At the Domaine d’Esthine, there is a true passion for the Cotentin donkeys (Equus asinus): they are pampered and gently trained. Naturally quiet, the donkey is of dove-grey hues with a brown St Andrew’s cross on its back. It is said that the Virgin Mary had, in gratitude, blessed the donkey which had transported her, the cross remaining there ever since. At the Domaine d’Esthine, the main objective is to change the bad reputation that the donkey accumulated over the centuries. “They are intelligent and only get into trouble if they are mistreated”, says Brigitte Pieau, the owner of the farm.