OUR HISTORY
Welcome to La Maison - Chiangmai. Our adventure begins with a series of trips, encounters and discoveries that led us to create a unique place, imbued with authenticity and sharing. From Constance's first visit to Thailand in 2003 to the founding of our Elephant Sanctuary in 2021, our journey is marked by unique experiences and deep friendships.
The birth of La Maison - Chiangmai
2003
The Beginning of an Adventure
Constance's first trip to Thailand in 2003 was marked by a strange yet comforting feeling of "coming Home."
2016
A Significant Return
Thirteen years later, this persistent feeling leads Constance to return to Thailand for a solo trip. She arrives in Chiang Mai, a city she does not yet know. There, she meets some decisive people, notably with a Buddhist monk who renames her Jam Jan (bright full moon) and invites her to participate in a project to support Karen villages near the Burmese border.
2018
Unforgettable Encounters
Constance's travels increase and in 2018, she meets Bobbie, from a family of Mahouts for several generations who will become her "heart brother". Bobbie's family immediately adopts him, offers him a house and asks him to stay with them to work with the elephants. Meanwhile, Cyril, renamed Som Boon by Bobbie, joins the adventure.
2020
The Creation of Karen Elephant Village
In October 2020, a Karen couple asked Constance and Cyril to help them take care of four elephants in difficulty. They then founded the Karen Elephant Village and returned to France to finalize the project. The Covid-19 pandemic was declared 2 months later and blocked them for a year. They got married in the Cevennes in the middle of Covid and managed to return to Thailand in February 2021 to build the sanctuary.
2021
Disappointments and Rebirth
Six months later, they realize that some of their values of honesty and tolerance are not shared by their associates. They then decide to close the sanctuary just a few weeks after its opening. The members of the Akha tribe, who had worked on the sanctuary, as well as Bobbie's family, rally to Constance and Cyril. A few months later, La Maison - Chiangmai is born after many adventures.
2023
An Extended Family
Still involved with Bobbie's elephants and regularly welcomed by Mae (Mom) in the Akha tribe village, Constance and Cyril decide to share their daily lives with their visitors. In 2023, Pair and Alex join the adventure. The House is not just a homestay, it is a big family, a community of Akhas, Mahouts, elephants, children, animals... and two "farangs" among the Thais.
