Native English speaker who loves children is welcome into our lovely family farm in Marsac, France
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: 25 Juni 2025
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Feedback (15)
Vom Workawayer (Ana) für Host
What an amazing person Davina is and what a beautiful goal she's heading towards! A person who truly cares about the animals and does her best to offer them the best quality standard living. She also possesses some sort of superpowers (I'm absolutely sure of it :)) and there are very few things she can't do. ;) In the (too short) 3 weeks I spent
… read more on the farm, she taught me some extremely valuable carpentry skills, showed me how to do a floor heating and lay wooden floor with a special and very simple Swedish technique.
At the time of my stay I also had a pleasure to get to know her kind and fun father and a few of Davina's lovely friends. We had a chance to see a few fun (and weird :)) festivals, the charming Angouleme and a famous Marsac bric-a-brac. She and her father really did their best to make sure that I'm really integrated in their lives and made me feel very welcome.
Simply excellent in all regards!
Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Kenneth & Jennifer) für Host
Davina’s Paddock Paradise is a wonderful place to work. We worked for her in October/November 2014 and have volunteered at 4 other locations since, and since she was our first Workaway experience, we had no idea how good we had it until we stayed with other people. All the others have been good as well (except one), but this stable has become the
… read more gold standard by which we compare all other locations.
It starts with the working hours. We worked for her from 8am-1pm (tea breaks at 10) Monday through Friday without exception. She always had a full day of work planned several days in advance (don’t take that for granted!), so by the end of the day we could really feel accomplished. Ending at 1 and then having lunch followed by the afternoon free was a nice arrangement, because it gave us a solid 4 hours every day to hook up her dogs to their leads and go explore the area.
And what a setting it was to explore. Coming from California, we have not had much exposure to hand-built stone houses, lush forests and rolling green hills. We spent many afternoons climbing the nearby plateau to lay in the grass, look at the clouds and listen to the feint rumbling of tractors sewing the winter wheat.
The food was also amazing. Davina bought groceries from a local co-op every Thursday and every other week this included raw cheese and milk. Fresh bread was delivered every afternoon and left on the windowsill (usually finished by dinnertime). Davina is an amazing cook even though she claims that she just “throws things together.” We ate almost exclusively vegetarian, but we did not miss meat. Everything was delicious.
The animals were also amazing. We have wonderful memories spending time with Saquoia and Bala. Sacquoia went on many hikes with us, even when we didn’t want her to. Bala was very attached to Davina, but we still enjoyed petting her and playing with her. The horses, the goat, and the cat were all adorable. It is easy to tell that Davina truly loves her animals. Caring for them, especially her horses, is her life.
Our first day there was a day off as well, giving us the day to settle in, get to know her and her animals and the surrounding land. This is common with most Workaway hosts, but when you don’t get it you notice. Davina worked along with us and we felt more like friends than workers. This is also a novelty as many Workaway hosts expect you to work on your own, which is fine, but it is much more enjoyable to get to know your host while you work. We learned new skills from Davina like electrical work, straw-bale building, and using a power-chisel. Davina has a plethora of knowledge on building and organic living that she has learned from friends, family, and online. If you are not a fast learner she is understanding and patient. I never felt pressured or unprepared while working for her. Every day was different and fun and we never felt like we did not want to go to work. Especially because the weekends were just that, our own. Davina was happy to drive us to Angoulême and she even took us on a trip to the beach one weekend. I have written an entire blog post about my time on the farm at my blog wandertogether.worpress.com if you want to read more about it!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (John) für Host
First, sorry for the late feedback. I stayed with Davina for two weeks. the farm is a great and relaxing place and Davina was very friendly and fair with regards to working hours. I loved getting up in the mornings to feed the horses and the work there was varied and interesting with Davina showing me alternative building methods and an all
… read more together different lifestyle. Oh and I cant leave this without mentioning the dogs, Babbala and Sekoia(I doubt I have spelled those correctly) Babbala being the best behaved dog I have seen and Sekoia aka jumps, being the friendliest.
I truely hope everything works out for Davina and the farm as she shows genuine respect and care for animals.Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Weitere Bilder
View from the courtyard over the farm
The river - a great spot for swimming after work...
Feedback
Vom Workawayer (Ana) für Host
What an amazing person Davina is and what a beautiful goal she's heading towards! A person who truly cares about the animals and does her best to offer them the best quality standard living. She also possesses some sort of superpowers (I'm absolutely sure of it :)) and there are very few things she can't do. ;) In the (too short) 3 weeks I spent
… read more on the farm, she taught me some extremely valuable carpentry skills, showed me how to do a floor heating and lay wooden floor with a special and very simple Swedish technique.
At the time of my stay I also had a pleasure to get to know her kind and fun father and a few of Davina's lovely friends. We had a chance to see a few fun (and weird :)) festivals, the charming Angouleme and a famous Marsac bric-a-brac. She and her father really did their best to make sure that I'm really integrated in their lives and made me feel very welcome.
Simply excellent in all regards!
Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Kenneth & Jennifer) für Host
Davina’s Paddock Paradise is a wonderful place to work. We worked for her in October/November 2014 and have volunteered at 4 other locations since, and since she was our first Workaway experience, we had no idea how good we had it until we stayed with other people. All the others have been good as well (except one), but this stable has become the
… read more gold standard by which we compare all other locations.
It starts with the working hours. We worked for her from 8am-1pm (tea breaks at 10) Monday through Friday without exception. She always had a full day of work planned several days in advance (don’t take that for granted!), so by the end of the day we could really feel accomplished. Ending at 1 and then having lunch followed by the afternoon free was a nice arrangement, because it gave us a solid 4 hours every day to hook up her dogs to their leads and go explore the area.
And what a setting it was to explore. Coming from California, we have not had much exposure to hand-built stone houses, lush forests and rolling green hills. We spent many afternoons climbing the nearby plateau to lay in the grass, look at the clouds and listen to the feint rumbling of tractors sewing the winter wheat.
The food was also amazing. Davina bought groceries from a local co-op every Thursday and every other week this included raw cheese and milk. Fresh bread was delivered every afternoon and left on the windowsill (usually finished by dinnertime). Davina is an amazing cook even though she claims that she just “throws things together.” We ate almost exclusively vegetarian, but we did not miss meat. Everything was delicious.
The animals were also amazing. We have wonderful memories spending time with Saquoia and Bala. Sacquoia went on many hikes with us, even when we didn’t want her to. Bala was very attached to Davina, but we still enjoyed petting her and playing with her. The horses, the goat, and the cat were all adorable. It is easy to tell that Davina truly loves her animals. Caring for them, especially her horses, is her life.
Our first day there was a day off as well, giving us the day to settle in, get to know her and her animals and the surrounding land. This is common with most Workaway hosts, but when you don’t get it you notice. Davina worked along with us and we felt more like friends than workers. This is also a novelty as many Workaway hosts expect you to work on your own, which is fine, but it is much more enjoyable to get to know your host while you work. We learned new skills from Davina like electrical work, straw-bale building, and using a power-chisel. Davina has a plethora of knowledge on building and organic living that she has learned from friends, family, and online. If you are not a fast learner she is understanding and patient. I never felt pressured or unprepared while working for her. Every day was different and fun and we never felt like we did not want to go to work. Especially because the weekends were just that, our own. Davina was happy to drive us to Angoulême and she even took us on a trip to the beach one weekend. I have written an entire blog post about my time on the farm at my blog wandertogether.worpress.com if you want to read more about it!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (John) für Host
First, sorry for the late feedback. I stayed with Davina for two weeks. the farm is a great and relaxing place and Davina was very friendly and fair with regards to working hours. I loved getting up in the mornings to feed the horses and the work there was varied and interesting with Davina showing me alternative building methods and an all
… read more together different lifestyle. Oh and I cant leave this without mentioning the dogs, Babbala and Sekoia(I doubt I have spelled those correctly) Babbala being the best behaved dog I have seen and Sekoia aka jumps, being the friendliest.
I truely hope everything works out for Davina and the farm as she shows genuine respect and care for animals.Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Host für Workawayer (Emma)
Very sad to see Emma go - actually I would have happily trusted her with the entire farm, if I had had to go anywhere. Just great with horses, dogs and extremely responsible. And fun to work with - happy to get stuck in (and at the same time very quick) - no matter how insourmountable the task.
PS: thanks for proofreading the website, which is
… read more up now... and hope you come back!
Vom Workawayer (Emma) für Host
This was my first Workaway experience and I had a fantastic time. Davina is a brilliant host: a very interesting person with lots of stories, experiences and skills - great company! The area is beautiful with great walks and plenty of things growing to pick and snack on along the way (especially if you like walnuts!). Whilst I was with Davina we
… read more pulled out toxic weeds from one of the fields and built a wall from oak beams in the guest house. Both jobs were satisfying in different ways, always accompanied by singing/whistling and sometimes chocolate biscuits! Thank you Davina :)Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Sam & Isabelle) für Host
We stayed with Davina for 4 weeks. It was an amazing experience and a home away from home. The property is picturesque, the house is filled with wonderful animals that provide a lively atmosphere, and Davina is a very inspiring leader and woman, and a great cook. The physical and challenging renovation work was very satisfying. We learned a lot
… read more about eco-building (and DIY demolition) and will take these these ideas into our own future projects back in Australia.
This was a wonderful experience which we will remember fondly forever. Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Laura & Christophe) für Host
We stayed with Davina for 2 weeks and we loved it. Davina is a great host, superb cook and is fantastic to work alongside. The work is well organised and the farm and surrounding area are beautiful to be around on your time off. We will be coming back for more! Thanks Davina :)
Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Clíona ) für Host
I planned to stay 2 weeks but enjoyed myself so much I stayed for 4! This was my first workaway experience and has left me with many great memories and a hunger to experience more! The work was tough but enjoyable and Davina made everything seem simple. The gorgeous countryside, the beautiful animals and the delicious food, as well as the great
… read more company with Davina and her many friends and family, made my time at Chantemerle a stand -out experience!! Thank you Davina!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Kristen & Steven) für Host
We had the best time with Davina, Rolf (Dad), George, and the whole clan! Honestly, this is one of our favorite memories from traveling. The work is laborious, but time flies and if you enjoy problem solving (ahem, Steve!) then you will particularly enjoy this experience. It is really fascinating to see how far they have come! We are happy to have
… read more been a part of it, and will gladly head back to France if employment doesn't work out in Nashville ;)Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Ben) für Host
Wow, what an amazing experience! We planned to stay 2-3 weeks but with the variety of work and social activities we shared with Davina, Jeorg and Bala (and of course the horses, goat, cat and cockerel!) we soon found ourselves in their wonderful company for 6 weeks. There is so much to do and see here: we enjoyed insulating, rendering and
… read more 'stroking' walls with traditional materials (coating ourselves in chalk too!), making permaculture vegetable beds and tidying a humongous hedge. We also spent many beautiful afternoons along the picturesque river that runs through the area, met many of Davinas friendly french friends and enjoyed local events too such as the fire-dance spectacle, music in a roman abbey and a dancing horse show to name a few. We had a truly fantastic time, Davina and her family are welcoming, friendly and always ready for fun. We highly recommend this experience to anyone who likes to work hard and play hard too. We look forward to visiting the little farm again in the future. Danke schön, Merci, Grazie!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Lenka & Jakub Svetlan) für Host
Absolutely perfect! On a passé un mois formidable avec Davina et son pére. Parfois la travail était assez dure mais on a appris beaucoup. J' admire Davin- elle est une femme plain d' energie et ses rêves. Grand merci pour tout, on te souhaite bonne continuation! Good luck!
Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Sunny91) für Host
This July I spent 2,5 weeks helping out at Davina's farm - it was my first time with workaway and I definitely don't regret it! I had such a fun time with Davina and Tia, it was a very relaxed atmosphere. The work was physically demanding at times, but it was certainly doable! It was also great to see how each day we advanced a little, step by
… read more step coming closer to our goal. The location of the farm is also idyllic - in the middle of the lovely Charente landscape. Thank you Davina for laughter, yummy food, practising French with me and just a good time in general!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Lucia & Lucia) für Host
It was our first workaway experience (July 2012) and it couldn’t be better! We spent perfect and joyful 2 weeks in picturesque surroundings of Angouleme. From the first moment at the train station we felt very welcome. Davina is charming, energetic, very handy woman (she impressed us by her different types of skills) and we are happy that we could
… read more help a little to make her dream come true. We worked mostly in a stable – we can call our stay also as How to built a stable in 7 days J. Though it was sometimes hard work we still enjoyed every moment of working with Davina and her caring father Rolf. They both offered us homely atmosphere. Also cycling to lovely small villages or swimming in the nice coves of the river after work were great!
We highly recommend to go to this place. We’d love to come back and help more one day. THANK YOU Davina, Rolf and George!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Host für Workawayer (RacheLene)
Marlene and her friend Rachel were the first girls to come and volunteer on our farm. To be honest I was quite apprehensive about having girls coming to work, as it is hard and physically demanding. However, Marlene and Rachel made me change my mind within the first day. I had a great laugh with them and we got lots and lots of things done in the
… read more house. Thank you very much for all your help - it was very much appreciated and please stay in touch!
Vom Workawayer (RacheLene) für Host
Spending two weeks with Davina (May 2012) we had a really enjoyable and funny time with her and her present family (a great dog, a cat, 3 horses and a stunning goat). If you aim at doing workaway in a quiet, beautiful spot in the nature, Davina's farm is definitley the right place to go to. By her warm, welcoming character she made us feel very
… read more comfortable. There are different and lots of kinds of work to do; so you'll never get bored. We hope to return some day either to help making her dream come true or to see what the farm looks like in the end...Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Host für Workawayer (Tia)
Tia was fantastic and I was very sad to see her go. She really got stuck into the work - the seemingly endless task of taking out toxic plants on 16 hectares of fields and continued despite a sprain to her ankle - nothing was able to stop her.... Her enthusiasm for anything and everything, always with a smile and ready to have a laugh made her a
… read more great addition to our small team of 3!!! Thank you very much for all your help Tia and I hope you come back to visit and see how the dream progresses....
Vom Workawayer (Tia) für Host
This was my first WorkAway experience (July 2012) and Davina was the best person to do it with. She welcomes you into the family with lots of laughter; great food and excellent company (including all the personalities of the animals that keep you laughing!).
The tasks I performed on the farm were varied from day to day which kept it interesting
… read more (weeding, laying straw, clearing wood, knocking down walls, building stalls).
The place has so much character and I cant wait to return to continue helping or to see the finished product which will be stunning!!
Thank you for the fantastic 2 weeks Davina!
I highly recomend people to go experience this little bit of heaven. Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Host für Workawayer (Tom)
Tom got stuck in: that is he helped clear nearly a thousand stalks of bamboo. He didn't loose motivation, even though the task seemed at times rather insurmountable. He did really well with physically demanding work and was fun to have around, although at the end of four weeks hard slog, I think he was happy to go back to civilisation! Would be
… read more very happy to have him back - and promise it won't be bamboo next time!
Vom Workawayer (Tom) für Host
I stayed with Davina and George for around a month in October 2010 and had a really great experience on their farm. They were extremely welcoming and a real pleasure to stay with. I spent most of my working hours helping to clear some invasive bamboo and though it was very demanding physical work, it was great to work with Davina and her father
… read more Rolf and it was very satisfying to finally finish our work the day before I left. There is so much work to do and the range of tasks is very varied so that if anyone wants to get stuck in and is up for a real challenge I would thoroughly recommend getting touch. Thank you so much for everything :] Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Become part of our family in Marseille, France
Pug-sitting and Help out with tasks in our water mill in the Loire Valley, France
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Frankreich
Wenn du KEIN EU-BÜRGER bist und Frankreich besuchen möchtest, um dort zu arbeiten, zu studieren oder als Volunteer tätig zu sein, BRAUCHST DU DAS ENTSPRECHENDE VISUM. Um mehr darüber zu erfahren, solltest du dich VOR DEINER ABREISE von zu Hause an die Botschaft in deinem Land wenden.
Sprachpraxis
Gartenarbeiten
Heimwerker- und Bauarbeiten
Betreuung von Tieren
Mithilfe auf einem Bauernhof
Babysitten und Kinderbetreuung
Zubereiten / Kochen von Mahlzeiten für die Familie
Hausarbeiten
Nachhaltigkeit
Haustiere
Farmarbeit
Gärtnern
Heimwerken & DIY
Kochen & Backen
Gartenarbeiten
Tiere
Yoga / Wellness
Natur
Camping
Outdoor-Aktivitäten
Radfahren
