Seven species. One country.
A richness France keeps quiet about.
An almanac of seven
France is rarely named among Europe's great hunting destinations — and yet, with more than a million hunters and an extraordinary range of habitats, few countries offer such variety in such a short distance. Red stag in the woods, chamois on the ridges, ducks on the water, wild boar everywhere.
Most hunts at Laplanque are conducted by stalking or from high seats. Driven hunts and bespoke days can be arranged. The season runs from September to February. Rifle and bow are both welcome.
Brown bear, wolf, lynx and Alpine and Pyrenean ibex live in France too — but they are protected, and not hunted.
Where the seasons do the talking.
Red Stag
The king of European forests
The red stag was once the exclusive quarry of royalty and nobles, hunted with horse and hound — a tradition that survives, even now. Today, stalking and driven hunts are the more common methods.
Laplanque is renowned for the quality of its red stag trophies. A meaningful share of the stags taken on the estate rank among the largest in the world.
European Mouflon
The mountain warrior
Originally Corsican, the mouflon was introduced to mainland France and quickly conquered the mountain ranges. The terrain at Laplanque — rocky, steep, wild — suits them exactly.
Many of our mouflon trophies are among the largest in the world. We can also organise hunts for the endemic French mainland Corsican mouflon, mostly in the Pyrenees.
Fallow Deer
A gift from the Roman Empire
Brought to Gaul by the Romans nearly two thousand years ago, fallow deer have spread across France ever since. At the French Royal Court, only princesses were permitted to hunt them.
Their coats range from spotted to brown, black and white. Laplanque's fallow deer are renowned for their trophy quality — some of the largest worldwide.
Sika Deer
A gift from the Great Mikado
The sika deer is a Japanese guest in France. The first specimens were a gift from the Great Mikado of Japan to the French President in 1890, introduced into the presidential park at Rambouillet, and have spread modestly since.
Their antlers rarely exceed eight tines. The Château de Laplanque is one of the very few places — perhaps the only one — in France where sika can be hunted, and some of our trophies are among the largest in the world.
Chamois
The princes of European mountains
The only antelope species in France, the chamois is the emblem of European mountains. Four subspecies live here — Alpine, Pyrenean, Chartreuse, and Vercors — and the last two exist nowhere else. The Pyrenean is markedly distinct from the others.
Chamois hunts are spent on foot, in some of the most beautiful landscapes Europe has to offer. They are slow, demanding, and unforgettable.
Roe Deer
The Little Prince
The smallest of France's deer, and one of the most loved. More than a million roe deer are hunted in France each year — most of them by stalking, the most common form of French hunting.
Roe deer is the only species hunted through the summer in France. The season carries on through autumn, until they cast their antlers.
Wild Boar
The European black beast
Wild boar is the most widely hunted game species in France. Mostly taken on driven hunts, but stalking them is one of the most exciting hunts the country has to offer.
They reproduce extremely fast and cause real problems — accidents, crop damage. Boar of up to 200 kg, with proper tusks, are hunted around Laplanque.
Hunting at Laplanque is by invitation, by enquiry.
Tell us what you have in mind. We will reply personally — usually within twenty-four hours.
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