The National Federation of Donkey Trekkers (FNAR : Fédération Nationale Anes et Randonnées), founded more than twenty years ago, brings together today around 60 professional donkey trekkers.
The FNAR provides you with the option of free trekking (the renting of donkeys along with packsaddles and topographic maps) as well as guided trekking (trekking with state qualified guides). We are present all over France: from the pleasant climate of the Angers region, to the rugged Alps. From Provence in the south-east to Brittany in the north-west; from the mountains of the Pyrenees to those of the Massif Central, from the Juras Mountains to the Bourgogne region; from the north of the country to Portugal, not leaving out the centre of the France!
In the past, the forerunners of donkey trekking, also known as the founders of the FNAR, by putting donkeys to work, brought back their image of great economical utility. And now, more than 20 years later, what a huge success this has turned out to be! The number of donkey keepers is only increasing and the quality of donkey trekking today is proving to be worthwhile.
The force and momentum behind our federation lies in the discussions that we hold with people who nurture a common respect for donkeys, who have a fond attachment towards their region, a strong commitment and easy accessibility towards the larger audience. Each and every one of us has decided to live and nurture this passion by making sure that the functioning of our federation is based on a principle of solidarity, where ideas of growth and profit are far from our objectives.
Our charter is our guide of good conuct and we hold it close.
Our donkeys take part in the development of eco tourism. The majority of us have set up our donkey farms in breathtaking, idyllic corners of the country, often far from the bustle of huge touristic centers. These places have witnessed a recent push towards the setting up of little businesses and the addition of new inhabitants to their population. Yes, the setting up of donkey farms does indeed permit the starting and the development of new ventures.
Our donkeys participate in the development of a unique kind of nature tourism. The rhythm in which donkey trekking takes place allows the trekker to savor the scenery as well as create meetings with the local folk inhabiting our country sides and our mountains. Yes, the role of donkeys is evident in opening doors, creating contact and building bridges between people.
In agriculture, the role that donkeys play is undeniable: they’re frequently used in organic cultivation, in the transportation of goods, an ecological brush cutter often solicited for by interested parties, even the National Forest Service of France (Office National des Forêts ONF) for the maintenance of small plots of land so as to prevent the risk of a fire breakout.
