Hilf mit auf unserer wunderschönen Esel- und Lavendelfarm im Herzen der herrlichen Natur des Gers, Frankreich
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: 2 Mai 2025
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Feedback (12)
Vom Workawayer (Isabel) für Host
What an amazing experience it has been working with Cécile & Manu on their farm in Gers!
From start to finish, they were the kindest, most welcoming family. They taught me the meaning of true hard work but also how to live and to do what you love. Their story was a real inspiration and to hear how far they have come since first buying their land
… read more & property all that time ago is incredible. I have learnt so much during my time at their place - from donkey milking to making & packaging cosmetics to harvesting crops in their fields. I lived in a cosy, well equipped mobile home with three other workawayers, with plenty of organic food provided, and many an additional treat offered by the family from dinners with their family, BBQs, and, of course, many a pousse-rapière! Most importantly, I met some of the most wonderful people; Cécile, Manu & their children, Yvette (tenant), Valérie (a 22 year old Swiss workawayer with the most beautiful soul who became a really close friend of mine) and many others along the way.
I could never have wished for a better first experience with workaway. I stayed their for a month and I could've easily stayed much longer. I would most certainly love to come back upon my return from China.
Sincerely, thank you, Cécile & Manu, for this invaluable, unforgettable experience.
Vom Workawayer (Karolina Marietta) für Host
Had a wonderful time with Manu, Cecil, the kids & the donkeys in summer 2017 - highly recommend the farmstay! The work (weeding the rosemary and veggie fields, milking the donkeys, cleaning the stables, pecking lavender, making soups, lavender oil etc.) was exhausting - as expected - but always fun, exciting and a great experience! Really enjoyed
… read more to get insights & learnings throughout the whole "supply chain" from caring about the plants and animals (learned to milk donkeys by the way) over the production and branding of the products (laboratory work) until the sales of our soaps, oils etc. at romantic nightmarkets in beautiful small villages around Auch, Southern France. Staying with the family and other volunteers from Germany, Brasil and the US was fun, loved the daily food-, travel-& sustainabiity-exchange at the campfire, the dance-festival, farmers markets and discussions about music, literature, german "Kartoffelsalat" & "Kaiserschmarrn" and the "nasty frensh boys in the sunflower fields" ;) Hope to see u again someday, wishing you all the best with further ideas like the donkey-bar with lavender-beer & the lavender-ice-cream - would be a thing, you should cooperate with THE (!!) ice-cream boys from the nightmarkets. Cheers from the pyrenean girl (I did wave to you from the mountain huts, hope the love reached you :)), from southern Germany, KarolinaDu kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Sarah) für Host
You’d be hard pressed to find two harder working people than Cécile and Manu.
The Farm is a wonderful example of two people’s dream becoming reality through hard work and perseverance.
Work Overview:
If you’re expecting a leisurely holiday farm stay, do not waste your or Cécile and Manu’s time.
I was on the farm in June of 2017, during this
… read more period we were mostly weeding the crops of Lavender, Calendula, and Immortelle in preparation for harvest. Being an organic farm, the weeding was done mostly by hand (and hoe), or by mower in the larger fields.
Make no mistake, you are on this farm to work, and the work is mostly physical labour. That being said, if you ever injured or incapable of doing physical work, there will still be less strenuous tasks to do.
The milking of the donkeys began in mid-June with two donkeys, but quickly became 5 as the foals reached 3 months of age.
Milking the donkeys in itself is not a difficult task, but a lot of care and precision is needed in order to keep everything hygienic.
Listening to Cécile’s instructions, and clarifying with her if you have any questions is very important.
The most relaxing job on the farm (I found) was in the packaging and finishing of the various cosmetic products that they produce. These tasks are somewhat fiddly (writing batch numbers, stamping boxes, applying labels), but once you’ve found your rhythm time seems to fly.
With June also being the tail end of Spring, there were also a few babies on the farm, including two lambs, the donkey foals (of course), as well as a littler of kittens. Suffice to say, Spring/Summer is the time to go if what you want to see is farm babies!
Accomodation:
When I was there, Workawayers had a room to themselves on the first floor of the family’s home.
There were 2 bunk beds in the room, which are fantastically comfortable.
The bathroom was shared with the kids, Swann and Yuyu.
The relaxing spaces within the house for volunteers were limited to the kitchen area and the bedroom. This is because the house is open plan, and the family needs space for themselves. Respect their boundaries.
Manu is working on an outbuilding (the Gite), which will apparently be the main accommodation for Workawayers and interns in the future.
Food:
Most of the food is prepared by Cécile, and is DELICIOUS!
A majority of the food is vegetarian, with little meat, and almost everything is organic and sourced locally.
Breakfast is a simple affair of toast, jam, and tea or coffee, with lunch being the main meal of the day. Dinner is usually a mixture of leftovers from lunch, or something light.
Rest assured, you will not go hungry!
You’ll also be asked to prepare a meal from your home country sometime during your stay, so start thinking now!
Communication:
Contact through Workaway was great.
My initial message was responded to promptly, and was clear with where to travel to, and the dates they would expect me.
Once on the farm, Cécile would discuss the following day’s tasks in the evening after dinner so everyone knew when and where they were expected.
Again, if you have any queries about the task you’ve been given, clarify with Cécile or Manu before proceeding! They will appreciate you asking again, rather than possibly making a big mistake or compromising something.
Recommendations:
While the food provided is delicious, the only thing I would recommend is that the Workawayers be asked if there is anything from the supermarket that they’d like specifically (at their own expense or otherwise), and that fly screens be fitted on the Workaway window in the summertime. There are a lot of flies. And I’m from Australia, the land of flies.
Other:
Be aware that once you’re on the farm….you’re on the farm.
There is no bus service nearby, so travelling on your day off is almost a no go.
Overall:
This was a great first Workaway experience, and I would recommend the farm to anyone interested in cosmetic production, donkey husbandry, or just going off grid for a while. Oh, and practicing your French. And playing card games with the kids.
I
f you have any specific questions about my experience, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Thank you again to Cécile and Manu for hosting me!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Weitere Bilder
Cécile and Hiromi on a traditional market
Manu and a group of workaway
Cécile : Harvesting lavender
Feedback
Vom Workawayer (Isabel) für Host
What an amazing experience it has been working with Cécile & Manu on their farm in Gers!
From start to finish, they were the kindest, most welcoming family. They taught me the meaning of true hard work but also how to live and to do what you love. Their story was a real inspiration and to hear how far they have come since first buying their land
… read more & property all that time ago is incredible. I have learnt so much during my time at their place - from donkey milking to making & packaging cosmetics to harvesting crops in their fields. I lived in a cosy, well equipped mobile home with three other workawayers, with plenty of organic food provided, and many an additional treat offered by the family from dinners with their family, BBQs, and, of course, many a pousse-rapière! Most importantly, I met some of the most wonderful people; Cécile, Manu & their children, Yvette (tenant), Valérie (a 22 year old Swiss workawayer with the most beautiful soul who became a really close friend of mine) and many others along the way.
I could never have wished for a better first experience with workaway. I stayed their for a month and I could've easily stayed much longer. I would most certainly love to come back upon my return from China.
Sincerely, thank you, Cécile & Manu, for this invaluable, unforgettable experience.
Vom Workawayer (Karolina Marietta) für Host
Had a wonderful time with Manu, Cecil, the kids & the donkeys in summer 2017 - highly recommend the farmstay! The work (weeding the rosemary and veggie fields, milking the donkeys, cleaning the stables, pecking lavender, making soups, lavender oil etc.) was exhausting - as expected - but always fun, exciting and a great experience! Really enjoyed
… read more to get insights & learnings throughout the whole "supply chain" from caring about the plants and animals (learned to milk donkeys by the way) over the production and branding of the products (laboratory work) until the sales of our soaps, oils etc. at romantic nightmarkets in beautiful small villages around Auch, Southern France. Staying with the family and other volunteers from Germany, Brasil and the US was fun, loved the daily food-, travel-& sustainabiity-exchange at the campfire, the dance-festival, farmers markets and discussions about music, literature, german "Kartoffelsalat" & "Kaiserschmarrn" and the "nasty frensh boys in the sunflower fields" ;) Hope to see u again someday, wishing you all the best with further ideas like the donkey-bar with lavender-beer & the lavender-ice-cream - would be a thing, you should cooperate with THE (!!) ice-cream boys from the nightmarkets. Cheers from the pyrenean girl (I did wave to you from the mountain huts, hope the love reached you :)), from southern Germany, KarolinaDu kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Sarah) für Host
You’d be hard pressed to find two harder working people than Cécile and Manu.
The Farm is a wonderful example of two people’s dream becoming reality through hard work and perseverance.
Work Overview:
If you’re expecting a leisurely holiday farm stay, do not waste your or Cécile and Manu’s time.
I was on the farm in June of 2017, during this
… read more period we were mostly weeding the crops of Lavender, Calendula, and Immortelle in preparation for harvest. Being an organic farm, the weeding was done mostly by hand (and hoe), or by mower in the larger fields.
Make no mistake, you are on this farm to work, and the work is mostly physical labour. That being said, if you ever injured or incapable of doing physical work, there will still be less strenuous tasks to do.
The milking of the donkeys began in mid-June with two donkeys, but quickly became 5 as the foals reached 3 months of age.
Milking the donkeys in itself is not a difficult task, but a lot of care and precision is needed in order to keep everything hygienic.
Listening to Cécile’s instructions, and clarifying with her if you have any questions is very important.
The most relaxing job on the farm (I found) was in the packaging and finishing of the various cosmetic products that they produce. These tasks are somewhat fiddly (writing batch numbers, stamping boxes, applying labels), but once you’ve found your rhythm time seems to fly.
With June also being the tail end of Spring, there were also a few babies on the farm, including two lambs, the donkey foals (of course), as well as a littler of kittens. Suffice to say, Spring/Summer is the time to go if what you want to see is farm babies!
Accomodation:
When I was there, Workawayers had a room to themselves on the first floor of the family’s home.
There were 2 bunk beds in the room, which are fantastically comfortable.
The bathroom was shared with the kids, Swann and Yuyu.
The relaxing spaces within the house for volunteers were limited to the kitchen area and the bedroom. This is because the house is open plan, and the family needs space for themselves. Respect their boundaries.
Manu is working on an outbuilding (the Gite), which will apparently be the main accommodation for Workawayers and interns in the future.
Food:
Most of the food is prepared by Cécile, and is DELICIOUS!
A majority of the food is vegetarian, with little meat, and almost everything is organic and sourced locally.
Breakfast is a simple affair of toast, jam, and tea or coffee, with lunch being the main meal of the day. Dinner is usually a mixture of leftovers from lunch, or something light.
Rest assured, you will not go hungry!
You’ll also be asked to prepare a meal from your home country sometime during your stay, so start thinking now!
Communication:
Contact through Workaway was great.
My initial message was responded to promptly, and was clear with where to travel to, and the dates they would expect me.
Once on the farm, Cécile would discuss the following day’s tasks in the evening after dinner so everyone knew when and where they were expected.
Again, if you have any queries about the task you’ve been given, clarify with Cécile or Manu before proceeding! They will appreciate you asking again, rather than possibly making a big mistake or compromising something.
Recommendations:
While the food provided is delicious, the only thing I would recommend is that the Workawayers be asked if there is anything from the supermarket that they’d like specifically (at their own expense or otherwise), and that fly screens be fitted on the Workaway window in the summertime. There are a lot of flies. And I’m from Australia, the land of flies.
Other:
Be aware that once you’re on the farm….you’re on the farm.
There is no bus service nearby, so travelling on your day off is almost a no go.
Overall:
This was a great first Workaway experience, and I would recommend the farm to anyone interested in cosmetic production, donkey husbandry, or just going off grid for a while. Oh, and practicing your French. And playing card games with the kids.
I
f you have any specific questions about my experience, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Thank you again to Cécile and Manu for hosting me!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Sally) für Host
I spent 2.5 weeks with Cecile, Manu, Rebecca & family in August 2017 (as Ethylene mentioned in her feedback, min 3-4 weeks is better, so that you can really get in to the flow). The main task was milking the donkeys twice a day, and then freezing the milk. This is a crucial part of the soap-making process, so there wasn't much room for error and
… read more it was important to learn quickly. I also helped to make soap, boxed & labelled soap & oils, helped out at a market, and helped out in the boutique (I speak French), which I really enjoyed. There is a lot to do, Manu & Cecile work extremely hard and expect Workaways to be motivated in supporting them. I stayed in a shared room in the family house, with 2 other Workaways (however, Manu is in the process of finishing a separate apartment for Workaways). As this was a busy period, each week we had Sundays & an afternoon off. Most communication is in English. The farm is in a lovely spot with amazing sunsets. It's quite isolated, but there are some nice walks in the surrounding countryside. All meals are with the family, and Cecile's cooking is really great, and all organic. I learned a lot about donkey care, soap-making and natural cosmetics. If you have a genuine interest in donkeys and/or natural cosmetics, this is an inspirational place to spend time.Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Ethelene) für Host
What an amazing experience working with donkeys! Pyrenean donkeys are huge! It's not as easy as it looks, it takes a lot of physical effort working with the animals. Like moving a herd of donkeys from one field to another. It's not a walk in the park I imagined it to be. Also, I was a little uneasy with the milking part having spent most of my
… read more life in cities and not having spent time around large farm animals before, but I loved it! I had so much to learn in so little time. And Rebecca and Cecile were very understanding. They were supportive and give lots of encouragement, and also generous to share their knowledge and experiences. Unfortunately, it was extra busy when I was there and didn't have a whole lot of opportunity to ask about everything I wanted to know.
The cute, furry baby donkeys are adorable though, and I'm fortunate to have been able to spend a bit more time around them, bottle-feeding Hwango, with the sweet and gentle Forrest, who's too old for bottle-feeding but always wants some as well.
I love the whole experience and being involved in the entire (nearly, my stay was unfortunately too short) process of soap making from start to finish. It's a lot of work on a daily basis, but there is also so much to learn. The work in the lab is very interesting but it takes getting used to, a lot of focus, multi-tasking, planning and time management, coordinating, nagging awareness on the necessary sanitation and hygiene, and a lot of new information to process...keeping all these in mind, I sometimes forget to breathe. But, doing the finishing touches of the products upstairs is a good time to catch up on breathing :-) I stayed just short of 3 weeks (and it really should be the minimum, if not 4), which is barely enough time to really get into all of it.
Of course, Manu, Cecile and Rebecca are great, too! As well, the workawayers I've met during my short stay at the farm are fabulous! The food is always good and of highest quality, some coming from the their very own garden. They try their best to accommodate your needs even when they're busy with everything, which is pretty much all the time.Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Annelise) für Host
I spent three weeks at this farm and it was wonderful! I got to be involved in the soapmaking processs, which was a totally new experience for me, as well as spend time with the donkeys and explore a really beautiful landscape. Cecile and Manu are great hosts and very thoughtful.
Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Erika & Brianna) für Host
We spent just short of three weeks with Manu & Cecile in October 2016. Our experience at the farm was unique and unforgettable. We both found it amazing to be part of every step of the soap making process from the milking of the donkeys to the packaging and selling to customers. The work included many different tasks including feeding the sheep,
… read more some gardening, making soap and other products in the lab, milking the donkeys, packaging and labeling products, and gathering orders. We stayed in a bedroom with one other Workawayer and were overall pleased with the accommodations. Being on the farm, there are lots of flies inside and outside! You must be able to entertain yourself during freetime as the farm is obviously isolated. We spent time going for walks, reading books and relaxing in the beautiful fall weather. We loved spending time with the family, playing with the kids and sitting down together for every meal. The food was delicious!
Thank you Manu and Cecile for hosting us! We enjoyed our time in France and would love to come back someday!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Julia) für Host
I spent an amazing month at this farm. I am not gonna lie to you: it was a lot of work every single day and as you are in the middle of nowhere there's not much you can do besides taking long walks.
But the whole experience was just so special, fun and unique, that I am already thinking about coming back at some point. Also working with and
… read more meeting other workawayers was great.
I feel like I met Manu und Cecil at the right time in my life. Listening to their 'life story' was very inspiring for me.
I wish them all the best with their business! I already miss the family meals and all the fluffy donkeys.
MERCI for an amazing time!!Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Megan) für Host
I had a beautiful experience here with everyone. Cécile, Manu, Yuyu, Swann, all the animals & the donkeys. Everything was wonderful! Not to mention being surrounded by beautiful rolling valleys where there are incredible sunsets every evening.
This farm made my entire experience while I was in France. I am so happy I came here for a month. If
… read more you think you want to come for a week.. I promise you, you will be sad to leave after such a short time. There are so many wonderful things you get to learn from working with the donkeys, to creating soap, & many many other things. Not to mention all the other people you will meet from different countries who are there volunteering as well.
Come here! You will have such a beautiful experience~ I know I will be coming back again :) Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (María) für Host
I had an amazing experience and learned lots of new things! Manu and Cécile are very nice and I felt part of the family since I arrived to the farm. I also improved my french a lot!
See you soon :)
Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Antoine) für Host
I spend almost a month with them, and I feel quickly at home, comfortable, useful. I've met beautiful persons, beautiful kids and workawayers. Congratulation Manu for your crowdfunding, I'm really glad. Hope all went well with the house. I often ask to myself "What happened with the new stairs ? " I want to come back to see by myself the results.
… read more
See you Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
Vom Workawayer (Nicole) für Host
Had a fantastic time staying with Manu and Cecil - would highly recommend! They really made us feel part of the family and went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and have the best experience in their region. Can't wait to go back and visit their new house once it's all finished! See you again soon
Du kannst nur Workawayer mit aktiver Mitgliedschaft kontaktieren.
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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.
Karitative Arbeit
Hilfe bei Ökoprojekten
Gartenarbeiten
Heimwerker- und Bauarbeiten
Betreuung von Tieren
Mithilfe auf einem Bauernhof
Handwerkliche Arbeiten
