Family looking for some help gardening, house repairs, or with our son in the countryside of South Normandy, France

  • Favourited 167 times
  • Last activity: 16 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: No minimum

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Details

  • Description

    Description

    We are Japanese dance-artist couple with a 7-year-old son. We live in the countryside of South Normandy, France. We are about 2 hours from Paris. Our property is about half hectare with 2 old stone houses, surrounded by cow field and farmlands, and some friendly neighbors nearby. We have vegetable gardens for the family, and we live quite simply. We have a dance studio here where we have dance workshops 4 times a year. Students come from different countries, and they stay at one of the houses. Village center of Reveillon (61400) is about 15 minutes walk away, and has a jazz bar owned by English musician couple --- very nice people. Closest town is Mortagne-au-Perche, about 5km away, a charming town popular for Parisians who have weekend houses in the region. We speak English very well. We speak French not as well as English. Our native language is Japanese. Our son speaks all three languages.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Babysitting and creative play
    General Maintenance
    Help around the house
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    If you come in the period of our dance workshops, you will meet people from all different countries and all different ages and backgrounds --- usually they are open people interested in the arts. We are Japanese, but we have some friendly French neighbors, and also you will meet international people in our village café. If you are really looking to learn French by speaking French 24 hours and to live with a real French family, this place may not be for you.

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    Our house always needs repairs and maintenance. We also need work in our garden -- cutting grass, trimming trees, maintaining our vegetable garden, and there are other different work around the house. It also depends on what you are good at. If you are good gardener, we'd like help with the garden. If you are electrician or plumber, we have work in this area. If you are good builder, we could think of projects of renovating a part of the house or building glass house for vegetables. If you are good with computer work, we might ask you for computer help. But in whatever work, we would like that you like children --- we would like a good friend in the house for our son, and he feels you are part of the family. We also prefer someone who could easily understand English or Japanese --- our French is not very good. We have an extremely friendly young cat. He is not allowed in the upstairs bedrooms. He does pass through the kitchen to eat. We prefer someone who likes cats.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    Japanese: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    During the time we have dance workshop, you might share a room with someone, share bath, kitchen, dining room. At other times, you could have the house to yourself. Our family lives in a separate building right behind. There's WiFi internet at the house you stay. Our house is not luxury house. It is an old house, and it has not be renovated. It has a charm of an old house, but you must be ok to live not so properly like in a hotel.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    From Paris, there are trains with connection to local buses, or there are car-shares (covoiturage.fr) very regularly between Paris and the nearest town Mortagne-au-Perche. We're inland, so 1.5 hours by car to the sea. The village jazz cafe offers concerts every Friday, and there are many international people as well as French people you could meet there. Once we get to know each other, you could borrow our car if you are very responsible person. Also, it's very easy to hitch-hike in this area. We have also bicycles. There are woods nearby (national parks) that have very long hikes. If you like to exercise, practice yoga or mediation etc., you could use our studio. It is a very beautiful studio with good feeling.

  • 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

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    It is possible to station a camp van, but not large mobile home, during the dry season (late spring to summer). More difficult during rainy season.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    One

  • ...

    Hours expected

    5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 767671141911

Feedback (6)



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: (5.0)

Communication: (5.0)