France
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We are an English retired couple with a modern country property in 2.5 hectares, at the Mediterranean end of the Pyrenees, in a quiet and spectacular location near Prades and the Canigou, .
We have owned the property for 30 years, and as it is in an area with very low rainfall we use our piped irrigation extensively between April and October, supplied from the Canal de Bohère feeder system.
We have a large family in UK.
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Olive and chilli husbandry. Exchange of cooking skills. Language practice.
Olive orchards and a chilli pepper nursery, grown using organic methods. Our olive harvest is picked by hand from our 100 mature trees, from ground level and the higher branches from A-ladders.
Help us outside: watering, weeding, maintaining olive tree bottle traps against olive fly. Tilling, picking and pruning. Ditch clearing. Monitoring our extensive piped watering system. Olive harvest is in Oct/Nov.
Some light building work. Painting.
Swimming pool maintenance. Even containing the local over-attentive wild sanglier (boar) tribe who like to come and dig when the soil is wet!
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
German: Intermediate
Spanish: Intermediate
This host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Compact guest studio with its own kitchen (induction hob, fridge and freezer) double-bed and shower room, and with underfloor heating. Fibre internet. South-east facing it has its own entrance and small terrace..
We also have a double room with its own outside entrance, bathroom etc but no kitchen facilities.
During Covid self-isolation is necessary for about 10 days and while the studio can be self-contained, we expect to all eat together at a large table on our large terrace unless the weather is dire. Vaccinated guests welcome.
The quiet small town of Prades is 2.5kms. Our nearest bus stop (and supermarket) are 2kms - a half-hour walk, Prades old town centre has several shops, restaurants and cafes (3kms) and 3 supermarkets near the bypass. Street markets in Prades on Tuesday (general large) and Saturday (local produce).
Local attractions include beautiful slopes of Mt Canigou (2784m) which our guests find wonderful for hill-walking and running! Villefranche-le-Conflent (historic Vauban-walled town with artisan shops), , Eus (village reputed to have the most sun in France). The Cerdagne plateau & ski area (via bus or scenic Yellow Train ride from Villefranche near Prades or by bus). Our 12m long pool with solar heating in the summer. Two mountain bikes.
To reach Prades from Perpignan there are frequent (1 euro) buses and TER train, both depart from Perpignan TGV station (c.1 hour) . Ryanair fly to Carcassonne, Bezier and Barcelona year round, with frequent Perpignan and Girona flights in summer. Bargain Flix, Blablabus and Oui buses from Barcelona.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Fibre - at a reasonable speed
This host can provide space for campervans.
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
