From civil servant to farmer: my testimony as a farmer's wife in Vendée

Marie of the Coutardière Estate
10 April 2026
12:09
0 comments

I told our story on the "Where it leads when you sow" podcast."

Summary for those in a hurry

I had the opportunity to tell our story in the Yen Bui podcast: that of a woman, a mother and a farmer who has become the host of a group gîte in the Vendée. A sincere exchange about family, agritourism, life choices and this place we've created to bring people together.

Pause for a moment, and look back at how far we've come

There are some things you can't foresee.

If I had been told a few years ago that I would be speaking about my life as a farmer's wife... I think I would have smiled. Or perhaps even said no. Because that life, I already knew it.

I had seen her as a child.

And for a long time, I had made a silent promise to myself: it wouldn't be mine!

“When I was little, I mostly saw a job that never stops...”

I grew up in a farming family. And what I saw wasn't passion. It was rhythm. A job that never stops. Long days. Rare holidays.

A life organised around the farm, the animals, the seasons. With the eyes of a child, that's what had struck me.

But with time... your perspective changes.

Ten years away... before returning

For ten years, I built another life as a local government official. A more stable framework.

Defined schedules. A more “classic” organisation.

And then, in 2023, I made a choice. A real one: to join Ghyslain on the family farm.

Not by chance.

Not on a whim.

But because at some point, everything aligns... or everything calls out.

Coutardiere Farm Blonde Aquitaine Cattle

Working together, living together

In this episode of the podcast, I talk a lot about that. About working as a couple.

From this sometimes blurry border between professional and personal life. Because here, everything is linked: the farm, the group accommodation, the children, the daily routine. You don't really “leave” your work. You live with it.

And in this rhythm, there are also these little moments that count enormously: “He stops for two minutes, gives kisses... and then gets back to work.”

It's simple. But in such a full life, those moments become essential.

Learning a trade… and a new life

Changing your life isn't just about changing jobs. It's about learning: a new environment, a new rhythm, a new way of thinking.

In this episode, I also talk about this learning process. The doubts. The adjustments. The balancing acts to find.

Because becoming a farmer isn't just a decision.

It is a path.

The podcast “Où ça mène quand on sème”: giving a voice to farmers' wives

The podcast Where does sowing lead Give a voice to farmers' wives. Those who are farmers. Those who are not. Those who live this reality daily.

It discusses: couple life, motherhood, balance, mental load, adapting to a life dictated by the seasons.

A genuine space. Unfiltered. Where each person can recognise themselves.

What I like about this episode

I'm giving you a little peek behind the scenes of our life. This mix of everything: work, family, choices... and sometimes the imbalance too. If that resonates with you, then this episode is for you.

You might be wondering?

It gives a voice to farmers' wives and explores their daily lives, their relationships, their role in the agricultural world, and the realities of farm life.

To farmers' wives, to farming families, but also to anyone curious to understand what goes on behind the scenes in the agricultural world.

He retraces a life change, learning the agricultural trade, and the balance between family life, the farm and the gîte business.

To discover an authentic account of modern farming life, encompassing daily challenges and simple moments.

The Domaine de la Coutardière, at the heart of this balance

What I'm talking about in this podcast is also what we're experiencing here. Domaine de la Coutardière, our Group accommodation in Vendée, Everything is interconnected: the farm, the family, the welcome.

We haven't created a place “next to” our life. We have created a place in our life.

A place where people come to meet, and where we simply continue to live our everyday lives.

DISCOVER OUR GÎTE

Domaine de la Coutardière living spaces (27)

Marie and Ghyslain

About the authors of the article

We are Marie and Ghyslain, farmers in the Vendée and owners of Domaine de la Coutardière, a group gîte with indoor pool located in Saint-Vincent-sur-Jard, just a few minutes from the ocean.

We live at the heart of our family farm and have designed this place so that families and friends can get together, slow down and create real memories together.

Through this blog, we share our favourites in the Vendée, our ideas for outings and our good addresses, to make your stay here as easy as it is memorable.

CONTACT US

I told our story on the "Where it leads when you sow" podcast."

Summary for those in a hurry

Ten years away... before returning

Working together, living together

Learning a trade… and a new life

The podcast “Où ça mène quand on sème”: giving a voice to farmers' wives

You might be wondering?

What is the podcast “Où ça mène quand on sème” about?

Who is this podcast for?

What is this episode “From civil servant to farmer” about?

Why listen to this episode?

The Domaine de la Coutardière, at the heart of this balance

Marie and Ghyslain