Experience local life while staying at our Estate in Dordogne, France

Details

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  Description

  We moved to the Dordogne from Jersey, in the Channel Islands, in 2003, with our three children and 3 dogs. All of the kids (adults really) live at home (mostly).
  
  Depending on the time of year, this will dictate the type of help we need, getting the garden in shape in Spring, or helping in the house. Life is certainly a mixed bag.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We have integrated into French society, so workawayers would be invited to join in, whether we are visiting local friends and events or entertaining.
  
  Just 10 minutes away you'll find Brantome, a hotspot for tourists, not to mention 1000 chateaux in the whole Dordogne to visit, Jumilhac Le Grand and Hautfort are two local to us. The Grottes (caves) at Villars, Padirac and Tourtirac are amazing experiences. If you're into activities then there is 1km of fishing here on the Domaine or we can arrange a licence for you to go further afield; canoeing is also very popular, either from Brantome down to Bourdeilles (a 5 hour trip) or just messing about on our bit of the River Cole in our canoe.
  
  If you're looking to improve your English or French language then we're happy to help. There are local centres where you can also enrol (short term). Painting classes are available from professionals with views over the French countryside that are memories never forgotten. Perhaps you are into Yoga? The riverbank is perfect, calm with just the sound of the water flowing over the weir. Walking, hiking and cycle paths lead from the property into the countryside and we have maps so you don't lose your way, all the paths are signposted.

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  Help

  We have a few maintenance jobs to do outside, so would love some help in the garden with a bit of painting involved too. We may also have river maintenance, pools maintenance, painting and decorating, building renovation, garden maintenance & gardening, quite a mixed bag really.
  
  We are busier in the Spring, Summer and Autumn, but will usually have opportunities for those willing and able. You may just be asked to muck in with whatever we are doing, so flexibility is necessary.
  
  We are looking to 2024 now and if you're looking ahead too then come and join us.
  
  Are you ready and able to give us some help, are you free for a month or part thereof, or even longer? The weather is normally very hot from June to the end of September and most of the work will be outside in the garden, or perhaps a bit of decorating, are you handy with a brush?

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  We prefer couples as our accommodation is a double bed in our guest room.
  
  Workawayers will be in our guest double bedroom, with an ensuite shower, or another double bedroom with en-suite bath/shower, or a tent as a last resort if we run out of space!
  
  In the Summer, those staying in a tent will be sharing the shower room in the pool bouse with those using the family pool.

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  What else ...

  Our place is set on the outskirts of a local village (St. Pierre de Cole) where you will find a boulangerie, local grocery shop, post office and restaurant/bar, just a 10 minute walk or 2 minute bike ride. 10 minutes west is Brantome a local tourist attraction and very busy in the Summer months. We are not on a bus route, but will provide bikes for workawayers to use and will offer lifts to nearby villages and towns. We have a quad for use on the estate, you'll need to be a confident driver to use this, helmets are available.
  
  We are meat & fish eaters and prefer not to cater for vegans, but are flexible.
  We have dogs, so please don't apply if you are allergic, also we cannot accept your pets. We also do not accept families with children. There is a strict no smoking policy in the house and other buildings, but smokers may smoke outside. We do not accept heavy drinkers and we will not tolerate drugs.
  
  On a lighter note, we hope that workawayers would enjoy their time with us, we are hard working and expect the same attitude, however we are also very sociable and entertain gite guests and friends, we would hope that you would join in any entertaining.
  
  Our recipe book expands every year with dishes from all over the world. We hope you will get as much out of your visit to us here in the Dordogne as possible and we will help you to explore all the wonderful sites and sounds on offer, whether it be kayaking on the River Cole which runs through our property into the River Dronne in Brantome, or fishing along our 1km of riverbank, or visiting the local markets and tasting fresh fruit & veg, not to mention a local delicacy of foie gras! and finally joining us when we entertain round the fire pit on a sultry Summers evening, nursing a cold beer. Spring starts in March, with blossom coming on all the apple and cherry trees, daffodils and crocuses along the riverbank; Summer normally comes in with a bang in May and carries on until October when the evenings start to get a chill, thank goodness for the fire pit! We look forward to welcoming you into our family for your stay and hope you get as much out of it as we do.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 5 hours/day, 5 days/week

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