updated   Last minute

Help us with renovations and gardening near Moulins, central France

  • Favourited 612 times
  • Last activity: 2 May 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Details

  • Description

    Description

    We are a family of three - our son Hugo is 15 years old - and we live in central France, hosting French students and adults for English (sometimes Theatre-in-English) Immersion a week at a time. We have an old 'once-upon-a-farm' property, Chapière, that we are renovating very slowly (but we live most of the time in Noyant d'Allier, 25-minutes away, where there are also projects needing completion).
    We moved here - from London, via 5 yrs in the Scottish Highlands - pretty much full time several years ago and Hugo is at a Steiner school here and completely bilingual. As are we. Almost. Hugo frequently corrects his parents' pronunciation!

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Fully bilingual family (though English spoken at home) deeply immersed in French rural life. My wife and I were both professional actors and now use theatre in teaching English, particularly in our 'Theatre-in-English' 'séjours'.
    Our son goes to a Waldorf Steiner school (in the middle of the forest!) and we're quite involved in the school and all its activities, markets, fêtes etc..

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    General physical help is what's needed but anyone with roofing, building, woodworking, tree management, farming, gardening (etc.) experience more than welcome. But extra - willing but unskilled! - pairs of hands are just as welcome.
    Good food and wine guaranteed; my wife, Tanya, is a dab-hand at Thai, French, Italian, English and Japanese cooking.
    And we don't work too ridiculously hard, either; plenty of time and opportunity for relaxation and enjoyment of the area.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    French: Fluent
    Japanese: Intermediate

    This host offers a language exchange
    This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
    You can contact them directly for more information.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    One double bedroom in the (already-renovated!) house available at the moment (NON-SMOKING). But one early project is to renovate the 'bread-oven' into self-contained accommodation - and it'snot too far fromcompletion.
    In fact, right now, we'd all probably stay 25-mins away in my father-in-law's 5-bedroom house (where we do the English Immersion teaching) in Noyant d'Allier (NON-SMOKING!!), and travel to Chapière, the farmhouse outside Saint Plaisir when working there, although there are jobs aplenty to be done on the Noyant house, as it is a lovely old early 20thC 'Townhouse' - on the edge of the village! The village itself has a large Vietnamese population, so there is a temple and a 6m golden Buddha, as well as an excellent restaurant, 'Le Petit d'Asie'. There is also a Mining Museum, a beautiful 'Chateau-fort' and a Velorail. Not bad for a tiny French country village!

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    VERY peaceful, rural, unspoiled part of beautiful France. Two beautiful towns close by - Moulins and Montluçon - and two bigger just an hour away - Nevers and Bourges. Paris 2.5hrs by train. Volcanic region of Puy-de-Dôme and the regional capital, Clermont-Ferrand, 75 mins away.
    Bikes and buses available but we're always in and out of Moulins, so happy to ferry you there - or to the station.
    We live a pretty relaxed way of life and really only have one absolute no-no which is smoking.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    No limits

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    Not with us at Noyant (it's my father-in-law's house) but if you're happy to stay at Chapière (read profile for info), then, with some restrictions, pets might be considered.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 812885236137

Feedback (25)



Photos

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: (5.0)

Communication: (5.0)



































Join our family and help with gardening and DIY renovations in the Cognac Region near Chaniers, France
Come join our family! Learn new skills, get to know the animals and live the beautiful Dordogne life in the South of France