updated  

Hands-on learning and sustainable living in our permaculture farm in Brittany, France

Availability

  2025 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Details

  • Description

    Description

    We are now fully booked for the month of July and August

    Welcome to our Permaculture Smallholding in Rural France

    After traveling the world, we settled in France in mid-2017 to realise our vision of creating a sustainable, educational, and demonstrative smallholding. Since then, we’ve been steadily renovating our home and regenerating the land to support a more balanced, self-reliant lifestyle in the beautiful French countryside.

    Glen is originally from the UK and Karen from South Africa. Together, we’ve made France our home and are committed to building a life rooted in permaculture and community.

    Karen is a certified permaculture designer, educator, and life coach. Glen, with a background in engineering, is a versatile and creative problem-solver with a strong interest in woodland management, forest gardening, charcoal/biochar production, and aquaponics (which is a future project in the pipeline!).

    Our smallholding is home to a variety of animals: dogs, chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep, and goats. We grow vegetables in raised beds and are establishing a low-maintenance perennial food forest. Our pigs are pasture-raised for meat as part of our local Community Pig Club, and we use our sheep’s wool in various craft projects. Animal welfare is very important to us, and we prioritise respectful, ethical care for all our animals.

    We also manage our land through rotational grazing and offer an eco-grazing service to our local community to help improve pasture health and biodiversity. As active members and co-founders of a local community association, we often collaborate on community events and projects — you may have the opportunity to get involved!

    Current Projects:
    We’d love for volunteers to help with a range of hands-on tasks. Our current priorities include:

    * Growing and maintaining our vegetable gardens
    * Building projects (pergola for solar panels, gates and various other sundry projects)
    * Fencing for sheep and pigs
    * Clearing land
    * Splitting, and stacking firewood

    Important Notes:

    * We have four friendly dogs, so we can only host volunteers who are comfortable around animals.
    * We ask for a minimum stay of 1 week (7 days) to ensure a meaningful and productive experience for everyone.

    We’re always happy to share what we’ve learned and to hear your ideas too. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in nature, learn about permaculture, and contribute to a real working homestead, we’d love to hear from you!

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    General Maintenance
  • Interests

    Interests

    Sustainability
    Politics / Social justice
    Culture
    Farming
    Photography
    Plant care
    Books
    DIY & crafts
    Cooking & food
    Carpentry
    Animals
    Nature
    Outdoor activities
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Chance to experience the French countryside.
    Great food and drink in a friendly warm household
    Sharing our experience and knowledge in the field of regenerative agriculture, permaculture and woodland management.

  • Help

    Help

    Helping out with animals routines, moving animals, cleaning animal areas setting up new camps
    Growing food - planting seeds, weeding, harvesting
    We also need help with log splitting, wood chipping (which we use for mulch) and woodland management
    Mowing, hedge trimming and any other general garden duties

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    Afrikaans: Fluent
    English: Fluent
    French: Beginner
    Dutch: Beginner

    This host offers a language exchange
    We are still learning French and would love to improve our basic skills, in exchange we would be willing to help you improve your English language skills.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Comfortable yurt accommodation with a double bed including linen and towels. Compost loo and shower right next to the yurt. Your own private outdoor kitchen which is well equipped.
    We usually have breakfast and lunches together (we can cater for vegetarian diets but not vegan unfortunately) and you are then free to prepare your own food in the evening.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We have bikes available to explore the local area. Lots of walks from the house. Unfortunately as we are quiet rural there is no public transport direct from our property, but we are only 5km from 2 nearest towns.
    Larger city such as Lorient 35km away, and many interesting and historic villages in the area.
    We are willing to pick up workaways from train stations within reasonable distance, and offer lifts to shops or local attractions when we are able.

  • 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

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    We have satellite internet connection which we have found more effective than other services, however you will not have wifi signal in the yurt but there is local 4g connection. The wifi is effective and adequate for most remote working needs. We are happy to host digital nomads by prior arrangement.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    We have a flat field space that is suitable for camper vans and motorhomes.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • My animals / pets

    My animals / pets

Host ref number: 665244591686

Website Safety

Feedback (35)



Feedback

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)

Cultural exchange:
(4.9)

Communication:
(5.0)







































Converted farmhouse and meditation centre close to Pau, France
Share daily family life and learn about ecology in Aveyron, France