Experience: Falconer for a Day | Les Portes de la Champagne Tourist Office

An unusual morning in the shoes of a falconer.

The adventure begins at 8:00 a.m. on the heights of the medieval castle, in front of the area dedicated to the Eagles of Château-Thierry.
Melissa, a falconer, welcomes us and explains the course of the morning.
She carefully introduces us to each bird, the names of the different species and their particularities.
The “Eagles of Château-Thierry” are also home to several storks and a very mischievous raven.
Melissa gives us our falconer’s equipment, explains how to use it before letting us proudly walk around with our glove.

©Falconer for a day at the medieval castle of Château-Thierry|Maison du Tourisme Les Portes de la Champagne - C. Vasset

From 9:00 am to 10:00 am, we are treated to a beautiful parade of birds on the scale as it is weigh-in time.
This weigh-in is essential for determining the flight weight of the raptors. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the health of each animal.

Between 10:00 and 11:00 am, it is time to get down to preparing meals for our feathered friends.
One thing is for sure, the raptors’ high-protein breakfast is far less appetizing than ours.
This part is very important since without their “treats”, the birds are much less productive.

We then tackle the cleaning of the aviaries and Melissa explains us how to proceed.
This part is also important since a well-cleaned aviary is a healthier living space for the birds.
We finally finish the morning in beauty with the training of the raptors.
This exercise allows us to test the recall of the raptors and to learn how to handle the glove and the jets.

We take turns flying the birds and this privileged moment close to them allows us to better understand their temperament. An absolutely unforgettable moment!”
Spectacled owl, turkey vulture, screech owl, Siberian eagle owl fly out of our fist under our amazed eyes.
We leave with great photos and beautiful memories full of head.