Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
20 Apr 2024
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
12
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
The Chateau is a second home requiring constant ongoing repairs & renovations. All of which takes time & effort. I prefer like minded people whom, take great pride in their work & achievements.
The Ariege region & its neighbouring Aude are stunning, with a multitude of free nature activities, along with lots of history, culture & all necessary amenities one requires. We are a 10 minute drive from local supermarkets & 20 minutes drive to the nearest large town & main line train station. Summers are hot, Spring & Autumn variable, with snow sometimes during the winter, due to our close proximity to the Pyrenees mountains & local ski stations. As it is our second home, we are sometimes absent (but only 1 hour away), so are looking for self motivated, good decision making. think outside the box (when necessary) individuals, who are happy with &/or without our company.
Due to the location, it would best if you have your own transport, but not a deal breaker as I can drop you into town & we have bikes available too. We are a mature positive, hard working, animal loving, intelligent couple, with a good sense of humour, who enjoy the company of others & especially learning about other people’s lives, cultures, cuisine etc. We have led a very varied & enriched life for which we are grateful & now we would like the help of some younger, stronger individuals to help us with the varied tasks at the chateau, which is a private residence (not a business).
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We offer excellent accommodation located in an area of natural beauty, with many wonderful places to explore within the two surrounding areas of the Ariege & the Aude. The help is varied & rewarding. I personally have discovered many new skills & learnt an incredible amount this past year. We would really like to do tasks alongside & share these experiences with like minded Individuals. We both could help with those wishing to learn English & we also both speak passable French, and I Catalan too.
Help
We'd like help with gardening as there are four main large areas. The park above & below the chateau, the parking/entrance area & the cottage garden. The help involves weeding, pruning, removal of ivy & tree roots, cutting trees & branches, mowing the lawns on sit on mower. This is gardening and maintenance and at the moment more a case of removal, than planting, although open to vegetable & herb garden planting in the future, when the rest is under some kind of easy maintenance control. There are numerous walls that need rendering & pointing. The list at times feels never ending.
We also would like help with various other rainy day tasks like painting, sanding & varnishing shutters & windows (there are a lot of these), cleaning, clearing various out houses etc.
There is also the possible tasks of feeding the horses, fish & rabbits, but not currently necessary.
We have all the tools needed to make the tasks as easy as possible, but man or woman power is what we are lacking. You will need to be fit, healthy & strong of mind, body & spirit. I know this as I have been doing all these tasks myself mostly alone the past year, as my Husband had an accident.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Catalan: Intermediate
French: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
I speak fluent English & good Catalan & French. I would like to improve on my Catalan & French & would love to learn Italian.
Accommodation
During the colder autumn & winter months you will live with us in the cottage, having your own large bedroom & shared bathroom if we have another Workaway at the time. The lounge, kitchen & dining room are shared communal areas. Internet connection is excellent for all requirements.
During the warmer months, soring & summer the large 1 bedroom apartment within the ground floor of the chateau. Recently renovated. It has a large double fully furnished bedroom, separate toilet, bathroom with shower, wash hand basin, washing machine & clothes dryer. Large kitchen/dining/lounge area with wood burning stove, gas oven & hob, fridge/freezer. Enough internet for answering emails, searching, but maybe not enough for streaming.
We prefer to offer food for you to prepare & cook, but very happy on occasions to share meals as & when it suits both parties.
We have found that private & personal space is as important as company & companionship. And for this reason have renovated the apartment to make this possible. We have high standards of cleanliness & hygiene, so would expect it to be left in the same state as when moved into.
What else ...
As I have explained above we have high standards and are good at communicating what we would like, good listeners too, like to hear others thoughts & ideas on any projects, happy to do things with or leave you to your own devices, so fairly flexible too. We like to avoid any misunderstandings, so communication is key to us, to ensure we can all live in a positive, happy & harmonious environment, whether that be for a week or longer.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We have plenty of space to park a Campervan & an exterior toilet & shower in our workshop.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week plus extra 4 hours in exchange for food etc. on days off
Feedback (6)
First, it was my first Workaway and I had no idea what to expect. But Tracey and Simon made sure that I felt at home and treated me as if I’m their actual family. My job ranged from wall scraping in the château, animal keeping to cleaning. The working hours were flexible and adjustable by… read more
The independent accommodation and the groceries provided were exceptional. The organisation of the days were flexible. The tasks were interesting, varied,… read more
Three weeks of living in a genuine Franch chateau, where there is so much to do and so many tasks.
Tracey and Simon are such lovely people and made me feel right at home from the outset, we had some lovely evenings talking about our lives and different experiences.
Shout out to Ty for being so friendly and accomodating… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(5.0)
First, it was my first Workaway and I had no idea what to expect. But Tracey and Simon made sure that I felt at home and treated me as if I’m their actual family. My job ranged from wall scraping in the château, animal keeping to cleaning. The working hours were flexible and adjustable by… read more
The independent accommodation and the groceries provided were exceptional. The organisation of the days were flexible. The tasks were interesting, varied,… read more
Three weeks of living in a genuine Franch chateau, where there is so much to do and so many tasks.
Tracey and Simon are such lovely people and made me feel right at home from the outset, we had some lovely evenings talking about our lives and different experiences.
Shout out to Ty for being so friendly and accomodating… read more
Je travaillé dans le jardinage, peintre, un peu de demménagement. et aussi j'ai vu comment à nourris les chevaux.
Tracey a presque tout les outils nécessaires pour le travile juste il faut être honnête comme elle, et travailler parfaitement.… read more
Ged has a great sense of humour, multi talented in all things to do with construction, power tools etc. Is incredibly strong, hard working, seriously thinks each & every project/task through thoroughly to get the best result/s.
Laraine is a ray of… read more
An amazing 5 week stay at the chateau with beautiful people.
From the get go we were welcomed as if we were family, we were treated with lots of love and respect and could not have had better hosts than Simon and Tracey
We had our own large airy double room with our own shower and toilet next door we were… read more
