About us

La Mandria’ is Italian for ‘The herd’. Our little herd consists of;

- Paul, English with a background in theatre as a props maker, designer and teacher and now working as a 3D artist when time permits, including creative projects with local children.

- Renee, Canadian but practicing law in the UK as a family and childcare solicitor when she met Paul. She gave it all up to follow his dream of a life in Italy and doesn’t miss it one bit (on a good day).

We both work on the land here, growing organic fruit and vegetables, making wine, tending the olive groves and attempting to manage the woodland.

- The Little Herbert, a relatively well-behaved ginger cat who, like us, turned up for lunch one day and never left. She takes great delight in her role as chief pest control officer, when she can find the time.

-Frida and Fiore, two sturdy purebred Bardigiano mountain ponies from the Apennines who are in charge of land management. They are direct descendents of Gaulish war ponies who arrived to help invade the Roman Empire and after it was all over liked Italy so much they decided to stay.