Ragdoll History in France


Barfield et Blossom	La Belle France succumbed to the magical spell of the Ragdoll when in 1986 Noëlle Vialatte imported the first pair of Ragdolls into Biarritz in the South of France. Patriarca Ragabarfield, a Blue colourpointed male and Patriarca Rag Blossom, a Seal Bicolour female, were destined to become the founding father and mother of the French lines and produced their first litter of 4 kittens in January 1988 under Noëlle's "Gailande" suffix.

Enchanted by the beauty of the breed, Noëlle and her husband, Ian made further enquiries in England and soon their Ragdoll family was to increase with the arrival of Petil-lu Zak, a seal bicolour male, accompanied by two females; Patriarca Rag Daisymae, a seal colourpointed (now fourteen years old), and Pandapaws Carema, an outstanding example of a seal Bicolour.
Petil-lu Zak	Patriarca Daisymae
Enthusiastic to start showing their beautiful cats, Noëlle entered Barfield and Blossom in their first show, but was soon to be brought back down to earth with a bump as international judges did not take kindly to Ragdolls whom they had never seen or judged before. Early critiques criticised them as 'bad Balinese, lacking in type… their heads were too short; profiles not straight enough…bodies not long enough and the legs ought to be more delicate"! Noëlle and Ian felt at times that they were knocking their heads up against a brick wall. Undaunted in their resolve to get Ragdolls recognised, these early setbacks actually helped to fire their enthusiasm and they toured the Continental shows exhibiting their cats; whilst Noëlle would attend a show in the South of France Ian was off further afield to a show in Germany. The Birman is extremely popular in France and was the greatest threat at shows. However, as has happened around the world, it was to be the Bicolours who created the most interest. Judges loved their distinctive pattern and in January 1987 Patriarca Rag Blossom won Best in Show in Paris.
Pandapaws Carema	At last Ragdolls were being recognised by the Independent clubs and all the hard work and effort was beginning to bear fruit. When Pandapaws Carema made her debut she took the showbenches by storm, winning many C.A.C.E. awards culminating in her becoming Grand European Champion.