Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
14 Mar 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
7
Email verified
Badges (1)
Details
Description
We are a family of 8 (two adults, 1 teenager and 5 chicken) - Claude, Liesbet, Mirte + Tiger, Fox, Ninja, LadyGrey and Marie-Claire. Originally we are from Belgium and Alsace (France), so we speak Dutch and French besides English. We love our rural life in the middle of nature. Liesbet is a passionate cook, Mirte bakes scrumptious cakes and Claude enjoys eating it all :-).
We live in a charming XVIII century farm house in the south west of France, a half hour distance from Bergerac (with a small airport) and 1,5 hours distance from Bordeaux (with an international train station and airport). The closest village is Eymet, a 15 minutes bike ride, with a cosy central place filled with cafés and restaurants. Eymet has an outdoor swimming pool, several bakeries, a handful of shops and a supermarket.
The Dordogne is a famous region in France that attracts people from all over the world. It is known for its vineyards, medieval villages and castles, and for hiking and canoeing.
It is also home to Plum Village, a renowned mindfulness center that has brought a lovely, global, open minded crowd to the area.
Our guests have their own private room at the back of the house with two single beds and a bathroom (incl. toilet) next to it that is shared with Mirte. You are also welcome to camp in a quiet spot. We have tents and camping equipment available.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Help around the house
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Claude loves his French roots and will gladly share about the culture and traditions with anyone who is interested. He is also a former teacher, who can teach you the basics of the language.
Claude is a self thought permaculture gardener and has been single handedly restoring the three hundred year old buildings on our estate with a lot of love and care. He loves to interact with other people and share and learn from each other.
Liesbet is (according to the many friends and family members who visit) a quite accomplished cook who turns the produce of the permaculture garden into fermented goodies, jams and preserves. She is happy to share what she has learned so far.
Mirte is a sociable teenager who likes nothing more than having people around and asking questions about other places and cultures.
The chicken go about their day and are a wonderful example on how to live in the moment.
All of us are interested in mindfulness and meditation. Claude is a certified mindfulness coach and yoga teacher.
People who stay with us can enjoy the calm of their own private room at the back of the house, but are welcome to join us in the living room with woodburner or the spacious kitchen. We are used to having guests and are open to discuss everyones needs and wishes. During the summer we spent most of our days outside in the garden of 2 hectares.
Everyone who came to help us has left a memento, either by helping rebuild a wall, create a new vegetable bed in the garden or by teaching us about bee keeping and tree pruning. There's so much more to learn for us.
Help
We are looking for someone to help in our permaculture garden and on the rest of the estate. Think of pruning trees, weeding, harvesting, mulching, creating new veg beds. We are also restoring buildings to their former glory.
We are looking for enthusiastic people with a motivated attitude. A normal physical strength is enough. Professional experience isn't a requirement, but if you have some we would love to learn from you. We don't have a fixed schedule and usually adapt to the temperatures. We don't smoke, but it's okay for you to smoke outside.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Swedish: Intermediate
German: Beginner
Italian: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
Claude is a former French teacher. He is happy to teach you the basics.
Accommodation
You can use our guest room or a tent in the garden (your own or ours). The bathroom + toilet is shared with Mirte, our teenage daughter.
We cook varied meals and are happy to adapt to gluten-free, vegetarian or other needs.
We live in the countryside. It's very quiet, with only a handful of neighbours. Birdsong is the noisiest thing you'll hear.
You can use our bike to get to Eymet which connects you to the public transport. We are also happy to drop you off at the train station when we go into town for shopping.
What else ...
We have a bike available that you can borrow. From the closest village Eymet you can catch a bus to Bergerac which train station connects you to the larger region. There is lots to see and do f.ex. horse riding, wine tasting, visiting medieval castles and villages, Lascaux caves, canoeing, ..
There is a lake at walking distance and a lot of hiking paths around our house.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Our internet is stable, but not super fast. Liesbet works from home and does Zoom meetings without problems.
Space for parking camper vans
We have a lovely, shaded spot close to our big barn from which we can connect your (camper)van to the electricity network.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (6)
Thank you very much for everything. It has been a gift spending these weeks together working in the garden, baking, cooking, playing pétanque, singing, swimming…. And specially laughing all the time 😆
You are a beautiful, caring, happy and loving family and you made me feel at home since day one.
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.8)
Thank you very much for everything. It has been a gift spending these weeks together working in the garden, baking, cooking, playing pétanque, singing, swimming…. And specially laughing all the time 😆
You are a beautiful, caring, happy and loving family and you made me feel at home since day one.
What are you waiting for?? Just go for it. You won't regret.
I spent one week here helping on gardening, seeding, planting, weeding preparing veg beds... The tasks were diverse (not boring at all), and working together was always fun and enjoyable. The food is delicious too,… read more
I learned a lot about the principles of permaculture, ways to conserve food and mindfulness. I worked in the garden and in the kitchen, harvesting, building heat… read more
