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Host rating
85 %
Last replied
7 Sep 2022
Feedback
2
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Details
Description
In the heart of France, in "Le Berry", lies our little hamlet of around 30 houses, where young and old live together side by side, restoring the old rural houses and barns while enjoying the peaceful countryside and beautiful nature in the midst of Europe.
Join us!
We are a group of french, english, dutch and german neighbours, located around the "center" of the hamlet, working as graphic-designers, journalists (specialized in food and nutrition), architects, a professional cook and all the other neighbours in the hamlet, in one of the most unknown parts of rural France and learn more about the stories and the daily life of all those people, who gathered here to bring back life to this lovely place.
You can give us a hand restoring and renovating the houses, rebuilding the dry walls with the granite stones from the area, gardening, cooking and maintaining the place, even just cleaning would help us a lot to bring this place back to its former glory.
From time to time we all gather for "apéro", sometimes there are tango and dancing parties.
First sunday of August is our festival with creative workshops and people from the area selling their home-made products. From mai to september there are plenty of events and fairs (Brocantes) in the area almost every weekend, sometimes you even do not know which one to choose...
Our hamlet has been clasified "Remarkable Hamlet" ("Hameau remarquable") and it is indeed remarkable, but the most remarkable are the people living here!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Discover a still quite unknown part of France, rich in history (look for Le Berry or berryprovince)
Visit the churches, castles and manoirs in the area, some dating back to 11th century and more
There are several festivals of classic piano music in the area, Chopin has lived here with the novelist George Sand
Learning french, english, german if you like
Learning about permaculture and terrapreta principles that we apply in our gardens
Go for walks in our closeby "Parc de Parelles", a former granite stone quarry and the area around
Cycling in the area is very popular as there is very little traffic on the small roads
Swimming in one of the nearby lakes (30-40 mins) in summer
Help
- restoring and renovating (painting, paperhanging, plastering, mainly any help to restore the old houses and barns)
- repairing the dry walls
- cooking for us while we work
- helping in the gardens is ALWAYS welcome
- helping with cleaning
- making videos and photos about our renovations and the community life
- maybe you want to be our writer in residence?
- you can learn french while babysitting three kids (from 5 to 13yrs.)
We have no fixed schedule, in general we start working around 9, but certain tasks are more pleasant in the early morning before it gets to hot (in the garden).
If tasks can de done alone and are discussed before hand, you can get up at 5 am if you like or do them in the afternoon, it should just be discussed and clear.
For many tasks it is good to be two persons, especially renovating (one holding, the other fixing, or carrying things) this is why there should be a certain agreement made, but we can also adapt to your preferences, as we are not morning persons for example.
Usually we go to bed around ten and as it is a very quiet area, we would expect guests to not make noise after 8:30 pm.
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
Spanish: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
We are a community of french, english, dutch and german people. Not each of us speaks all these languages, but there is always sombody around who speaks some of them.
Accommodation
We are a group of neighbours in their thierties to sixties, there is plenty to do, depending where you help and stay, you would have in any case a very simple room, mostly with shared bathroom, access to the kitchen, etc.
There are cats and dogs in our households, so you should not be allergic.
A simple place is for sure, a more luxurious one will depend on the speed of our renovation works...
All Food and drinks will of course be provided,
you will have to make your breakfast yourself,
one meal will be cooked and served either noon or evening (depending on the workflow and your preferences).
and one meal you will have to be prepared by yourself (will not be served),
What else ...
There is no public transport in our hamlet.
We can provide you with a bicycle.
Small towns are in 17 km (Aigurande) or 25 km (La Châtre) distance. There is a bus-system in the area (aile bleue indre). Our hamlet is part of Crevant, which is 5km away. A bus is going from Crevant to La Châtre once a day.
We are also moving regularly in the area, so you can come with one us. Some work in La Châtre and commute daily.
If you look for Les Bergères dans le Berry in youtube, you will find videos about our annual festival which will give you some impressions of our hamlet.
Usually it is very quiet here.
Closests airports: Limoges (Ryan air), Chateauroux (from London)
From Paris: train to Chateauroux
From Chateauroux: bus ligne F to La Châtre (check "aile bleue indre" in google). Best would be arriving on a saturday, as there is market day in La Châtre, so you could come with us in the car to Les Bergères.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
we appreciate it very much when workawayers, who have contacted us for staying in our place, inform us, in case they changed their mind or have chosen another host.
No explanations needed, its just for our planning, that we know, who is still intending to come and when.
Thank you very much in advance!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have internet connections, but there is no good reception for mobile phones. Your mobile should have LTE in order to allow you receiving over wifi.
Space for parking camper vans
Campervans are welcome, BIG trucks will be rather difficult.
Can possibly accept pets
We have dogs and cats in the house. You can bring your pet, dogs only if they do not chase our cats. If you come with a horse or donkey we can provide shelter and a grass lawn...
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (1)
We all felt very much at home all the time.
What a great experience!
We spent a harmonious and productive time together. Everybody, even the kids were helping and we had lots of fun, producing lemonades, pizzas and desert with the young chef and his sous-chef!
Great experience!
Feedback
We all felt very much at home all the time.
What a great experience!
We spent a harmonious and productive time together. Everybody, even the kids were helping and we had lots of fun, producing lemonades, pizzas and desert with the young chef and his sous-chef!
Great experience!
