Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
25 Sep 2021
Feedback
14
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Bonjour!
We are a very sociable English family who have been living in Limoux in SW France since 2006. We fell in love with a renovation project here, gave up our teaching jobs and upped sticks with our 3 young children. Over 15 years later we don't have any regrets. We have renovated ( and just recently sold) our house, the children are now bilingual the 2 oldest have graduated from Toulouse University, our daughter is travelling in Australia and our eldest son works in Toulouse and our youngest son is studying for his Bac .We have also have built a business running art and craft workshops for adults and children.
Life is busy , with family to look after and a business to run and we always have several projects on the go!
In 2018 we bought an old building in the centre of town and moved our business into the shop premises on the ground floor. We are in the process of converting the 2 floors above our shop into our future home. We are hoping to move into part of it in December 2021 There is still a lot to do, and an extra pair of hands right now is what we're looking for.
Our Work Away expérience has been overwhelmingly positive so far. We love the ethos and have enjoyed hosting and meeting people from many different backgrounds, countries and cultures. During your stay with us you will be treated as one of the family. Meal times are an important time for coming together and sharing thoughts and experiences. We cook and eat together and share household chores .
We're currently staying in a large character house with a garden in the center of Limoux, a large market town 25 minutes from Carcassonne. It's a 2 minute walk to the town square where there are many bars and restaurants. Market day is every Friday and during July and August there is a night market every Tuesday . We are a 10 minute walk to the train station where, for €1, you can get the train into Carcassonne, which has good links to further afield.
We are interested in art, sport, music, cooking, film, etc and are always keen to learn and share new skills. We should also mention that we have a friendly cat and that we are all fully vaccinated.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We love to cook a variety of world cuisine and look forward to sharing our interest. Although not vegetarian ourselves we are happy to be guided !
Merrilees has a background in art and design and is a fan of DIY and property renovation shows ... Ian is a football and rugby fan and is always happy to watch a match or two
Our eldest son lives in Toulouse but, when home, plays guitar and sings and loves any opportunity to jam. Our daughter is currently away travelling and our youngest son is a keen football player and is teaching himself to play guitar
We are happy to share our knowledge and experiences of starting a new life abroad and what we have learnt about renovating an older property in France.
For non native English speakers, we are used to hosting french children for English language immersion and Ian has a TEFL qualification .
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are looking for an extra pair of hands to help with any of the following : light DIY jobs, painting /decorating, gardening, cooking and cleaning.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Accommodation
Double guest bedroom, ensuite bathroom
What else ...
Limoux is in the heart of Cathar country , lots of local history, great for walking and hiking and activities such as white water rafting, canoeing, kayaking and horse riding. It is surrounded by vineyards, famous for the sparkling wine Blanquette de Limoux, not far from the Mediterranean coast and local lakes and mountains. If you're into cycling, this is also Tour de France terrain with Limoux being a staging post for 2 of the past 3 years.
Limoux can also boast a 3 month long carnival season from January to March (Fecos de Limoux) A 3 hour drive will see you in Barcelona, or if you're planning on coming out of season we are 90 minutes from the ski resorts.
Our nearest airports are Carcassonne (25minutes) and Toulouse (90 minutes).
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Variable max 5 hours 5 days a week
Feedback (9)
It was lovely having him around the house, he got on well with everybody and was always polite and friendly.
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
It was lovely having him around the house, he got on well with everybody and was always polite and friendly.
He helped us with our renovation project and. wasn’t afraid of hard work.He used his initiative and was incredibly tidy, which was much appreciated!
He was also great around the house, very sociable and a good cook.
Welcome back here anytime Pablo!
My job was… read more
I mostly helped with painting and doing a bit of sanding and waxing around the house, although I assume the work will vary… read more
The work was varied and the family made sure that the jobs suited our skills and interests. Spending time in their shop gave us a great insight into how to run a successful arts and craft… read more
