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Great opportunity to help care for my animals and my house in Normandy, France

France
Last activity : 27 Jun 2025

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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
25 Jun 2025
Reply rate
94.4 %
Usually responds within 2 days
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7
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Availability

2025

Min stay requested: 1 month or more

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What's this?

Details

Description
I live in the country about 8 k from the nearest village and 40 minutes from Rouen and have a huge garden, horses, dogs and cats. I would love some consistent dog and horse and cat sitters who would like to live in France and improve their French by being here . This is suitable for people who like the country and can drive. I need help in the garden and or basic repairs/ DIY like painting in the house and garden.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
House sitting
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Normandy is a great region of France, very cultural and historical so plenty to do and see.
Help
If you have a car/or can drive and would like to live in France and spend a minimum of 3 months helping to look after my house and animals
Help is
general gardening and maintenance
vegetable/ general gardening
pool maintenance
walking dogs
optional
yard and box cleaning (horses)
grooming
riding
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: Fluent
Welsh: Intermediate
This 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
Bathroom and private bedroom in house. Shared bathroom if other visitors arrive until further bathroom is finished.
What else ...
Normandy is a great place to visit. It s the birthplace of Impressionism. Paris is just an hour away by train and our local station has free parking. Rouen is a marvellous city as is Caen , Le Havre and then there is a wealth of delightful country towns, chateaux and markets to explore.

This is a good opportunity for someone who would like to live in France and have a truly French experience as the village is in the depths of the Normandy countryside. The nearest shop is 8klm.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
Can host digital nomads
I work online daily
Space for parking camper vans
plenty of space
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets

Host ref number: 158792788352

Website Safety

Feedback (7)

12 Aug 2024

Left by Workawayer (Andrew) for host

I had a short workaway with Elleri in Normandy after a long, but very rewarding 3 month workaway journey across Europe. Eleri was the perfect host and embraced the workaway culture by making my time with her as much about my traveling experience as it was about doing the tasks that she asked of me. On arrival, we discussed help that I could… read more

(Excellent )

16 Jul 2024

Left by Workawayer (James) for host

I was lucky to choose Eleri and her menagerie: Toby and Lucky the Labradors, and her 5 cats and 3 horses – as my first WorkAway hosts. She kindly picked me up from the Ferry at Caen, and I was immediately made to feel part of her easy going household and beautiful property in rural Normandy.

Tasks included helping her sort out her extraordinary… read more number of books. Also gardening, including maintaining (weeding, watering, feeding) and preparing (digging over, digging ash into, sowing seeds) vegetable beds outside and in and her small greenhouse. I helped her to spring-clean the patio and another WorkAwayer (with relevant experience) to lay indoor flooring. I helped to feed the animals, including when she was not in (I was a bit nervous of the horses at first, but we got used to each other). I helped her gardener, Patrice, weed her flower beds and set out her patio furniture for the summer. There were also lifting and reaching tasks – such as collecting firewood, which Eleri struggles with due to the recent unfortunate incident with her hip.

Eleri fed us well as she is an excellent cook, making honest, hearty meals every day (leaving us meals and instructions when she was not in). She showed me some cooking skills and how to make various meals she has learned from her phenomenal treks across the world, along with, of course, French dining classics. Meals were breakfast, lunch and a main meal late in the evening. We enjoyed watching a film or sports often after dinner or lunch. I learnt many interesting things from Eleri, including about the local area, the World, gardening, and even tying knots. I also enjoyed meeting Frank and some of her other family and friends (including from the French school she used to run).

The accommodation was fine, with a spacious upstairs bedroom and nearby bathroom shared with any other WorkAwayers or guests staying. I was able to do laundry.

Mwynheiais i dair wythnos gyda Eleri, ac Tobey a’r gang anifeliaid (dwy labradors (Toby a Lucky), pum cath a thri ceffyl), yn ei thŷ pert yn y gwlad, am fy WorkAway cyntaf. Casglodd Eleri fi o’r ferri yn Caen (1 awr i fwrdd), ac yna oeddwn yn nheimlo fel teulu yn unwaith.

Oedd swyddi yn cynnwys helpu i drefnu casgliad fawr o lyfrau Eleri, garddio – edrych ar ôl llysiau tu mas ac yn y tŷ gwydyr, glanhau’r patio, ac rhoi lawr llawr tu mewn (gyda gymorth o WorkAwayer oedd yn gwybod beth i’w wneud). Helpais i i ofalu am yr anifeliaid yn cynnwys pan aeth Eleri i ffwrdd (ces i arfer i’r cefylau ar ôl ychydig). Helpais Patrice, ei gaddwr, rhoi bwrdd a chaderion mas ar y patio am yr haf, a chwynni y gwely blodau. Hefyd gwnes i swyddi mae Eleri methu wneud achos damwain gyda ei chlun, fel casglu pren am y tân a swyddi eraill codi ac ymestun. Trafodd Eleri am Normandy, garddio, ac ei theithiau diddorol ar draws y byd.

Coginiodd Eleri bwydydd blasus o Ffrainc ac y byd eang, ac gadaodd bwyd pan oedd hi mas. Gan helpu, dysgais i lwyth o bethau am greu bwyd! Cawsom breckwast, cinio, ac wedyn swper fawr yn yr hwyr, ac yn aml gwylion ni drama neu chwaraeon ar ôl cinio neu swper. Oedd yn braf hefyd cwrdd â Frank a theulu a ffrindiau eraill Eleri (yn cynnwys o’r ysgol Frangeg oedd hi’n rhedeg).

Oedd llety yn digon iawn, gyda ystafell wely i lan y grisiau, ac ysafell olchi (gyda cawod a bath) i rhanni gyda unrhyw WorkAwayers neu ymwelwyr eraill. Gallwn i olchi fy dillad.

Diolch yn fawr, a dyminiadau gorau!

James,
canolbarth orllewin Cymru.

(Excellent )

19 Mar 2024

Left by Workawayer (Garry) for host

It was my first WorkAway stint and I was a bit apprehensive but
Eleri welcomed me into her home and made me feel like a family member.
I initially planned on staying 21/2 months but ended up staying for 5 months.
The horses, cats and dogs were no problem and I enjoyed my time there.
Highly recommend as a fantastic host (and the food was plentiful… read more

(Excellent )

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$The image depicts a serene scene of a white dog and a gray cat sleeping together on a couch, with the dog\'s head resting on a pillow.$

The image depicts a woman with short hair, wearing a dark jacket and white shirt, seated in a restaurant with a table and chairs in the background.

The image depicts two cats on a patio, with one cat's paw touching the other's face, set against a backdrop of a red chair and lush greenery.

Feedback

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:
(5.0)

12 Aug 2024

Left by Workawayer (Andrew) for host

(Excellent)

16 Jul 2024

Left by Workawayer (James) for host

(Excellent)

19 Mar 2024

Left by Workawayer (Garry) for host

(Excellent)

28 Sep 2022

Left by Workawayer (Niamh) for host

I loved my time with Eleri and Wendy so much that I extended my stay from 3 to 8 months and will without doubt be visiting again in the future.
It truly feels like a second home for me and all the jobs/work required are a pleasure and Eleri is very flexible based on your own skills and interests. I feel very involved in all aspects of life here… read more

(Excellent)

12 Dec 2021

Left by Workawayer (Miguel) for host

When I moved from Italy to France, I had the intention to be familiar with another culture and learn a new language. I was looking for a calm place where to focus on a writing project too. The choise couldn’t have been better. I came for the summer and I felt so well here that I decided to come back again, after my workaway experience of one month… read more in Paris.

Elleri is a very generous and gentle woman, full of those little gestures that make life nicer for everybody around her. Here, the art of hospitality remains. This is an always wellcoming home, with colleages, family, friend and old-workawayers coming and going. She has had a wide life experience and she can say that she has really travelled around the world. Although she is from welsh origin, she speaks a perfect french, after so many years leaving in France. I was offered to do online classes in her accademy, combining my voluntary tasks with the learning of the language.

She has been very flexible with my timetable. It has been up to me to decide how to fullfil my duties. The task are easy. Keep the swimming-pool in good conditions, some orchard, some gardening and taking care of the animals. She has two dogs (gentleman Lucky and youthful Toby), 5 cats (grampa Ben, kitten Keddy, nice ladies Four and Five and the Moriarty of food robbery-clever schemer-evil genius-James Bond’s villain... Bill). She has three horses too. Caid, Isis and Lalo. Each of them with its own personality. I has been my first experience with horses, and a very interesting one. In fact, one of my best memories of this summer is going in the sunset to the upper meadow, whistle to call them and come back to the stables with the three horses trotting around me.

In the house lives also Elleri’s mother, Wendy. With her I have been able to practise my english. She is a very cultured and intelectually active person. We have talked about literature, history, her travels, her life experiences... A real bonus for my time here. We usually watch a Netflix’s documentary after lunch and we have much enjoyed our time together.

Elleri’s house is in the middle of the nature, surrounded by trees and meadows. There are many paths to walk around and now, in autumn, with the forests red yellow and green, is even more relaxing. It’s a perfect place for cycling (in the house there are two bycicles). Here I have fond the perfect place to focus on my writing project. There is a great library in the house and the section about traveling, is really amazing. I have never got bored. In this time I have been able to visit Rouen, Mount Saint-Michele, Evreux, Lisieux, Omagagh Beach, Honfleur, Deaville… I could even join the village trip to the forest to go for mushrooms and I went chez Brigitte, her neighbourgh and friend, to make cider with her. One of the things I have more liked about Elleri is her habit of not taking the direct path to places, strolling with the car around the norman countryside, visiting little villages and enjoying the landscape.

Perfect time the time in this home . Real focus , such a good use of time, meeting interesting people, listening to good stories, sightseeing… Perfect place to leave behind any stress. Every day we have dinner together (now, in the autumn with the fireplace on) and watch a film. Elleri is an excellent cook, with so many recipes that she has learnt in her journeys around the world. Always with a good glass of wine. Perfect end for the perfect days I have lived here.

Long comment... but this home deserves a long one. This has been one of my best experiences as a workawayer. I reccomend you to come, mainly is you want to go out of the rat race of everyday life, search yourself or focus on a project you’d love to pursue. I know I will be back, as many other long-term voluntaries do. I feel that after such a great time here, I am part of this home and this family.

(Excellent)

27 Feb 2019

Left by Workawayer (Daniel) for host

I would highly recommend volunteering with the hostess, I stayed 3 months in this beautiful sight, in the lovely Normandy.
I not just made a lot of progress with my French level, as well as became a very good friend with Eleri. She has lovely dogs, cats and horses wich are great distractions and specially for those animal lovers.
I will always… read more

(Excellent)

16 Jan 2019

Left by Workawayer (Emma) for host

My experience with Eleri at her place was really good. Only when the time goes by you really realize how much you learned.
At the beginning I was expecting to do some work and then it changed because of the needs and my skills and we two were flexible and it worked good. She is someone that looks after you and that you can talk to and the French… read more

(Excellent)

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Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in France Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Europe Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in Upper Normandy Individual France House sitting France Other France Last minute Homestays, Volunteering & Working Holidays in France

Great opportunity to help care for my animals and my house in Normandy, France

Profile information

Host rating

Last replied

Reply rate

Feedback

Email verified

Badges (2)

Find your perfect host

Availability

Details

Description

Types of help and learning opportunities

Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

Help

Languages

Accommodation

What else ...

A little more information

Can host digital nomads

Space for parking camper vans

How many Workawayers can stay?

My animals / pets

Feedback (7)

Photos

Feedback