The Fairies’ Farm

At the dawn of a new day in September, on Mont de Zatrou: the wisps of mist rise and fall in the Semois valley. These hangings, light as silk, take on human form in the popular imagination: the fairies are born. A few hundred metres from the beauty spot, the village of Les Hayons is blessed by fairies. Legend has it these ethereal beings protected the local people for centuries, before being betrayed by them.

At the Fairies’ Farm, Marie-Laure Alff has recreated the enchanted world of these creatures, forming the heavenly beings by hand. With the soul of an artist, Marie-Laure paints as well. “I love painting nature: it’s present all around us. The Semois is the least populated region of Belgium. I work in shades of blue, at dusk, when the fairies appear. From Mont de Zatrou, which I have sketched, I can imagine flying like a fairy…”.