Breed Information

The Isle of Ouessant, off the coast of Brittany, is swept by the full force of Atlantic weather, and it’s hardy sheep adapted to survive in all weathers on poor grazing. As a result, the Ouessant is the smallest recognised breed of sheep in the world, with a ram’s shoulder height up to 49cm and a ewe’s up to 46cm (around 18 inches).  The sheep are intelligent, inquisitive and full of character and their highly-prized wool may be black, brown or white, with some variation of these primary colours. Some suggest that the breed was introduced to the island by the Vikings and it was found only on Ouessant until the 19th Century.  The inhabitants raised the sheep for wool - from which they wove their traditional, dark-coloured clothes. Ouessant sheep are black, brown or white and have a thick fleece of long wool with a dense undercoat. The fleece is of high quality and can be hand spun, felted or used for weaving. The unique mix of natural colours makes the wool particularly desirable. In 2023 with the help of The Natural Fibre company in Launceston we had all our fleeces spun in balls of wool resulting in our wool being the only mill-spun Ouessant wool in existence. The wool is soft but very strong so ideal for warm woolly scarfs/hats or blankets. You can buy our wool through our shop on the website.

Ouessant sheep are intelligent, inquisitive, gentle and full of character. Rams carry impressive, outward-turning horns; the ewes do not have horns. Tails are naturally short and are not docked. The breed almost disappeared at the start of the 20th century but was rescued from extinction first in France, and is now bred in several European countries. It was brought to the UK in the early 2000s and remains on the EU and UK lists of ‘At Risk’ rare and heritage breeds.

Source: Ouessant Sheep Society