Experience Provencial family life in Paradou, France

Details

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  Description

  We are a Franco-British family of five living in Paradou, a beautiful little Provençal village in the Alpilles, in the South of France, and we are looking for someone to join us from September 2026 until July 2027, ideally for the whole school year.
  
  We have three children — Gia, 6, Tammi, 5, and Otto, 2 — as well as Poppy our dog, Piotr our cat and three tortoises who roam around the garden.
  
  We are looking for someone warm, independent and reliable who genuinely enjoys being around young children and would like to become part of our slightly busy, very sociable family life for a year.
  
  
  We look forward to meeting you!
  
  Pauline & Theo

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Light gardening

  Animal Care

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  House & pet sitting
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  Interests

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Self development

  

  Culture

  

  Movies & TV

  

  Pets

  

  Fashion or beauty

  

  Languages

  

  Performing arts

  

  Plant care

  

  Photography

  

  Music

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Gardening

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Architecture

  

  Art & design

  

  Animals

  

  Nature

  

  Hiking
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are a french speaking household so you would also be learning French while you’re here.
  
  We hope you'll feel at home with us, while also having plenty of independence, your own space and the freedom to make the most of your year in Provence.
  
  It's a wonderful place if you enjoy being outdoors: you can walk or hike straight into the Alpilles, explore the surrounding villages and markets, and experience a genuine Provençal way of life.

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  Au Pair Help

  Further details can be found here

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  The girls attend our local village schools, while Otto goes to nursery in the neighbouring village. This means that during the week all three children are out during the day.
  
  Our main need for help is during what we call our "evening tunnel" — that slightly crazy period between collecting three children and getting everyone fed, bathed and into bed!
  
  From Monday to Friday, you'll generally help us from around 5:00/5:30 pm until 8:30 pm.
  
  You'll help with school and nursery pick-ups, then we'll come home for some playtime before moving on to baths, dinner and bedtime.
  
  Most of the time, one of us will be doing this alongside you. We're not looking for someone to take over our three children every evening. We're looking for an extra pair of hands so that we can divide and conquer and make this busy part of the day enjoyable for everyone.
  
  Dinner is at the heart of this routine and we normally all eat together. You'll help us prepare dinner, set the table and clear up afterwards.
  
  Breakfast is at around 7:30 am on weekdays. You're always welcome to join us, but there is no obligation to do so.
  
  We generally aren't home for lunch during the week, so you'll be independent at lunchtime. You can prepare whatever you like using food from the family kitchen and fridge, and we'll of course take your tastes and preferences into account when doing the weekly food shopping.
  
  Saturday is usually the children's activity day — ballet, pony riding, birthday parties and so on — so we'll need some help with drop-offs and pick-ups until around 4 pm.

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  We love having people around, sharing meals, inviting friends over and generally having an open house. Life isn't always perfectly quiet or perfectly organised — with three young children, a bakery, animals and people dropping by, that would probably be impossible! — but it's warm, informal and full of life.
  
  At the same time, there is plenty of space here, and having your own independence is something that is very important to us. You will have your own private 33 m² studio adjoining our family home, so you'll be very close to us while still having genuine privacy.
  
  The studio has a mezzanine with a double bed, a comfortable living area downstairs, your own private bathroom and toilet, Wi-Fi and air conditioning.
  
  There isn't a kitchen in the studio, but you will of course have full access to our family home and kitchen. We want you to feel at home here — not as though you need to ask permission every time you want to make a coffee or get something from the fridge!
  
  When you're off duty, your studio is entirely your own space. You can close the door, relax, study, call friends and family or simply enjoy some peace and quiet.
  
  We really like the balance this creates: you can be genuinely part of our family life without having to live on top of us 24/7.

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  What else ...

  We live in Paradou, a tiny Provençal village in the heart of the Alpilles Regional Natural Park, surrounded by olive groves, limestone hills and beautiful countryside. The famous village of Les Baux-de-Provence is only 3 km away.
  
  Although Paradou itself is small, we're not isolated.
  
  Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is about 15 minutes away by car and is a lively, international little town with cafés, restaurants, shops and a significant English-speaking community. Unlike many tourist destinations in Provence, it stays active throughout the winter too.
  
  Arles is around 20 minutes away. It's a very cultural town of around 50,000–60,000 people, famous for its Roman heritage, photography, art and festivals, with plenty going on throughout the year.
  
  Avignon is around 30 minutes away, while Marseille is about an hour by car or around 45 minutes by train, so it's very possible to spend a day or weekend in a bigger city when you feel like it.
  
  There is also an enormous amount to discover beyond the Alpilles: the Camargue, with its wild beaches, horses and flamingos; the villages and landscapes of the Luberon; the Mediterranean coast; and, a little further away, the Côte d'Azur.
  
  We think the area offers a lovely balance: a peaceful and beautiful place to live day-to-day, but with several lively towns and cities within easy reach.
  
  It isn't the same experience as living in the centre of Paris or London, and we want to be open about that! You'll be living in a small village and a car makes a big difference here. But if the idea of spending a year discovering Provence, going to markets, hiking in the hills, meeting people in Saint-Rémy or Arles and exploring the South of France appeals to you, we think it's a pretty special place to call home.

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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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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  My animals / pets

  Poppy

  Piotr

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