Our story

I would never have believed their heads could smell so good…

My name is Marie-France. I’m a shepherd-artisan and the owner of la Bergerie des Étoiles, my small farm-studio in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.

A biochemist by training, I never imagined I would become a farmer—until the day, in 2018, when I met the ewes from the organization Biquette écopâturage at Maisonneuve Park in Montréal, during an information session for prospective volunteers. I wasn’t really listening; all my attention was focused on those fluffy balls of wool calmly wandering around and grazing.

That was the turning point.

I found the farm in late 2019, and my first sheep arrived in October 2020. I was starting from scratch, and I must admit the learning curve was steep, but I would never go back.

I now have a flock of 38 Finnish sheep crossed with Wensleydale, living outdoors and grazing in the shade of apple trees. At la Bergerie des Étoiles, our animals are raised with respect until their natural death. And no—no animal products (other than fiber, of course).

I took part in my first fiber event three years later: the Festival de la P’tite laine in Rivière-du-Loup.

The rest, you already know.

I now offer a range of yarns spun in Canadian artisanal mills, some dyed with natural materials, as well as hand-spun skeins, spinning fiber, ready-to-wear textiles, and knitting patterns. I also create handmade ceramic buttons, shaped one by one.