April 2017
The Gazette number two is published and sent to more than 1500 emails!
To receive the next gazettes, subscribe atTHIS ADDRESS.
Mai 2017
May the 8th, our neighbours helped us make a pulling hitch for the wagon. This allows us to transport the caravan behind our van.
May the 15th, Roulopa officially become a non profit organization. This is a crucial step for us as it allows us to apply for festivals or similar events. It wil also prove to be the only legal status suitable for our adventure.
May the 19th and 20th, we organise a festival around the annual festival at home.
Although a little less crowded than usual, all our friends loved the project and helped us by being a few items or donating. They also handpainted presentation boards for futur festivals to come.
. Muriel Leobet, we met Muriel while distributing the great journal« l’Age de faire » a few years back. She demonstrates intuitive sculpturing.
We were invited to apply for several festivals to promote our project and boost our egos 😉
In May, we set up a stand with the dragonfly wagon, a few items to sell and a fake Zorba at the Salignac (33) Jardi’Rêve festival. It was organised by the association Sali’ann. We were lucky enough to met the talented herborist and story teller Patrick Rochedy (cf gazette numbero 2).
June 2017
On the 11th of June, our now ex-gypsy friends Yannick visited us. Cf « La roulotte qui gigotte » there beautiful adventure book tells us all about their 3 years journey crossing France northbound with two percheron horses pulling their caravan. An incredible family journey with Maude, Yannick’s wife and their two kids, Teo and Arthur.
By the end of June, Florian’s gamebrarian activity finds a happy end after 4 years of hard work bringing games from one rural village to another (ludothèque itinérante « Bonne Pioche »).
July 2017
On the 2nd, we help organise the annual equestrian centre party. We set up and improvised a small parade with Zorba and a couple of musician friends as well as a 15 min circus show based on the children story that was written for us.
The dragonfly wagon is presented and we are able to drive our newly renovated wagon for the first time.
the story written by Sophie O’Day, is read and accompanied by a few instruments for the first time. A rehearsal for the August big festival.
We learned horse pulling gradually after our harness makers had worked modifying our equipment.
From the 20th to the 24th of July, the « Rêve de l’Aborigène festival» (79) accepted to present our project. We were glad to show Jean-François Castel’s documentary about the modern gypsy life and welcome some of the 5600 festival friends.
Let’s not forget our encouter with the Tit B’Libre group who were demonstrating their flex-yourte designs
Without the special deal the transporter William prestige all of this would not have been possible. To pay him bakc, we painted little rocks and sold them at a free price, anyone could give what he thought was fair or paint 5 more stones. More than 100€ were collected!
August 2017
For a couple of weeks in August, Florian is the organizer for an adult disabled summer camp. The association Roulottes et Nature brings them to Christelle and Yseult who will drive their two gypsy wagons in Britanny ( “des Roulottes et des vies“).
An extraordinary and unforgettable experience for this futur roulotier to come.
He was working with Pauline, who herself travelled with a wagon. She was to become a good frien and was to provide us with a baby dog, Nasba.
At the end of August, I set the resignation date at the 1st of December.
October 2017
In October, we launched a nation wide fund raising campaign to collect enough pre-orders and reservations and start building the second wagon and find a second horse.
4215€ were collected, thanks to the donations and reservations of :
Amount Name Surname
50,00 € Pericou Les
25,00 € GERMAIN MYRIAM
25,00 € Minassian Valérie
50,00 € Herbert Pauline
25,00 € CHAVANON Pascal
50,00 € GUÉRIN Quentin
25,00 € mas Aurélie
10,00 € Ysmal Alice
150,00 € Schindler Julia
190,00 € Jean-Pierre, Marie-France et Christophe, Faouzia et Miguel, Greg et Hervanne, Rémy et Rachel et Hortense et Patrice
50,00 € Beaudet christelle
50,00 € Renaud Katia
150,00 € Rouault Solène
25,00 € Dufourmantelle Noemie
200,00 € La Molène association
50,00 € JOLIVET cedric
100,00 € Viault Béatrice
50,00 € Schincariol Julie
150,00 € SONET MICHEL
150,00 € david cédric
50,00 € roussel pascal
150,00 € Guérin Lucien
30,00 € Chevalier Martine
150,00 € East Sharon
1 000,00 € Guérin Didier et Martine
150,00 € PIEL Régine
50,00 € Guérin Maurice et André
50,00 € CREVEL Stéphanie
50,00 € rouault fabien
100,00 € piel annie
150,00 € BESSET JADE
10,00 € Langlois Gwendoline
150,00 € Guérin Lisa
500,00€Dubuisson Anne Marie
Et quelques autres dons anonymes.
At the same time, two press articles talked about our project.
Once again, a big thank you to all of you who have shared this campaign, have donated or booked a stay with us.
The house price is lowered by a few thousand euros and visits start again.
On the 21st and 22nd of October, the Saulx farm in Léognang (33) host a weekend of exchanges and talks around the nomadic and light habitat, promoted by the HALEM association.
We join the team straight away and became the very first nomadic “information point” of the association.
We also met Jérome and Marie whom with we talk of the weight of the wagon.
As we paint the inside the following week, we decide to weight the dragonfly wagon. 1 tonne 100 kg.
We will have to lighten it a bit if we want to add anymore of our affairs.
The 28th and 29th of October, we organize our traditionnal winter solctice night around the wood bread oven.
We are halfway to the end of the crowd funding. What a better moment to empty the house and sale everything left!
November 2017
On November the 4th, the local cultural centre is invited to bring a few of its members to visit the dragonfly wagon and have explanations given on the project.
The dozen of people were eager to know everything. It was a good way to try to explain with the right words as well as note the questions that were not yet answered.
In November, Noémie starts to build the roulopa website and designs the logo and choices a set of colors and fonts. www.roulopa.com
Savino came to help us and, while at it, shoots a promotional video that was to be shown just before the preview of the documentary “trait de vie”.
We start looking for a second horse. Most of them are far away or too expensive.
December 2017
On the 1st, I was no longer obliged into any kind of survitude…
December the 23rd, we launched a game that was to be relayed by Pepite news. There was a weekend in the seahorse wagon to be own.
Not long before Christmas, we find a horse on Leboncoin (graiglist). The owner is raising pulling horse and also makes wine. After the holidays, we visit her and find her in good shape if a distinct pride and allure. Her name is Surprise. The day before we were to test her pulling abilities, we find out that she might be pregnant… harch…
January 2018
On the 20th and 21st, we planned a work weekend on the wleding and construction of parts of the dragonfly wagon (raising it by 20cm, building a whole new front axle…). Miguel and Faouzia, for the seocnd time, lend us their workshop and tools, and, most fo all, their time and efforts! What a great gift.
On our way to looking for another horse, we talk to our hanress maker. He is about to stop the horse pulling activities and proposes to sale us his lovely 7 year old Comtois horse. She is trained and fit, and has a perfect harness of course. to be continued…
To do :
1. Chantier menuiserie les 27 et 28 Janvier 2018 à saint Ciers d’Abzac (chez nous au 27 rue Lambary) : fabrication et montage de la structure de la roulotte. Bardage, confection de coffre.
2. Fixation des brancards.
3. Adaptation des traits et révision du harnachement (sellier).
4. Confection des couvertures bâchées des roulottes.
Autres étapes :
achat de clôture, piquets et alimentation sur batterie.
Achat de matériel divers : seaux, auges de maçon souples
Achat de matériel de maréchalerie et formation.
Achat de matériel de soin et formation.
Formation à l’attelage.
Si vous pouvez nous aider, vendre du matériel ou nous aider dans l’une de ces tâches, contactez-nous.
Pour adhérer à l’association, vous abonner à la gazette ou tout simplement nous aider, c’est par ici.
