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Help an English couple to get their large garden in order in Auvergne, France

  • Favourited 214 times
  • Last activity: 15 Apr 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    In Spring and Autumn, we’re looking for a couple, strong, energetic, practical, who like being outdoors, good with tools, strimmers, power saws, etc. to help with strimming, sawing branches, cutting hedges, clearing brambles, weeding, digging, hauling logs, creating wood pile, etc. etc. In the summer, we welcome singles to come to give us a hand looking after and entertaining - and being entertained by - our grandchildren.
    In return, you’ll get very comfortable accommodation and plenty of good things to eat and drink and hopefully some lively conversation, as well as the chance to explore our nearby oak forest, and some very interesting villages.
    We are an English married couple from London who have lived in France for over 20 years, We are retired but very active and young in heart, and we are both writers and painters. We also host an opera workshop each year and put on performances at our house and local chateaux.
    The house and grounds are very attractive - an old 1750's manoir which we renovated over a period of three years. There's a swimming pool overlooking the meadows.
    The kind of person, we think, who would enjoy staying with us has: good sense of humour, enjoys their food, eats everything, likes to be in the countryside, likes to be out in the garden, likes to chat about art, literature, music and is relatively easy-going and broad-minded. We have an artist's studio if you like to paint or sculpt.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

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

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    You will be very well fed, breakfast, lunch and dinner each day with us.
    When in season, plenty of gorgeous vegetables freshly picked off our 'potager'.
    We are English so you can practice your English (we also speak French).
    We have a studio if you wish to paint. And a swimming pool overlooking the meadows.
    We like to talk about literature, art, travel, etc

  • Help

    Help

    We have a quite a lot of garden and land, with many trees, small meadows, hedges, pond, vegetable plot, etc. so lots of cutting back, sawing logs, clearing dead trees; as well as painting of garden furniture, shutters, etc.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    French: Fluent
    Italian: Intermediate

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Separate wing in our 1750's manoir, with double bedroom, sitting room and kitchen

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Beautiful countryside, good for walking, close to Foret de Troncais (Europe's largest oak forest), many 11/12 century churches, chateaux, pretty villages.
    We are writers and painter/sculptors, English but speak French too.
    During the last five years we have welcomed many Workawayers from all over the world. All wonderful. Several have decided to come back a second time, so we must be doing something good!

  • 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

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 993492929249

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