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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
5 Apr 2024
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100.0 %
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Description
Hey guys,
We are a couple, from Australia, and Uk, after living between our two countries over the past 30 years and travelling a lot in between, we have decided to buy a house and land in France and start life again.
Both of our Daughters now live overseas.
We are at the very early stages of turning our house and very over grown grounds into a self sufficient small-holding following permaculture principles. After living and working in the south of England for 18 years working in the Hospitality and Business/Personal Coaching and being Foster parents, we decided that our health, stress levels and our planet needed us to change things up a bit.
After travelling through 5 states of Australia (I was born there but to be honest hadn't seen much of it!), Vietnam, Bali, Italy, Greece back to Oz to visit our youngest daughter ----- Just in time for Covid to Hit!
After 2 years behind closed Borders of Oz, we finally made it home to France, Visa's intact and ready to start our new lives here!
As well as renovating our home, building a permaculture outdoors, we will be running 2 small businesses from home. And turning our front field and part of the rear area into a petit field camping site.
The main projects for 2024 are to get the Vegetable garden up to producing all year, unveil the orchard which is underneath 15 years of bramble growth, build a shelter so we can introduce a few animals to the garden, some fencing, a composting toilet and shaded area for our Caravan extra sleeping quarters for extra workaways. So there is plenty to do and learn.
We look forward to hosting couples or two woman travelling together, it can be a little isolated for 1 person travelling alone.
Please be aware that a lot of this work is physical so a good level of strength and fitness is needed.
We run an organised timetable so that we get a good days work done, however there is also lots of rest and relax times.
2 days a week off and all evenings are your own 5 hours a day working and learning with us and sometimes without us. Therefore a good level of independence is required.
We love to spend time with young minded people of all ages who have a passion for life, who see the positive in most situations and are happy to laugh at themselves and the world.
We are a non smoking , plant based household although we do have eggs from the hens which we give away as we do not eat the.
The hens are ex battery farm rescues and help us in the garden.
Yoga, meditation, swimming, reading / quiet times are a regular part to our days along with the physical challenge of setting up our new life and enjoying ourselves as much as possible.
So if you think you'll fit in with us we would be very happy to hear from you.
We are happy to meet you at the local train station which is accessed from Confolens, Limoges and Angouleme by bus.
We also have plenty of space for you to park your own vehicle if you have oneTypes of help and learning opportunities
Language practiceHelp with Eco ProjectsGardeningDIY and building projectsAnimal CareFarmstay helpCreating/ Cooking family mealsHelp around the houseGeneral MaintenanceCultural exchange and learning opportunities
As a Mental Health and Procrastination and Decision Coach for those wanting help to make lifestyle changes and decisions, I am passionate about helping others to get the best out of their goals
We live in a small Hamlet in central South West France, in an area of natural beauty, where through the year there are many outdoor activities to enjoy.
We are surrounded by beautiful country side and are close to the Lacs De Charentes, which are fantastic for swimming and boating during the summer months.
We are happy to teach you English and are happy to receive lessons in French. And other languages and to learn a little about your culture and homeplaceHelp
We have just under 3 acres of land surrounding the house including a small woodland area and another small woodland area close by (5 mins walk away).
We hope to incorporate a large vegetable garden, Fruit and Nut Orchards, Chickens, Geese Ducks, Sheep, and other rescue animals.
We have fencing that needs to be built, animal shelters that need building, a toilet and shower block to be built (Eco and Composting if possible).
We would like to build a fire-pit and gazebo.
Plant vegetables using permaculture techniques, we will be installing water saving ideas including recycling grey water, water collection butts and possibly build a natural swimming pool / pond.
We also hope to have bees in the woodland area in the not too far future.
However to start we have a lot of garden general clearing and tidying to do so it's all hands on deck to remove 10 years of over growth from the gardens and grounds.
The 2 Wooded /small forrested areas need a complete ground level clearing after not being cared for over 15 years.
Barns to clear out..... Grounds to be cleared and divided into House areas and storing / animal areas
We have a lot of furniture to up-cycle and recycle so that it is once again beautiful and functional, so if you are creative here's your chance to show it.
Lots to do, you can choose what you are happy to do from our weekly list of current projects.
We are also getting plans together to open a Vegan cooking workshop area and will be looking for help in setting up the rooms / Produce garden to supply the workshop students as well as our home
We are very happy to teach the skills we have and to learn from you the volunteer if you have skills we don't!Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
We are wanting to learn more French in an everyday context, happy to share English language skills at the same time.Accommodation
We have available a comfortable spacious Trailer Camper with Awning attached for the warmer months, this allows 1 or 2 people travelling together to stay, during May / June /July / August or September
In addition to the king bedroom in the house for anotjercouple to use.
Accomodation is on 1st to arrive basis
However in the colder months there is room only for 2 only you will use the front bedroom of the house, which sleeps 2 people comfortably in a king bed,What else ...
Walking, Hiking and Cycling are very popular in our area and we have bikes available for our volunteers to use during their stay.
We have many pretty villages, local Chateaux, and interesting sites within a short drive of our Fermette.
We live in an area of France that is proud of it's links to the French Resistance efforts of WW2 and Richard the Lionheart (1157 - 1199). We will organise at least one visit each week to a local place of interest that our volunteers would like to visit.
There is a local Train station within 5 mins drive that will take you to either Limoges or Angouleme, where you can connect to any other locations within France with ease.
We are 2 hours from the coast and we are happy to do at least one trip to the beach every fortnight during the warmer months.
There is a small Plan dau in the closest village (Open air natural swimming pool) which is open every year from July to September.
Local Villages with bars and cafes.
We have hosted volunteers from other sites and often have back packers come to stay, using us as a paying hostel so we are adapt with hosting visitors from all walks of life, all ages and various nationalities.
We are well traveled, Cherie is from Australia, Ian is British, between us we have traveled to Pakistan, Nigeria, Bali, Singapore, Belgium, Vietnam, Holland, Italy, Greece, Russia, India, Tunisia and Indonesia, before settling in France this year.
Our Eldest Daughter is now living in Perth and our youngest now lives Melbourne Australia Both moved from the UK
We are very happy to collect you from the local Train Station . If you have your own vehicle there is room to park.
We are Vegan and prefer vegetarians or Vegans or those happy to live like this for the duration of their stay with us.
We are happy if you wish to eat dairy products, eggs etc, however we prefer not to cook or purchase these items.
We have very happy hens that produce eggs, we do not eat these ourselves but workaways, friends and neighbours love them!A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We both run a business from home, have very good Wifi and can set up a desk for you to work from.
Space for parking camper vans
plenty of space to park up here, if you prefer to sleep in your own space thats A Ok with us
Can possibly accept pets
very well behaved dogs are welcome however our property is not fully fenced so care is needed
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
5 hours a day 5 days a week
Feedback (3)
Unfortunately they had to leave after only 3 days.
I eased them in gently as this is their 1st workaway experience.
However today at they have decided to leave.
I believe at a location that has less physical work, later start times and less hours of work needed they may flourish.… read more
I appreciated Cherie sharing her vegan diet and lifestyle with me as well. She… read more
From day one Ian and her were very generous about showing us the region. They took us to a lot of places and beautiful little spots around the area. (We won't forget the cheesecake at the ARThéa!!!) Our work was very divers: fighting against "bramberrys" ;) , painting a hallway or upcycling old… read more
What a lovely young lady, full of fun with a great sense of humour her laugh is infectious!
It has been an absolute pleasure having Felina stay with us for the past 3 weeks. She is very hard working and dedicated to getting the job done right so much so that, we found it so easy to give instruction and then… read more
Photos
Feedback
Unfortunately they had to leave after only 3 days.
I eased them in gently as this is their 1st workaway experience.
However today at they have decided to leave.
I believe at a location that has less physical work, later start times and less hours of work needed they may flourish.… read more
I appreciated Cherie sharing her vegan diet and lifestyle with me as well. She… read more
From day one Ian and her were very generous about showing us the region. They took us to a lot of places and beautiful little spots around the area. (We won't forget the cheesecake at the ARThéa!!!) Our work was very divers: fighting against "bramberrys" ;) , painting a hallway or upcycling old… read more
What a lovely young lady, full of fun with a great sense of humour her laugh is infectious!
It has been an absolute pleasure having Felina stay with us for the past 3 weeks. She is very hard working and dedicated to getting the job done right so much so that, we found it so easy to give instruction and then… read more