Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
20 Feb 2023
Feedback
67
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
*️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️ We are back!! We have many really interesting projects, everything from woodwork with the CNC milling machine to baroque decorating.. We are opening the historic house to the local village soon and are looking for mature workawayers to join in the adventure, there is a description of us and the situation below which should give you a good feel for how we work, we really look forward to meeting you! *️️️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️️️
General Description and introduction
Hi, we're Mike, Rose and Olivier! We are a Kiwi / Franco family living in historic Normandy, we've been renovating our amazing 500 year old farmhouse whilst perfecting our French and generally immersing ourselves in French life for a long time now. We are a couple who have travelled and worked in many different countries and enjoy learning about different cultures. Here in France, we have a simple but good life enjoying the outdoors in our pool, jacuzzi, trampoline, kids play area, brazier and bonfire pit, etc. We are in the countryside just outside an active village and workawayers are welcome to use our bikes to explore the local towns, cafes, markets etc, and we also like to go on excursions to enjoy and share the scenic and historical sights in the area.
We are restoring an historic house in our local village which we are bringing back to it's former glory - we are talking tapestries, painted decorated ceilings, detailed wall panelling, gorgeous plaster mouldings etc - It's really something! It is historic in terms of it's age and architecture but also in terms of the family and people concerned, fascinating. If you like 'old things' and history you'll love this project.
At the same time are still completing some finishing off projects on our extensive ecological project to re-thatch and insulate our chaumiere - a fairytale thatched farmhouse. The bulk of the thatch and other insulation work is now done but there are projects such as the repair of 300 yr old oak flooring and reupholstering furniture. We use natural/traditional products where ever possible.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are of course happy to assist those wishing to improve their French and/or cultural understanding of France and bring you into the classic components of rural French life such as markets etc. We also try to assist you with access to the tourist sights where we can - there's everything from famous sights to unknown local food producers here.. We're close to all the historic D-day sites (actually on the D-day 'route-de-libertie'), the evocative Abbaye d'Hambye is 5 mins away, the local beach (a fantastic never-ending stretch of golden sand) is 30 mins by car, there are wonderful local produce tours (cheese, cider, calvados etc) and it's only 40 mins to the famous Le Mont St Michel!
Additionally we like to share our enthusiasm for interesting projects and a communal familial atmosphere.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We do occasionally get professionals in but we are multi-skilled (from electronics to masonry) and do most projects ourselves. Many of the tasks involve wood or stonework so workaways with building skills would obviously be very much appreciated but in addition many projects just need willing capable hands.
In terms of the work routine we are generally very flexible.. For projects at the historic house (3 minutes down the road) we have to work around the town noise restrictions which include a long break at lunch time so there are compulsory lunch lunches! The day often works out as a couple of hours in the morning and a few hours in the afternoon. For work projects at home (the thatched farmhouse) we do not have set hours of each day to work so if you'd like to do your work in several very intensive days and then head off for a weekend camping that's fine with us and you're welcome to borrow our tent, or if you'd rather have more short days and enjoy the house, relax in the pool and spa during down time and chat over long lunches that's fine too just talk it through with us. There are of course certain days when we have to work around Mike's availability or the weather etc and we tend to just work as a team to meet those targets.
In terms of living in the house, it is a family home and all general assistance in the home is much appreciated, cooking, dishwasher stacking etc. Generally, we try to all muck in and enjoy the summer, the projects, the house and life in general.. We always enjoy meeting a variety of people and welcome families and a variety of ages, in fact we prefer if workawayers are over 24, or at least one member of a couple is, just as a general indicator of independence and practical life experience.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
Japanese: Beginner
Maori: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
We have two double bedrooms in the house and 2 caravans next to the house available for workawayers. We usually let people chose which they prefer..
We usually work on stays of approximately 4 weeks as this helps everyone settle in, relax, and get the best out of the experience. This can sometimes be extended depending on circumstances.
We have three cats who are in and out of the house.
What else ...
There are multiple choices for access to us:
By boat - there are the Brittany Ferries ports at Ouistreham Caen and St Malo (both ~1 hour from us) which connect to the UK and Ireland;
By plane - there is a Ryan Air airport at Dinard (~1 hour) mainly connecting to the UK or local French airports at Carpiquet/Caen (~45 mins) and Rennes with European connections;
By train - there are good SNCF train links to Villedieu-les-Poeles (~10 mins) from Paris Gare Montparnasse and there is also Gare Folligny (~20 mins) if you are travelling down the western side of France rather than from Paris;
By bus - the local bus company is Manéo with a variety of options for across La Manche (our department in Basse Normandie) connections;
By car - we are easily accessible from the western motorway route in France, it's called the A84 on the section by us, we're exit 38 (~5mins) where there is a co-voiturage parking area good for bla bla car etc.
We are happy to collect people from the bus and train stations and co-voiturage sites. The plane and ferry ports are quite a trip for us and although we can sometimes do this by co-ordinating with other travel plans we appreciate it if workawayers can get to within 20 mins of us.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
Can possibly accept pets
We have three cats so this needs to be decided on a case by case basis
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
25 hours a week
Feedback (30)
The work load and schedule was perfect, with time to adjust to the morning before… read more
Photos
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(5.0)
The work load and schedule was perfect, with time to adjust to the morning before… read more
The work in the old house in town can be demanding but it is so satisfying when you see a task accomplished and a room changed! We didn’t start too early in the morning, worked for a couple of hours, came back… read more
I had such a wonderful time working in Normandy. I stayed there for about a month, enjoying summer, and helping… read more
It felt like they genuinely wanted us to be a part of their family for the time we spent there.
The work itself varied, most of the times it was working in the old house… read more
They provided me with a room for myself, with a very comfy double bed. They also… read more
The house is fantastic, i enjoyed long lunches and dinners in the various tables around the house and the… read more
Working hours are fair and in your free time you can either fully integrate with the family or explore many interesting sites near by. There is no time for boredom or bad mood. ;)
They went above and beyond and I can simply… read more
We completed many different jobs… read more
Because it's a 16th C farmhouse the work is more challenging than your normal 'four walls' renovation, but we really enjoyed working on something with so much character. The hours… read more
We… read more
This is a fantastic part of Normandy to visit and Roseann and Mike strive to share all the delights of… read more
Room was comfortable, food was… read more
Me and Nathan had a wicked two weeks here, good food, rewarding work and pleasant company.
After a days work we would relax and play games in the pool, have some delicious food then watch a movie, what more could you want?
You'll be happy to know Olivier got me back into trampolining here in England go… read more
