updated   Last minute

Simple living in Ariege, Pyrenees, France

  • Favourited 820 times
  • Last activity: 19 Apr 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: No minimum

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    UPDATE February 2024

    I'm back in action... since last posting I am now mumma to gorgeous Silvan, 4 years.
    I got caught in Australia for much of the pandemic, Melbourne, the most locked down city in the world, quelle chance!
    Anyhow. We haven't been back for so long. The place is wildly overgrown. Blackberries and nettles everywhere.
    Mostly this has not overwhelmed me too much. It is actually encouraging to see the force of nature.
    The animals enjoy it.
    First day back, looking out my studio window onto what was my veggie garden, a baby deer curled up.
    Bats still flying about at night. owls hooting. insects galore.
    The positive of being away is time for reflection. Perhaps even greater appreciation for what is here.
    Silvan is homeschooled.
    We are busy clearing the land, brambles, fallen trees, strimming and chain sawing are valuable skills.
    hugelkultures, and preparing soil for planting.
    Oh, and we have stepped things up a bit ..now have a shower and hot water to the kitchen, progressive indeed!

    Look forward to new meetings.




    UPDATE APRIL 2021
    Hi all, I'm on pause from taking exchanges at the moment due to personal circumstances. Will update again when refreshed ready to go. Thank you !


    UPDATE SUMMER 2018
    hello everybody, just to let you know, I'm not currently teaching my weekly yoga or circus classes as I am focusing on transforming the grange for winter habitation. Still plenty of opportunities for your own training and to participate in random and organized 'jams'.

    UPDATE WINTER 2018/2019
    Hi there all, I am looking for someone to house sit over winter. Needs to be someone responsible and able to use own initiative living remotely on a small holding. Don't hesitate to get in touch and we can talk possibilities if you think it might be something for you.

    I live on 10 hectares of land at the foothills of the Pyrenees in a small hamlet of 8 houses with my property bordering a wild forest including chestnut, ash, oak, acacia and cherry.
    During the summer months I teach weekly classes in Acroyoga and Iyengar yoga and have an outdoor aerial rig where i teach tissu and trapeze. Part of my project involves transforming a grange to create a living space for myself and a big, light, warm, welcoming place where we can practice all year round yoga, circus, music and numerous others creative activities. I grow most of my own fruit and vegetables and collect hazelnuts, walnuts, mushrooms and wild herbs from the forest. I cut my own wood. much of the wood used in the construction has been harvested from my forest and cut using my friends mobile saw mill. I have 10 goats, 4 sheep, 5 ducks a dog and a cat and friends graze their 3 horses. Foix is 12 minutes by car. For accommodation there is one caravan or camping in tents.
    As my title says I am into simple living. I have no running hot water. To wash i have an outdoor fire bath or i heat my water on the gas and take a bucket bath outdoors. I enjoy and take pride in eating fresh food from the garden and prefer to be creative with dishes with what i can source locally than going to the supermarket.
    i am big on 'hugelkulture' beds and love to see a good layer of mulch in the garden.
    I am working on a solar shower and the run off will be filtered by a reed bath with the overflow going to my duck bath and then vegetables. i am careful to use only natural products for washing and cleaning.
    It is great if everyone can participate in cooking and daily tasks of maintaining the space such as sweeping and general tidying. If you are not confident in cooking don't worry, it is a great opportunity to learn as all the ingredients are so fresh and tasty you can't go wrong and we will help.

    Current and ongoing projects include; construction; laying a floor, insulating with sheep's wool, installing windows, stone work and lime rendering. Installing a grey water filtration system with reed beds. vegetable growing, land clearing and forest work. longer term projects include mosaic and mass rocket stove.

    I am Australian and speak English and French. I live alone but with locals often dropping in, friends staying and other helpers about.

    any questions do not hesitate, i look forward to hearing from you.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Art Projects
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Babysitting and creative play
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Help

    Help

    construction; laying a floor, insulating with sheep's wool, installing windows, stone work and lime rendering. Installing a grey water filtration system with reed beds. vegetable growing, land clearing. cooking.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    French: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    caravan or camping.

  • 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

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    5 hours / 5 days per week

Host ref number: 4593546284d6

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