Description
Driven Wild Boar Hunting in Southern France — Battue and Monteria
This is one of the most exclusive driven boar operations in continental Europe. A private 500-hectare fenced estate near Toulouse, 100 hunting dogs, blood trackers and butchers on site, no trophy fees, no size limit, three wild boar per Gun per day. Only three teams per season are accepted. If your team of 6 to 12 Guns is looking for a driven boar experience that matches the best of Spain and England, this is the right page.
Watch the hunt in action: YouTube
What Makes This Driven Boar Hunt Different
Only 3 Teams Per Season
We run three driven boar trips per season, and three only. This is a deliberate decision. Game quality, dog performance, and the experience we deliver to each team depend on it. It also means your team shoots a population that has not been pressured for weeks. Book early or miss the season.
100 Dogs, Beaters, Blood Trackers and Butchers
A driven boar day at this estate deploys over 100 dogs across the block, handled by a professional team of beaters who know the territory. Blood tracking dogs are on standby after each drive. Estate butchers process all game on-site. Nothing is left to chance and nothing is left to you to organise.
No Trophy Fees, No Size Limit, 3 Boar Per Gun Per Day
There are no trophy fees on this hunt. There is no minimum size. Every wild boar, male or female, young or mature, is shootable within your quota of three animals per Gun per day. This is driven shooting, not trophy selection. Guns who want to shoot, shoot.
Two Driven Hunt Formats Available
Two-Day Driven Wild Boar Battue (6 to 12 Guns)
The core format. Two full driven days on the estate, Guns on numbered high seats, dog packs released into the block, one or two drives per day depending on results and conditions. Each drive runs approximately four to five hours. A three-course sit-down lunch follows the morning session. The format is closer to a continental battue than to a British walked-up day: organised, structured, high-volume shooting.
Bag: up to 3 wild boar per Gun per day, no size limit, no trophy fees. All game is processed on-site by estate butchers. Some venison may be taken home.
French Monteria — Wild Boar with Red Deer, Fallow Deer and Mouflon
The Monteria format adds species to the day. Dog packs move wild boar, red deer, fallow deer, and mouflon toward the Guns simultaneously. Shooting opportunities are broader and less predictable. This is the format for teams who want the full multi-species continental experience. Trophy males (red deer stag, mouflon ram, tusker boar) are available at published fees for Guns who choose to take them.
How a Driven Day Runs
From 9:30am to 2pm, High Seat Drives
Guns arrive at the estate the evening before or early morning. After the safety briefing, teams are allocated to numbered high seats across the block. Dog packs are released at the signal. Shooting angles are pre-marked on each seat. Drives run until the agreed bag is reached or conditions call the day. The estate team manages all logistics from peg allocation to dog control.
Bag Presentation and 3-Course Lunch
After the morning session, a three-course lunch is served at the lodge with local wines and open bar. Game taken during the drives is processed by the estate butchers. There is no formal tableau for ethical and reputational reasons. Some venison is available for Guns to take home.
Safety Angles and Briefing
Safety is non-negotiable. Every Gun receives a full briefing before the first drive. Each high seat has marked shooting angles. Semi-automatic rifles are permitted within French legal limits. First-time continental Guns are placed on pegs that match their experience level. A free training session on the estate’s running boar target range is included for all teams on arrival day.
The Estate
500-Hectare Fenced Territory, Managed for Driven Hunting
The estate covers 500 hectares of fully fenced southern French lowland, managed exclusively for driven hunting. Game density is maintained across the season through active population management. Three trips per season is the direct consequence of that management philosophy: shoot it harder and the experience degrades. We prefer to run fewer teams at higher quality.
Running Wild Boar Target Range — Free Training Session
A 50-metre running boar target range with camera-controlled shot review is available to all Guns on arrival day, at no extra charge. This is useful for teams arriving from driven pheasant or wing shooting backgrounds who want to calibrate for a moving boar target before the first drive.
Season and Availability
November to February
The driven boar season runs from November to the end of February. This window reflects optimal dog performance in cooler temperatures, peak wild boar activity, and the legal French hunting calendar. Guns arriving in November hunt a full population. February teams shoot the tail of the season with different dynamics.
Only 3 Trips Per Season — How to Secure Dates
With only three team slots available across the entire season, demand consistently exceeds availability. The typical booking lead time is 6 to 12 months. Teams who enquire in spring for the following November are in a strong position. Teams who enquire in September are often looking at the year after. Contact us early with your preferred window and group size. We will confirm availability within 48 hours.
How French Driven Boar Compares
vs. Spanish Monteria
The Spanish Monteria is the reference point for driven boar in Europe, with centuries of tradition behind it. It is a legitimate benchmark. The differences are practical. Spanish Monterias typically involve larger numbers of Guns (20 to 40), longer travel logistics, and a cultural experience as much as a hunting one. This estate runs 6 to 12 Guns per trip, which means every Gun shoots more, waits less, and has a direct relationship with the team managing the day. The French setting, private villa accommodation, and full-service infrastructure (butchers, blood trackers, branded partners) put this operation at a different tier from most Spanish operations in terms of guest experience. Both formats are excellent. They are not the same format.
vs. UK Driven Pheasant Days
UK-trained Guns feel at home here faster than they expect. The peg system, the drive structure, the lunch format, and the team briefing follow conventions that any experienced pheasant or partridge Gun will recognise. The difference is the target and the rifle. Driven boar demands a different technical skill set: moving targets at closer range, rifle (not shotgun) for boar, tighter angles, higher consequence. The estate’s training range exists precisely to bridge that gap for Guns coming from a wing shooting background.
vs. Other French Driven Estates
The main alternatives in France are centred around Paris (Sandricourt) and the Loire Valley. Sandricourt operates with 25 to 40 Guns in open fields, which is a different format and a different atmosphere. Loire Valley operations are strong on hospitality but are generalist in their offer and oriented toward UK operators rather than direct bookings. Neither offers the combination of southern French setting, 500 ha fenced territory, 100 dogs, multi-species Monteria option, and exclusive 3-trip-per-season positioning that defines this estate.
Private Villa Accommodation
En-Suite Bedrooms, Single Occupancy
The on-estate hunting lodge provides 8 en-suite bedrooms, a bar, a restaurant room, and an indoor pool. Two additional cottages accommodate larger groups (3 and 4 bedrooms). All accommodation is on-estate. There are no hotel transfers between dinner and the morning briefing.
3-Course Sit-Down Meals, Open Bar
All meals are included throughout the trip. Breakfast before the drive, lunch after the morning session, dinner at the lodge. Open bar throughout. The kitchen team is part of the package: Guns eat and drink at the estate standard, not at a local restaurant’s standard.
How to Get There
Toulouse-Blagnac (TLS), 1 Hour Away
The nearest airport is Toulouse-Blagnac (TLS), with direct flights from most European capitals. The estate is 100 km from TLS, approximately one hour by road. Airport transfers are included in the package price. Private aircraft can land at Castres-Mazamet Airport, 25 km from the estate.
Bringing Your Rifles to France
All paperwork for firearms import is handled by the estate. Your temporary French hunting licence will be ready on arrival. For UK and EU Guns travelling with their own rifles, we provide the necessary documentation in advance. Rifle rental is available on-site for Guns who prefer not to travel with firearms.
Pricing and Booking
Price on Application, Full Teams Only
This hunt is priced for full teams of 6 to 12 Guns. We do not sell individual places. Price is on application and depends on group size, number of driven days, and format (battue or Monteria).
What Is Included
- Accommodation in en-suite lodge bedrooms
- All meals and drinks, open bar
- Return airport transfers and all on-estate transport
- Temporary French hunting licence
- Shotgun and rifle rental on request
- Running boar target training session on arrival day
- 100-dog pack, professional beaters, blood trackers, butchers
Booking Process — Why Early Matters
Three trips per season. Contact us with your preferred dates, group size, and format preference. We confirm availability within 48 hours and hold your dates for 7 days pending deposit. Teams that book in spring secure the best November dates. Teams that wait until September are typically planning for the following year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between French driven wild boar and Spanish Monteria? Spanish Monteria is the Iberian tradition, large groups, broad landscape, cultural occasion. This estate runs the Continental driven format with 6 to 12 Guns: smaller teams, higher shot count per Gun, full-service infrastructure, private villa. Both are driven boar. The experience is materially different.
How many Guns does a team need? Minimum 6, maximum 12. Full teams only. We do not sell individual places.
How many wild boar can each Gun take per day? Quota is 3 wild boar per Gun per day. No size limit. No trophy fees for boar taken within quota.
What is the season? November to end of February. The estate runs 3 trips within this window.
Why only 3 trips per season? Game management and experience quality. More trips mean more pressure on the population and a degraded experience for every team. We prefer fewer bookings at a higher standard.
What is a Monteria-style hunt at your estate? Multi-species driven day with wild boar, red deer, fallow deer, and mouflon moving through the block simultaneously. Trophy males are available at published fees for Guns who choose to take them.
Is the shooting from high seats or from ground level? High seats only. Shooting angles are pre-marked on each seat. This is a safety requirement, not a preference.
What rifle and calibre should we bring? .308, .30-06, or 9.3×62 with bonded expanding bullets are standard. Semi-automatic rifles are permitted within French legal limits. We can advise on specific loads on request.
Can we bring our own dogs? No. The estate operates 100-plus dogs managed by the professional team. External dogs are not permitted.
Do you provide blood trackers and butchers? Yes, both are included in the package. Blood tracking dogs are on standby after every drive. Estate butchers process all game on-site.
What if a Gun in our team has limited driven boar experience? Full safety briefing before the first drive. Free training session on the running boar range on arrival day. Peg placement is adapted to experience level by the estate team.
How far in advance must we book? 3 trips per season means most dates are taken 6 to 12 months out. Enquire in spring for November dates. Enquire in autumn for the following season.
Request Your Driven Boar Hunt Quote
Three teams per season. Group of 6 to 12 Guns. One or two driven days, battue or Monteria format.
Contact us with your dates, group size, and format preference. We confirm availability within 48 hours.
