Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
16 Nov 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
24
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Badges (5)
Details
Description
Hi, I'm Nigel! My rural home in the heart of the forest needs a lot of work and I'd love your help please. I enjoy meeting new people from everywhere. I am British born, but I later adopted an international nomadic life. When I finished working for United Nations (last posting in Pakistan) I moved to my dream home in Moustey, SW France. I have lived and worked in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Japan, Russia, Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, USA, France, Kenya, and UK. I have also travelled to over 100 countries - so should be well placed to have some cultural exchange.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I enjoy being a workaway host not only for working together, but also for sitting at the dining table exchanging stories of travel and life experience. I benefit from the cultural exchange of workaway and the company it gives me.
I am happy to share my own life experiences working internationally with United Nations and having set up home in a new country every couple of years for the last few decades.
Being rather linguistically challenged I have a few tips on how to survive in an unfamiliar foreign tongue. I am happy to help workawayers practice English.
My home is a spacious five bedroom 1830's house in Gascony with private swimming pool. It is a real get-away-from-it-all location. 3kms to the small village of Moustey. 45 mins to Bordeaux. My house is located in the Landes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, South West France. The village is rather authentic and totally untouristy giving workawayers a chance to meet and learn about local culture.
I've been hosting workawayers on and off for 8 years and have found it to be most enriching and fun. It has been a consistently positive experience and I've met workawayers aged 18 to 60 from France, England, Ireland, Belgium, Estonia, Canada, America, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Croatia and Taiwan!
Help
I would like general help in maintaining my home and garden. I am particularly useless at DIY and decorating - therefore someone with practical DIY/decorating skills and experience would be most helpful.
I rent out my house during the summer; workawayers will not be helping or involved with the rental business side of things. I cannot accept any workawayers during June/July/August.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Beginner
Accommodation
You will have your own fully furnished private double bedroom and full bathroom.
Use of all the house, gardens, and swimming pool (in season).
Inside the house is non-smoking, but you are welcome to smoke outside.
My house is old and can be a bit cold and draughty during the winter - so please bring warm clothes! :-)
For more details, photos, reviews, and videos of the property check out my own website - please message me and ask me for the link.
What else ...
My location is remote and cannot be accessed by public transport. You can walk to the local village (3kms) - but if you want to go further for your leisure activities you'll need your own vehicle. If you do not have transport - for your arrival and departure I can pick up / drop off in Bordeaux or nearby. For your free time there are bicycles that you can use (sorry - only suitable for taller people).
Immediately on the boundary of the property is the forest which is ideal for hikes and outdoor activities. The property is located between the Grande Leyre and the Petite Leyre rivers. These small calm rivers are great for kayaking/canoeing (available for rent locally), a paddle or a bracing dip.
For activities; Swimming (pool, rivers, lakes, and sea), kayaking (local rental), biking/hiking/jogging on forest trails, hiking, dog walking, horse riding (local stables very close at end of forest track).
You will need work clothes and shoes. Please ensure you have valid health insurance - also that your tetanus and other vaccinations are up to date. If you are not from the EU and are planning to visit France to work, volunteer or study, you will need the correct visa.
Preferred length of stay is a minimum of one week and a maximum of two weeks.
I look forward to hearing from you......
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Although the house is remote, the wifi is super fast fibre optic. Mobile signal is a bit weak (use wifi-for-calling on your phone). You have your own large desk in your room where you can work in peace and quiet without interruption.
Space for parking camper vans
Large garden - plenty of space to park and you can do a power hook up.
Can possibly accept pets
All dogs welcome. I have my own dog, Sami, who is OK with other dogs - he just accepts and ignores them! The garden is securely fenced. There is even a dedicated dog door to allow dogs to freely go in and out the house. Local area is great for long dog walks.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Sami (10 years)
A Royal Afghan Street Hound!
A rescue from the streets of Kabul.
I freely admit that I am ridiculously obsessed with him! :-)
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (12)
I've spent ten days with them, in this beautiful house. Your place is so peaceful, beautiful walk to do around not far from beautiful beaches, Bordeaux if you have a car.
Work wise, I've helped chopping wood, Karcher some carpet, outside chairs, some painting and fixing the shed doors.
Talking… read more
We were fortunate to stay with Nigel this Apr/May and enjoyed his hospitality for almost two weeks.
His place is an amazing retreat in the Gascogne forest, with unique character, tranquility and beauty.
Nigel treated us like a family. He cooked and prepared delicious meals and food and shared yummy local wines with us.
Special… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
I've spent ten days with them, in this beautiful house. Your place is so peaceful, beautiful walk to do around not far from beautiful beaches, Bordeaux if you have a car.
Work wise, I've helped chopping wood, Karcher some carpet, outside chairs, some painting and fixing the shed doors.
Talking… read more
We were fortunate to stay with Nigel this Apr/May and enjoyed his hospitality for almost two weeks.
His place is an amazing retreat in the Gascogne forest, with unique character, tranquility and beauty.
Nigel treated us like a family. He cooked and prepared delicious meals and food and shared yummy local wines with us.
Special… read more
Nigel… read more
Nigel is an excellent host — super thoughtful and an excellent cook. The accommodations are beautiful and comfortable.
We really enjoyed Nigel’s stories, and we hope to meet up again.
Sami is a real clever dog, I was truly impressed by all he knows. Even though we… read more
He has a beautiful home in the countryside. We had an extremely comfortable room with our own bathroom and shower. The house had great Wifi and would be perfect for anyone doing remote work. The house is fairly remote and had a cool temperature, which is great for the warm… read more
This… read more
