An introduction to Moulin Roty's Grand Family (La Grande Famille)
All About the Grand Family...
The Grand Family is a beautiful soft toy collection from French toy maker, Moulin Roty. I have stocked the collection at Cottontails since the day I opened my shop in 2003 and it remains my very favourite and best selling range, so I thought it was high time I wrote a little something about it....
Its original French name ‘La Grande Famille’ translates into something like ’the big happy family’ - a lovely and appropriate name for such a cheerful and eclectic collection of animal characters. Each animal has a name and wears a little outfit, and Moulin Roty also create a selection of accessories, gifts and wooden toys featuring the characters. There are about ten different animals at any one time, including a few core members who rarely if ever change, and a collection of others who come and go - each year one or two new characters are introduced and others are retired.
The soft toys are always popular as new baby gifts as they are safe from birth and machine washable, but they are also much-loved by older children as they can be dressed and undressed in their outfits and are lovely for imaginative play. I cannot tell you how many messages I have received over the years telling me that a Grand Family animal has become that very favourite toy - the one that is treasured throughout childhood.
Although the Grand Family is a contemporary always-evolving collection, it also has a traditional / vintage feel - something about the proportions and the outfits remind me of the jointed teddies and soft toys of the 1950s. They are beautifully designed and made, with lots of thoughtful intricate details, and although I am certainly biased, I truly believe they are the nicest soft toys available today.
As I say, the collection evolves a little every year, but here is the current line up for 2026:
Sylvain rabbit - a core member and probably the most classic and iconic Grand Family animal; a gorgeous fawn coloured bunny with floppy ears, a little ball tail and a lovely striped romper. Sylvain is actually a boy, but the cheerful stripes on his romper have a quite a rosy hue, and he is a popular gift for both girls and boys.
Nini mouse - another core character who has been around for as long as I can remember although she has changed a few times over the years. Nini has soft grey fur, a long tactile tail and wears a cheerful red polka dot dress. Earlier versions see her wearing a darker red floral dress, and when I first met her (2003) she wore a blue-grey dress, so looked quite different to the mouse we know today.
Julius dog - another core member, Julius the dog has been around for decades and while his black and white fur has never changed (including trademark eye patch), his outfit has been updated a few times - always dungarees, but the colour has changed from brown to green to blue, and from checks to stripes.
Jeanne goose - introduced in 2011 Jeanne is the youngest of the core members, but has become a firm favourite. She has creamy fur, a cheerful yellow beak and feet, and wears a very pretty duck-egg blue polka dot dress.
Albert lamb - the final core character, Albert has been around in one form or another for as long as I can remember, and has always been such a lovely choice for newborns - given his creamy colouring he makes a great gender-neutral gift. He is also very popular around Easter!
Perlette frog - Perlette the frog is one of those characters who has come and gone a few times over the years (Moulin Roty do that - discontinue an animal, then bring it back a few years later with a new updated look). This version of Perlette launched in 2025 and sees her wearing a short romper over her bright frog-green fur.
Charlotte cow - Charlotte wears a pretty floral dress and has warm reddish-brown and cream colour fur. Another animal who has come and gone and come back again, this version of Charlotte joined the family in 2023.
Gaspard fox - Gaspard joined the collection about ten years ago now and is a bright colourful character with his foxy red fur and striped dungarees. (Given how long he has been around, I do wonder if he might be the next one to be retired...?)
Amedee duck - another animal who has gone and come back again. Many years ago Amedee wore a multicoloured striped romper but these days he is a little more sophisticated in his charcoal gingham check.
Hugo horse - not yet available but coming soon. Hugo has been around before (last seen 2014) and is coming back with a fresh new look - soft creamy colours and a lovely duck egg / brown gingham outfit. He is due to be available in the UK from May 2026 and I have a bale of hay waiting for him at Cottontails!
Recently retired but still available at Cottontails:
Camille tortoise - Camille is an unusual member of the Grand Family in that she is the only one who doesn’t wear an actual outfit - but that is because she has her own soft shell instead! She was discontinued a couple of years ago, but there is still some stock available at Moulin Roty and I will be reordering her for as long as I can.
Philemon pig - lovely Philemon has soft ‘pig pink’ fur and wears a pretty blue outfit. He has come and gone a couple of times over the years and although dropped from the 2026 catalogue, I have plenty in stock.
What Size are the Grand Family Animals?
All the animals are made in three sizes: small soft toys (20-25cm), standard soft toys (30-35cm) and hand puppets (approx 25cm). Additionally, four of the animals (Sylvain, Nini, Julius and Jeanne) are made in a large 50cm 'parent' size.
Here is Sylvain in his various sizes to give you an idea:
Grand Family Gifts & Accessories
Along with the soft toys Moulin Roty create an accompanying collection of gifts and accessories featuring the Grand Family characters. The accessory range changes a little year to year but usually includes wooden toys, activity sets and some lovely suitcase style gift sets. For a special present, it is a nice idea to bundle a soft toy with one of the accessories, creating something extra lovely.
Here are some of the key accessories for 2026:
Wardrobe gift sets - Sylvain rabbit and Nini mouse both come in a gorgeous carry case / wardrobe along with a selection of outfits
Key rings / bag charms - several of the Grand Family animals are now available in a smaller format with a key ring attached - a lovely, affordable little accessory
Tea sets - Moulin Roty currently produce two Grand Family tea sets - both perfect for tea time play with the fabric animals. Choose from a traditional crockery tea set, or a bright cheerful painted metal set - both come in beautifally decorated suitcase style gift boxes
Story book torch - an innovative little toy torch with discs that cast images onto the wall of a darkened room. Three discs are included, each telling a story about the Grand Family characters
Colouring and sticker book - a twenty page colouring book featuring the Grand Family characters
Jigsaw puzzles - various sizes are available, depicting pretty Grand Family scenes
Doctor set - wooden play set of medical instruments in a pretty carry case
Wooden toys - including a beautiful tree play house (a very substantial toy), a lake house and assorted vehicles (caravan, boat, even an ice cream cart!) There is also a little set of wooden peg characters available.
Discontinued toys
As I have already mentioned, each year Moulin Roty introduce a new character or two but this also means others are retired. Typically it takes a year or two for an animal so sell through in toy shops, but eventually they become difficult to get hold of and I receive emails every month from people desperate to track down replacements. I always help where I can - I have my own collection of discontinued toys to draw on, and I can give advice on the best places to look, as well as provide product codes and information to help with the search. (But the best bit of advice is to always get a back up toy while you can - if you have a look through the list above and your child’s most precious toy is not one of the core characters, I would definitely consider investing in a back-up.)
I am planning to write a bit more about discontinued Moulin Roty toys… After 23 years of selling this beautiful brand there have been some wonderful toys I have loved over the years which I still miss, so look out for another blog post coming soon as a celebration of my favourites from over the past few decades, but here is just a quick rundown of the Grand Family animals we have loved and lost:
Agathe Cat
Barnabe Donkey
Igor Wolf
Simon Raccoon
Felicie Hen
Walter Dog
Leon Hedgehog
Blanche Deer (I absolutely loved her!)
Isidore Owl
Pierette Goat
Apolline Mole
Mimosa Cat
Gaston Raccoon
Arsene Fox
Emile Hedgehog
Why buy the Grand Family from Cottontails Baby?
In a nutshell, we are the UK experts on this beautiful collection! I know of only one other shop in the country that has stocked the toys for as long as Cottontails, and I plan on continuing to do so for many years to come...
We stock the entire range so you can choose from the complete current collection of characters and sizes, and I try to stay really competitive on pricing (I mean, okay, there is always someone, somewhere reducing and undercutting everything, but at Cottontails I offer a really decent price AND consistent, reliable and excellent customer service - you know I will always be here for repeat orders and support)
I carry discontinued animals for as long as I can. I am also able to give advice and support on sourcing discontinued toys - and I do understand how difficult and urgent it is when a beloved toy has been lost.
I use Grand Family wrapping paper! The gift wrapping paper I use at Cottontails features little drawings of the Grand Family animals - so if you choose the gift wrap option when you check out, your toy will be wrapped in Grand Family paper.
I am always happy to answer queries and fully understand bonkers requests like "please can you choose the Albert with the cutest nose" - this is truly the kind of thing I love to do at Cottontails!
Finally - as I hope comes across in this article - I know the range inside out and genuinely love selling it. The Grand Family collection is at the heart of Cottontails - and every single sale is very, very much appreciated.
The Grand Family - Complete Collection
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