France
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We are a recently-retired couple looking to live quietly and sustainably in a peaceful part of France. We have a wide experience of travel and life. Predominantly vegetarian, our interests/skills include engineering, accountancy, teaching , skiing, walking, canoeing/kayaking , cookery, crafts, and gardening.
We are British, and speak English as our first language, but we speak some other languages more or less fluently.
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help with Eco Projects
Help around the house
Animal Care
Charity Work
Language practice
Teaching
There may be opportunities to learn many skills such as sustainable living, permaculture-based gardening, building and decorating, opportunity to use equipment such as sand blasters, welders and work in fully equipped woodworking workshop.
We are bringing back to life a 500 year old French house in the foothills of the Pyrenees that has suffered more than 50 years of neglect. It has a fertile garden that is totally, naturally organic but needs clearing and planting with our choice of vegetation rather than what chooses to grow there itself (in great profusion).
The sort of jobs that we would like help with include food preservation, re-organising, repairing, rebuilding, decorating in the house, clearing, landscaping, planting, weeding, power and other tool maintenance and repair.
We are looking for fit and healthy individuals already experienced in gardening and house maintenance who are prepared to work honestly for board (very good vegetarian food) and lodgings whilst travelling the world.
This is not a retreat and we are not medically trained to deal with any health issues or help anyone who is taking any form of medication, suffering from depression or similar, take drugs or other stimulants, drink alcohol, or smoke cigarettes or otherwise.
We need help 5 hrs per day, with breaks in between, Monday to Friday and have weekends free. Saturdays and Sundays are also our days off. We have bicycles you can borrow from us.
We cannot accommodate people with children or pets.
For those with nut allergies, also note, we eat tree nuts a lot.
It is important that everyone has a suitable visa and health/accident insurance in place.
For health and safety reasons you must speak fluent English or French.
We would welcome a native French speaker who could help us improve our command of this beautiful language.
We would also like to learn Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.
The nearest airport is Toulouse, or there is a wide choice of local, national and international buses and trains. We can meet you at any convenient pick up point by arrangement.
If this sounds like your kind of opportunity we would love to hear from you.
BEFORE SENDING AN ENQUIRY TO US PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE READ THE WHOLE OF OUR PROFILE AS THERE ARE POINTS IN IT YOU NEED TO ADDRESS.
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Accommodation (with WiFi) is in a shared room with shared bathroom. The room will be equipped with single beds and bedding, bed linen and towels will be provided. We will all take part/turns in preparing our food, cooking, washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen after meals, and other domestic chores such as sweeping and mopping floors of the areas we all use, and topping up spring water etc., unless agreed otherwise. Basically, keeping tidy the environment we all spend time in. These tasks will be in addition to the 5 hrs of help required.
It is absolutely necessary for you to be an established vegetarian/vegan before your arrival here, and be able to cook vegetarian/vegan food.
During times off there are plenty of opportunities for walking and cycling, and sometimes rafting and canoeing. The house is in the Pyrenees where there are many interesting hiking trails.
Please note, we do not have Television.
If you think this might suit you, please write to us explaining how you think your skills, personality and experience would be helpful to us, and what you hope to get from your stay with us. Please feel free to ask any specific questions if the information you need is not covered in the profile.
The expectation is that we all be washed, dressed and ready in good time to help prepare breakfast to be had at 8.00 am and start work at 9.00 am.
In order for this to be possible we expect that we finish any activities and are asleep by 11 pm.
When applying please confirm your agreement to the above two sentences, your understanding that the project is in the small village in the Pyrenees, and that it is not a farm.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Two
5 hours a day, 5 days a week
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.8)
