Profile information
Host rating
85 %
Last replied
12 Aug 2023
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Details
Description
This Dutch family living in south-western France in a former farmhouse is looking for cheerful, responsible and hardworking helpers who can assist us with the daily ongoing things in our household as well as with everlasting (so it seems) restoration work and maintenance of the premises. This would include stonework, maintenance of the fences and hedges, pruning, gardening. We are also seem to have always building activities going on with which we could use your help. We also love helpers who could cook for us, to make sure we keep a healthy nutrition plan throughout summer, when it is difficult for us to be steady (due to work).
Besides maintaining and restoring the place, we are busy with teaching and Beer is currently engaged in a PHD research project, which takes up quite some time. And age comes in: we have to rest a bit more than we had to do twenty, thirty years ago :-). So any help with the maintenance and restoring of this beautiful place and premises would be very welcome. We do appreciate autonomous and creative minds and love discussing the projects we are working on.
We have four children in the Netherlands and raised two daughters in France.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
As we do with all our guests, we would like to share this wonderful property with workawayers, as we think that working together is a great way to learn important competencies and to build lasting relationships. We have had some experience with a Swedish and some Dutch helpers for a couple of years. Workawayers can learn some French with us and explore the area (depending on whether they have a drivers licence) or can come with us to Niort and La Rochelle to visit these cities when we have to go there for work or get you on a bus at the nearest city.
Helpers and workawayers can benefit from the insights into family and professional life in the French countryside while enjoying space and tranquillity inside the house and in the near environment.
As a Dutch family living in France, and also because of our professional activities, we are constantly reflecting on and highly interested in the cultural aspects of living abroad and the implications of hospitality. How do workawayers learn to navigate the different cultures they encounter and how do hosts do so?
Help
We have a great choice of things to be done :-). We are currently looking for people who can help us with the following:
- restoring a low stone wall
- work on the premises (gardening, maintenance, restructuring)
- cooking, cleaning and help in our house
- help in the vegetable garden!
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Accommodation
Depending on the period you will stay with us, we do have a fully furnished caravan or in-house guestroom available. One of the projects includes preparing a second in-house guestroom, with kitchen and shower area :-)!
What else ...
There is no local transportation, but we commute to the city of Niort on an almost daily basis. The area around our house is ideal for walking and cycling.
We have a piano and three libraries for those who like reading and enough space to be able to isolate yourself when you need personal time. During summer season, you can enjoy time at the swimming pool!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We are working from home most of the time, and have done so for the last thirty years, so we fully understand how this works. You have Internet access in the office, under the 'hangar' in summer (great place to work from) and in a substantial part of the premises. It is not always great great, but as I indicated: we work online and very rarely it is problematic.
Space for parking camper vans
Well... we have a complete field almost alone for you.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
