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Host rating
80 %
Last replied
7 Jul 2021
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Details
Description
Hello! we are Corinne, Diego and Baby Ari, together we run a not-for-profit arts organization, offering mostly ceramics based courses and workshops which supports a range of other events and activities. Most importantly we are a refuge for makers and thinkers, surrounded by outstanding natural beauty but less than an hour from the major cities of Limoges and Poitiers.
Some of the questions we seek to answer include:
Can a building have its own economy?
Can it be somewhere that both supports, and is supported by, people?
Can individual dreams be fulfilled as well as collective ones?
Can a place facilitate healing and growth but remain free of clichés and trends, whilst also exploring making and doing as a democratic act?
We think that all of this is possible and we would love to hear from people who would like to be part of such a project.
MORE ABOUT THE AREA AROUND THE HOUSE:
Life around here is not quite like anywhere else. Time feels not at all linear and you can taste the air as you breathe it in. People and the environment seem to have reached an understanding.
Cycling along one of the many disused train lines and ancient ash shaded lanes, it’s not uncommon to pass locals in their flat caps, wheel barrowing large quantities of home grown vegetables around or to encounter a chasseur, riffle and trumpet in hand in search of wild boar.
The quotidian is certainly particular, indeed peculiar, but it’s authentic and full of charm. If you feel like we do you’ll find perhaps the best place on earth to think, take stock and to grow.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET SETTLED FOR YOU AND US WE ONLY ACCEPT VISITORS FOR A MONTH OR MORE.
With love Corinne, Diego and Baby Ari
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We speak French/ at home so there is a good opportunity to learn a new language (though both of us speak English and Spanish). There is also the possibility to learn and practice large number of sculptural and artistic skills from pottery to numerous forms of mold-making as part of the work we do with our non for profit.
More than anything it's an opportunity to experience a different way of life.
Help
CURRENTLY SEARCHING FOR:
Anyone happy to do painting and cleaning
someone with professional a pr / social media specialist to help grow our network
plumbing
carpentry/woodwork
and of course pottery/ clay skills
We have moved to a new site in Montmorillon where we need help with minor DIY jobs and general maintenance and all the other things that go along with running a clay studio.
We are mostly seeking help with what was our house in the village of Lísle Jourdain 86500. It is a 2/3 bedroom house which is currently for sale (don't worry sales take a minimum of 4 months to complete so we won't cancel any plans for this summer!) where and requiring quite a lot of painting/ gardening work as it has been left neglected for the last two years as we couldn't get there because of the pandemic. It is a lovely place that you will have all to yourself in exchange for some easy DIY/ Cleaning
so if you know how to do any of the above or (anything else specialist really) we'd love to hear from you.
Above all willingness and a desire to help us build our vision is what's important to us.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
Diego is a qualified Spanish and English teacher, Corinne is a qualified English teacher we both speak fluent French, some Armenian and Italian.
Accommodation
The house has 2/3 bedrooms, 3 bathroom and lounge a kitchen and a nice garden. It's a lovely calm house.
From the house, the walk into the main village centre takes about twelve minutes. The road that leads there is lined with traditional granite stone houses, crossing the river and passing the towering viaduct, the 13th c. L’Isle Fort and a barrage designed by Le Corbusier.
What else ...
On arriving, it’s evident that L’isle Jourdian, has the same simple amenities as it did 100 years ago; a boulangerie, hotel, café, tabac, bar, clothing boutique, a grocers and a market on Saturday mornings. Lunchtime and the dodo (afternoon nap) are sacred and all the shops close between 12 and 2.
One learns quickly to never, never ever disturb a local during these hours. One also learns to prepare for the fact that everything apart from the church is closed on Sundays.
The bell rings out over village every hour but it’s still surprising easy to lose track of what time, or day of the week it is. One becomes instantly aware of the seasons and the body starts to set it’s self to the weather and to the light.
In the summer it can get very hot and people swim in the lakes and rivers to cool down.
There are vide-greniers here and in the neighbouring villages, the celebrated age-old tradition where the town’s occupants clear out their attics and arrange the contents for sale, along side stands selling sausage sandwiches and coffee. All year round there are other festivals of sorts and you’d be forgiven for thinking that life is little changed here, for a very long time.There is an abundance of local nature based activities, including waterski-ing, Kyacking and bunjee-jumping for the brave. There are several swimming lakes nearby and beautiful walks along the river, viaducts and former trainlines.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have a lot of space where you can work online privately. We can arrange for you to have internet access through a sim card wifi router that will not be super fast but works fine for giving online classes for example and watching films/ browsing etc.
Can possibly accept pets
We love pets, just let us know beforehand!
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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