Help in a calm stone house and beautiful rural region in Ventavon, France

Infos

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  Description

  Here is Catherine, living in an old stone house in a rural valley between Provence and Alps. I've been living here for nearly 30 years, gave birth to my 3 kids within those walls, and wouldn't imagine spending the rest of my life anywhere else!
  
  The place is calm and a bit secluded, but you’ll never feel lonely - between visitors, neighbors, friends, helpers, kids, and without mentioning numerous animals and breathtaking nature, there is always something to do and enjoy here.
  Over the years I've hosted various people to live with me, thanks to opportunites, luck and open-mindedness, and now is time for another adventure via Workaway. My kids have travelled thanks to this platform, and it's now my turn to host some travellers too!
  
  Everyday I feel very lucky to live where I live, and I am happy to open my world to others. Here you will enjoy the company of horses, cats, dog, peacocks and chickens. You can spend time in the big (and a bit chaotic) garden, sleep safe and sound between (very thick) stone walls or enjoy the freshness of the night in the treehouse or in the outdoor hammock. In the day, you could freshen up with a swim in the swimming pool or in the river, help pick vegetables and preserve them for the winter, or simply enjoy the often-sunny afternoons on our balcony, that's so well located that it's protected from the main winds and offers summer-like temperatures even in midwinter. It's a jewel you'll learn to love quickly!

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Aide dans une ferme

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  I am open-minded and always keen to learn and discover aspects of cultures that travellers from all over the world are bringing to my house. Having animals to take care of, work to do and the house to maintain, I have set myself one goal: since I can't travel the world, I'll let the world travel to me, and make sure I keep an open door for it.
  There is so much we can learn from one another, and I am happy to welcome you, tell you about the history, the culture or the biodiversity of my place, while I'll listen to your stories about the places you come from and where you have been!

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  Aide

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  Winter update :
  In February : fencing the horses pastures, and planting truffle trees.
  Lots of trees to cut for firewood. Woodcutters are welcome !
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  You know the drill - a big house always means there is a lot to do, inside and outside. This means that you and I will get to discuss what you'll prefer to do, but be prepared to become an all-round helper for what is currently on the list, as well as other things.
  
  
  Here are some things that you can expect to be doing around here, depending on your preferences and the time of the year:
  
  Care for the animals: feeding the horses and chickens, maintaining the fences for the horses (their park is pretty big).
  Preparing firewood: with the horses we can fetch wood from the forest, then chop and arrange it together.
  Around the vegetable garden: prepare crops, plant them, water them, pick them, preserve them...
  General household: I'd never say no to help with preparing the meals! For the past few years I’ve kept a diary with recipes my guests have brought from all over the world (and I’d love for you to add yours).
  
  But for 2023 spring, we have big plans in sight!
  We are going to start a big renovation in the barn. What is a dusty attic right now will be transformed into a self-sufficient living space/reception area, with winter garden and roof terrace, accessible from directly from the second floor of the main building.
  I am planning on installing a solar heating system, with warm water running through clay bricks on the walls. We will be prototyping some handmade bricks in the beginning of spring, that's gonna be fun!
  
  I'm used to this kind of renovation, so everything should go smoothly, no worries, and you will never work alone. You and I will get to learn a lot through the whole process!

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Français: Courant
  Anglais: Intermédiaire
  Allemand: Débutant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  My English can improve and I’ll be happy to learn a bit of any other language. I can give help to learn French.
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  Hébergement

  There are a few free bedrooms in the house, so I guess you'll have a bit of choice. The one I'll primarily offer, downstairs, has a very comfy cave-like private bathroom to it, as well as a private entrance from the terrace to the garden. It's fairly small, but everyone who has stayed in it agrees there is special feeling to it. You might need to share the bathroom if there is someone else staying in the adjacent room at the same time.
  Otherwise, there are a few other bedrooms, the ones my kids moved out from! They are upstairs, so you'll be closer to the main living area. We can decide together which one would be yours!

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  Autres infos...

  Our area is very rural and peaceful, our night sky is praised for its quality - you'll rarely see as many stars as you will here. We also have an exceptional climate, and for the overwhelming majority of the year we have a spotless blue sky.
  Leaving the house by foot, there are a few nice hikes you can do - hiking up the next mountain or going for a walk in the village, from both of which there are eyecatching views over the whole valley. There is a river on my property, where we can go for a bath or do some land-art.
  Public transportation is very sparse in the area, so you shouldn't count on it too much. If you want to travel the region, hitchhiking is my best tip actually - it works really well (if you are comfortable with it).
  But actually, within the house and the garden, there is everything one needs, from company, to good food, to secret calm corners...
  If you are coming with your own car, van or bike, then the possibilities become endless - rock climbing is very popular in the region, and there are many hikes and trails. We are also a renowned hang gliding/paragliding spot with great winds and spotless blue skies. You can also go rafting, mountain-biking, swimming, camping under an exceptionnaly starry sky...

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  Cet hôte a indiqué qu’il aimait accueillir les digital nomads.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  4 hours / day, 5 days / week

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