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Last replied
30 Mar 2024
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Description
Dear Workawayers,
Thank you for being part of my life since 2011.
Work, it’s true, but also lots of laughs and friendships.
We are looking for friendly, hardworking, dynamic and MINIMALIST people, ready to commit to a more sustainable, simpler way of life, where solidarity and ecology are essential. The help itself is generally not difficult but can be tedious and repetitive depending on the season (planting seeds, planting trees, digging, cutting and storing wood for our bread oven, baking, cleaning)
- Our English level is beginner, if you speak a little French, that would be really great!! :)
- Having a license would be a plus, we have several cars. If you don't have it, contact us anyway :)!
- If you are addicted to your phone, the place is not for you, the connection is bad...and we are looking for simple people who love nature.
- We are vegetarian but tolerant of everyone's diets, if you have allergies or a special diet, do not hesitate to tell us before your visit.
VERY IMPORTANT: Living conditions here can be difficult.
Cold in winter (even in the mobilhomme) and hot in summer (over 40°). Bring the appropriate clothing ;)
July and August: we prepare our summer season (we bake and bake), we tidy up, we clean
We also harvest from the garden and transform (jam, preserves, etc.)
Plus the little everyday things (taking care of the animals and helping out with the bakery if that interests you)
I'm having back surgery and I'm going to be "diminished" for a few months, I'm going to need help with "carrying" (giving the horses rations and little things like that)
Hello and welcome,
I am Gaëlle, 40 years old, baker and pastry chef, I live in a mobile home (large caravan) in the town of Onesse and Laharie in the Landes, 15km from the beach.
The world of baking is not very lucrative, I am what we call "a poor worker" but I am passionate about my job.
Feeding and pleasing people with sweet and savory treats fills my heart with joy :).
The days are organized around various activities:
- cut and store wood for the bread oven
- Make good bread and delicious pastries ;)
- weed and remove brambles from the field (it's a hard fight hahaha)
- feed and take care of my 2 adorable dogs and horses
- a little DIY
- a little gardening and various plantings
- we also have a project to create emergency accommodation for women victims of domestic violence (we will talk more about this in a while)
- In spring 2024, we will do a little construction and there will be some interior design to do.7
- and lots of tips to improve the comfort of humans and animals who live there (create a shelter for horses, build a small outdoor kitchen...etc)
The setting is really superb :) even if the living conditions are sometimes difficult (cold in winter and hot in summer).
Today my family consists of:
Thibaut (34), ecological biologist by training but who is in professional retraining as a “baker” ;)
My dad Serge (72) who I take care of almost daily (he is independent on a lot of things but needs help for others, he had 2 strokes in 2020),
Gary (8) adorable dog who loves to play
Sirroco (17) super friendly and playful draft horse
Brooky (36) pony (grandpa in great shape)
Today we need (and want, because we love people) 1 volunteer or 2 (summer).
To do what ?
- There is a lot of weeding and pruning to be done on the ground
- To improve the place
- My dad loves talking, exchanging ideas, and new faces would do him good because even if he remains independent after his 2 strokes, he has cognitive problems (+ need for help on a few small tasks).
- Help with baking, we can teach you how to make bread and other treats
- Share ideas and skills
- Plant fruit trees and prepare a little food autonomy (recovery of unsold vegetables + processing)
--
Chers workawayers,
Merci de faire partie de ma vie depuis 2011.
Du travail c'est vrai mais aussi beaucoup de fous rires et d'amitiés.
Nous recherchons des personnes sympas, travailleuses, dynamiques et MINIMALISTES, prêtes à s'engager dans un mode de vie plus durable, plus simple, où solidarité et écologie sont essentielles. L'aide en elle-même n'est généralement pas difficile mais peut être fastidieuse et répétitive selon la saison (planter des graines, planter des arbres, creuser, couper et ranger du bois pour notre four à pain, pâtisser, nettoyer)
- Notre niveau d'anglais est débutant, si vous parlez un peu français, ça serait vraiment super!! :)
- Avoir le permis serait un + , nous avons plusieurs voitures. Si vous ne l'avez pas, contactez nous quand même :) !
- Si vous etes accro à votre téléphone, l'endroit n'est pas fait pour vous, la connexion passe mal...et on cherche des personnes simples, amoureuses de la nature.
- Nous sommes végétariens mais tolérants des régimes alimentaires de chacun, si vous avez des allergies ou un régime particulier, n’hésitez pas à nous en parler avant votre venue.
TRES IMPORTANT : Les conditions de vie ici peuvent être difficiles.
Froid l'hiver (même dans le mobilhomme) et chaud l'été (plus de 40°). Prévoir les vêtements adéquates ;)
Juillet et aout : on prepare notre saison d'été (on boulange et patisse), on range, on nettoie
On recolte aussi au jardin et on transforme (confture, conserves etc)
Plus les petits trucs du quotidien (s'occuper des animaux et donner un coup de main à la boulange si ça vous intéresse)
Je me fais operer du dos et je vais etre "diminué" pendant quelques mois, je vais avoir besoin d'aide pour "porter" (donner la ration des chevaux et des petits trucs comme cela)
Bonjour et Bienvenue,
Je suis Gaëlle, 40 ans, boulangère-pâtissière, je vis en mobilhome (grande caravane) sur la commune d'Onesse et Laharie dans les Landes, à 15km de la plage.
Le monde de la boulangerie n'est pas très lucratif, je suis ce que l'on appelle "un travailleur pauvre" mais je suis passionnée par mon métier.
Nourrir et faire plaisir aux gens avec des gourmandises sucrées et salées me remplit le cœur de joie :) .
Les journées s'organisent autour de diverses activités :
- couper et ranger du bois pour le four à pain
- Faire du bon pain et de délicieuses pâtisseries ;)
- désherber et enlever les ronces sur le terrain (c'est un dur combat hahaha)
- nourrir et s'occuper de mes 2 adorables chiens et chevaux
- un peu de bricolage
- un peu de jardinage et plantations diverses
- on a aussi un projet de création d’hébergement d'urgences pour les femmes victimes de violences intrafamiliales (on va en parler d'avantage dans quelques temps)
- Au printemps 2024, on va faire un peu de construction et il y aura de l’aménagement intérieur à faire.7
- et tout plein de trucs pour améliorer le confort des humains et animaux qui vivent sur le lieu (créer un abri pour les chevaux, construire une petite cuisine extérieure...etc)
Le cadre est vraiment superbe :) même si les conditions de vie sont parfois difficiles (froid l'hiver et chaud l'été).
Aujourd'hui ma famille se compose de :
Thibaut (34), biologiste écologue de formation mais qui est en reconversion professionnelle "boulanger" ;)
Mon papa Serge (72) dont je m'occupe quasi quotidiennement (il est autonome sur pas mal de chose mais à besoin d'aides pour d'autres, il a fait 2 avc en 2020),
Gary (8) chien adorable qui adore jouer
Sirroco (17) cheval de trait super gentil et joueur
Brooky (36) poney (papy en pleine forme)
Aujourd’hui on a besoin (et envie, parce qu'on adore les gens) d'1 volontaire ou 2 (l'été).
Pour quoi faire ?
- Il y beaucoup de dé-ronçage et désherbage à faire sur le terrain
- Pour ameliorer le lieu
- Mon papa adore parler , échanger, et des nouvelles têtes lui ferait du bien car même s'il reste autonome après ses 2 Avc, il a des soucis cognitifs (+ besoin d'aides sur quelques petites taches).
- Aide à la boulange, on peut vous apprendre à faire du pains et autres gourmandises
- Partager des idées et des compétences
- Planter des arbres fruitiers et préparer un peu d'autonomie alimentaire (récup de légumes invendus + transfo)
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Elderly Companionship
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
With us, you will learn to:
- Make jams and good meals
- Make bread and good pastries
- You take care of animals (dogs and horses)
- Be minimalist and resourceful
- Live "together"
If you have the skills, you can ride a horse or carriage with Sirocco.
And also music all together :)
---
Avec nous, vous apprendrez à :
- Faire des confitures et des bons petits plats
- Faire du pain et de bonnes pâtisseries
- Vous occupez des animaux (chiens et chevaux)
- Etre minimaliste et débrouillard
- Vivre "ensemble"
Si vous avez les compétences, vous pourrez faire du cheval ou de la calèche avec Sirocco.
Et aussi de la musique tous ensemble :)
Help
On things to do:
- In the summer, we mainly need help with cleaning and baking
The rest of the time:
- help my father with spots where he has difficulties when I can't do it (rare) , like taking him to the mediatheque, chatting with him, cooking if I'm not there
- de-brunching to do
- planting fruit trees, leafy trees and hedges
- Anything to do with landscaping soil (green spaces, small constructions for shelter etc...)
- make good cakes with us if you are interested
- cut and store wood (all year round)
- In the spring, preparation of summer sowing and planting , watering
- If you have the skills, there is also maintenance of tools and machines (cars, kneading machines, etc.)
- Sharing good times with others too, Thibaut and I are amateur musicians (guitar and vocals) , we would be very happy to share with you :), bring your instruments!
---
Sur les choses à faire :
- L'été , on a besoin surtout d' aide pour du jardinage, nettoyage et boulange
Le reste du temps :
- aider mon père pour des taches où il a des difficultés quand je ne peux pas le faire (rare) , comme l'amener à la mediatheque, discuter avec lui, cuisiner si je ne suis pas là
- du dé-roncage à faire
- plantation d'arbres fruitiers, arbres feuillus et haies
- Tout ce qui a un rapport avec de l’aménagement de sol (espaces verts, petites construction pour abri etc...)
- faire avec nous de bons gâteaux si ça vous intéresse
- couper et ranger du bois (toute l'année)
- Au printemps, préparation de semis d'été et plantation, arrosage
- Si vous avez les compétences, il y a aussi de la maintenance d'outils et machines (voitures, pétrins...etc)
- Partager des bons moments à plusieurs aussi , Thibaut et moi sommes musiciens amateurs (guitare et chant), nous serions très content de partager avec vous :), amenez vos instruments !
Languages spoken
French: Fluent
English: Beginner
Accommodation
We have tents with comfortable mattresses for the summer season and for the rest of the time, we have an additional bedroom in the mobile home.
We have a solar shower in the summer outside.
In the mobile home, there is a bathroom, outside dry toilets and a washing machine.
Internet access will be with your phone because there is no wifi on site.
---
On avons des tentes avec des matelas confortables pour la belle saison et pour le reste du temps, nous avons une chambre supplementaire dans le mobilhome.
Nous avons une douche solaire l'été à l'exterieur.
Dans le mobil-home, il y a une salle de bain , dehors des toilettes sèches et une machine à laver.
L’accès internet se fera avec votre téléphone car il n'y a pas de wifi sur place.
What else ...
The nearest train station is MORCENX
The nearest carpooling area is at ONESSE LAHARIE (Exit 14 from the highway)
The nearest airport is BORDEAUX
There is also Blablabus or the stop sign which works very well in the Landes , people are nice and stop easily.
---
La gare la plus proche est MORCENX
L'aire de covoiturage la plus proche est à ONESSE LAHARIE (Sorte 14 de l’autoroute)
L’aéroport le plus proche est BORDEAUX
Il y a aussi Blablabus ou le stop qui fonctionne très bien dans les Landes, les gens sont sympas et s’arrêtent facilement.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
Si vous souhaitez venir en camping car ou caravane, vous trouverez les commodités habituelles : - toilettes sèches - machine à laver - parking - douche bien chaude ;)
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
4 hours a day / 6 days a week
Feedback (49)
La vie chez Gaëlle est très minimaliste (toilette sèche, douche à l’exterieur).
Gaelle, Thibaut et Serge sont très gentilles et j’aime bien d’échanger avec eux. Les devoirs sont très diversifiés et je pense quand on ne veut pas faire quelque chose on peux le dire et on peut faire un autre devoir.
Pendant mon séjour j’ai travaillé… read more
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(5.0)
La vie chez Gaëlle est très minimaliste (toilette sèche, douche à l’exterieur).
Gaelle, Thibaut et Serge sont très gentilles et j’aime bien d’échanger avec eux. Les devoirs sont très diversifiés et je pense quand on ne veut pas faire quelque chose on peux le dire et on peut faire un autre devoir.
Pendant mon séjour j’ai travaillé… read more
Gaelle, Thibaut, Serge! It was my first workaway and I spent 3 weeks. It was truly amazing experience for me! I couldn’t say thank you enough. I enjoyed helping with gardening, horses, bakery. But the thing that makes me think I am so happy to visit there the most, is just that I met Gaelle, Thibaut, Serge,… read more
You'll never want to let her go hahahaha.
Susanna, never doubt the good person you are. If you are no longer interested in physics, you have great capacities for baking. Thank you for everything. We miss you. Take good care of yourself.
I arrived there just after finishing exams. Within a couple of days the calm rhythm of baking, cleaning dishes, weeding and bathing in the river had calmed my mind to a point where i could fully enjoy the sunny days,… read more
Bryan
I staid with Gaelle, Thibaud and Serge for two weeks, as my second workaway experience, and it was great. The cold winter days can't harm you if you work and laugh with such positive and warmhearted persons ! They are open minded, easy going and funny. With Serge we slept in the warm and… read more
We receive your message on January 12 and it's my birthday, what a great gift!
Thank you, thank you for everything.
Ayse is an adorable, cultured and very caring person. She is always smiling.
She will leave a very strong memory to my dad who friendly renamed her "Aicha".
Ayse is full of empathy and… read more
I stayed with this family for a week and despite the very cold weather conditions Gaelle always make it sure that I stayed warm and cozy. There was not much of work because of the season, and they still tried their… read more
And last but not least, being able to play some music in… read more
Aaaah that juicy and tasty fooood!!! :P
I stayed at the farm for a week and what i felt and experienced from Serge, Cedric and Gaelle’s beings was pure love and creation. They just are being what they are, no more no less...
Gaelle (for me “Lady Gae”) i perceived her an explosion of life, a… read more
What I enjoyed the most were the meals, not only because Gaelle is a… read more
Dear Gaelle and Cedric,
thank you so much for the amazing time I had at your place. I fell in love with your way of living, the atmosphere that you created in your little community and the landscape all around.
It was wonderful to wake up and be greeted by the goats… read more
Thank you for everything Emily, :) Gaelle and Cedric
She is always motivated and smiling :) , (even when you have to pick up the "horses poo", hahaha).
It was a pleasure to welcome her , she will always be welcome;).
Thank you very much Guenda for your help and your smile. See you soon ;) !
Toujours motivée, souriante et intéressée, c'est une personne que nous recommandons à tous les hôtes désirant partager de bons moments et échanger des compétences.
Avec nous, elle a participé à du jardinage bio, enduits en argile et… read more
Il était accompagné de Paloma, qui était infatigable sur le moulin à farine version "vélo".
Merci à tous les 2 pour vos sourires votre bonne humeur permanente.
C'est une personne très… read more
J'ai bien cru que je n'allais pas réussir à partir ;)
Difficile en même temps de quitter tout ce petit monde : Sirocco,… read more
Toujours souriants, motivés, ils nous ont aidé pendant 1 semaine.
Bon d'accord, ils ont fait HEC et Science PO mais pour se faire pardonner Medhi nous a joué du piano...donc on n'a pas pu résister. Nous avons hâte (si vous repasser dans le coin), de vous revoir et de refaire le monde autour… read more
L'accueil fut très chaleureux, les activités variées et les expériences culinaires… read more
We left feeling very… read more
Merci encore pour votre accueill. J'ai passé une semaine qui m'apprend qu'il est possible de vivre "a sustainable lifestyle" et de faire plein de trucs soi-même sans acheter les produits commercial. Les legumes se poussent dans la terre et pas de le panier des supermarchés!
I had very good 5weeks on the farm an learned so much things I've never done before.
I learned much about the organic farm living and permaculture It was really interesting.
I enjoyed the farmlive cooking, bread and pizza with Serge, playing games with Doris, farming… read more
Nothing to complain about! Thank you so much for these… read more
She is always cheerful and highly motivated, deeply connected to the earth and the animal world .
We recommend Ines, she is the best… read more
She spent 3 weeks with us and has this little smiling craziness that was a perfect match with the other volunteers and us of course.
She has a very interested travel experience and is always willing to work on anything she's asked to.
She helped a lot with Selina, Jack and Rachel on the most boring thing we had to do that was… read more
He's always smiling, interested in what he's involved to.
Next time you pass close to us don't hesitate to have a break !
Thank you for everything
This lovely calm woman spent one month with us and it was absolutely delicious.
She's able to work on anything she's asked to, and so clever that she can understand before you finish explaining and do things better than you have expected !
She spent good times with my daughter and they seemed to have fun together.
She was… read more
We could have great conversations and a lot of eye-opening discussions.
She was with 2 other volunteers and they were great together.
She has an amazingly good level of French and could translate a lot of things to the other English… read more
She was also a very good adoption sister for my daughter !
She's making one of the best carrot cake of the world, and is keen to participate in… read more
She's always efficient in all she's working on and always very interested.
She's doing the best tablets and carrot cake of the whole Scotland and maybe the world !
Thank you for everything and your delicious whisky old cheddar.
He's brilliant at any task he's participating to.
He helped a lot in the mine, the barn, garden, building a horse shed with scrap wood and probably a lot of things that I forgot...
He can also be very sexy with a bikini ! I have pictures to prove it ->workaway team, can we include pictures in the… read more
She can be relaxing and quiet even if one of her best skill was to play, laugh and be as crazy as we like !
She's a very alive person, aware and skilled on a lot of gardening, animal and nature skills.
She has a very good level of French and English, and I suppose she… read more
No need to tell you you are amazing and did a absolutely great job here.
Not only you're very good at all you're doing, but you do it with pleasure and give much more than you're expected to.
Thank you very much for the windows frames, the milking chair, the big-big-big energy… read more
She's always asking for more work ! And it was a bit difficult because it kept raining all the time.
Anyway you made a brillant work with the pots and seed planting, we're happy now to see all those baby vegetables coming.
We were glad to hear about the self sufficient people she know in the… read more
We loved to hear about your camino de santiago project.
The kind of persons you like to have at home.
We wish you the best for the future
He is an amazing hard worker, and keeps doing more than you'd expect from a volunteer.
He is a very strength and fit person, taking care of himself which makes him available to anything you'll ask him.
He participated happily in everything we are doing here : we mostly worked on the barn building, but also… read more
The work was sometimes difficult but it was enjoyable and rewarding as you could see the progress made at the end of each day. I really enjoyed working on the barn and learnt lots about building and renovation from Cedric.
Gaelle and… read more
She first said she was a bit shy but she could quickly be at ease with us and share a lot of lovely and interesting moments.
The work she's done was fantastic. A lot of chestnut picking/peeling/grinding work as well as gardening, animal care, play with my daughter… read more
She came to us by bicycle from England, we were so impressed that we could not resist to hot her at home, and we were not disappointed !
She helped us a lot with the garden, especially with the chestnuts : picking up, peeling and grinding… read more
They have proved their infinite patience collecting more than 200kg of chestnut, peeling them and moving the empty shells ! Thank you so much for this endless work. Thanks to you now we could make our chestnut… read more
Cedric ,Gaelle, Doris and Serge were all very welcoming and lovely people to be with. We were very comfortable in the guest room and found the eco-lifestyle inspirational. We gained lots of useful information about various aspects of living in this way and how to do it yourself.… read more
I rarely could meet someone with so much energy, besides to the big help she offered us, she kept cycling, running, swimming... where can you find so much energy ??!!!
She participated in a massive wood mountain cleaning, gardening, playing with my daughter, and seemed to have fun… read more
You can't expect better workers : always on a good mood, always looking for something to build, cut, fix, organise !!!
They have done much more than we would have ever expected from a volunteer, it was even sometimes hard to find them something to do !!!
We have shared a lot of very good… read more
She's lovely, joyful, full of energy, always in a good mood, full of knowledge and particularly an amazing piano player.
She had a lot of fun with my daughter, playing outside and swimming in the pond.
Her work skills and… read more
Very helpful in the garden with lots of ideas about permaculture, and a big help in the strawbale house putting floor tiles with lime.
She has a good sense of organisation and like to do things well !
We had interesting discussions about food, veganism etc...
We thank you very much for your… read more
The garden part is in a quite experimental stage, so if you have lots of ideas or stuff you… read more
the piece of land he owned is an alternative oase in the middle-class french village lifestyle. beside the plain artificial gardens in the neighborhood his property is a beautyful pool of handcraft, organic building, naturalness,… read more
Those young women are amazing, they make a brilliant team of two very complementary. They could accomplish hard building tasks like installing strawbales into the walls, as well as plastering or sewing !!!
They don't lose a chance to sing, make artistic pictures, play piano or… read more
The work we had to do at this moment was mainly plastering the walls with lime and mud and she could accomplish it in a brilliant way.
She was also a very good company for my daughter and I could feel so good to hear them playing and laughing together.
Thank you… read more
Before they arrive, Nick said he would not be able to work with us a lot because of his computer work but he could organise his time so well that he helped a lot.
They have spent hours and hours on sanding a beautiful log for the staircase, this work was so… read more
Unfortunately I broke my arm just before he came but he wanted to come anyway and he did well !
He is an amazing person and could replace me (Cedric) for any of the work I do everyday !
He worked a lot on the straw-bale house, making plastering, installing boards, digging for some sand,… read more
When she came Hannah was already there and they helped a lot in starting the straw bale house !
Anna-Lisa was very interested in eco-bulding and had so much to share about herself and her amazing country.
Thank you very much for your smile, your good… read more
Keith and Jodie are amazing persons !!
You just stayed for one month and it is just a shame we did not plan to greet you forever !
They gave up every material stuff to focus on relationship and life and they succeed it in a brilliant way. And even if we are much more materialists in our "keep building" way of life, it was a perfect… read more
She was a very hard worker. When she came we just started building a straw bale house and had to dig the ground for the networks and the foundations, it is a hard and boring work but Hannah and Annalisa were very… read more
I can just agree with Corinne that the family is really lovely and I felt welcome from the day I arrived. Furthermore, they are interested in your personal background, your country (especially Cedric was highly… read more
We could consider her as immediately a part of the family because she is very lovely and took a special care to my daughter Doris, just as if she was her little sister.
Corinne is very volunteer and always smiling. She helped a lot at home for housekeeping,… read more
The family is really lovely and charming and they make you feel as a part of the family from the day you arrive. We laughed a lot and I felt extremely welcome. Cedric and Gaelle took Racheal, the other workawayer, and me to the beach and we went out with their friends and… read more
I admire the authentic processes Cedric and Gaelle have applied to build their eco friendly house. Not only does… read more
