Looking for someone with spark, energy, laughter, and willingness to work in a team near Gaillac, France

Details

• 

  Description

  We are a French and a British guy with a project to restore our old wine chateau and estate. 8 years into the work, the major rebuilding work is well advanced and we are now concerned with maintaining and developing the house, and outbuildings (with a fitness room and an art studio). We are also looking after the estate - with its acres of lawns, oaks, olives, cedars, roses, fruit trees, a lily-pond, a swimming pool and a tennis court. In the summer months we offer accommodation as "Chambres d'hôtes" but we do not require Workawayers to participate in any of the tasks related to this business activity.
  
  The estate sits on a South-facing hillside, overlooking 30 hectares of vines and a quiet valley and our views stretch to the Black Mountain. We are at the heart of the Tarn's beautiful 'golden triangle' Gaillac - Cordes - Albi - with pretty medieval villages and bastides, great walking and biking country, and canoeing down the Aveyron in the gorges nearby - yet only minutes from the town of Gaillac, with its 40 minute train service to Toulouse. It is a really zen place to stay.
  
  We love travel, art, tennis, walking, keeping fit, running, cooking the local foods, wines, music, old houses..... and we are looking for curious, open-minded singles to work with us.

• 

  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
• 

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Language exchanges: you may wish to improve your French (or English) & we are learning Spanish.
  Hands-on experience of all aspects of running a country estate with a focus on art and healthy living.
  Unique opportunities, over relaxed dinners, for meeting, discussion and networking with guests from every walk of life and from all parts of the world .

• 

  Help

  We are here full-time, so we are looking for someone with good humour, ideas and a cooperative approach to work with us as a team on the many and varied tasks, physical and conceptual, of maintaining and improving the place and developing the future. Skills with computers, websites and new technology - plus a willingness to help us acquire those skills - would also be appreciated.
  A native Spanish speaker would help us improve our language skills (and in exchange we can help improve your French or English).
  In exchange for the usual "5 hours a day, 5 days a week of work plus some help with meals and cleaning", we offer a warm welcome, a stimulating environment and comfortable quiet non-smoking accommodation and 3 meals a day, of healthy, mainly local, food, plus lots of information about the things to do and see in our wonderful region.

• 

  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  we're learning Spanish and both have experience of teaching English and French
• 

  Accommodation

  Own quiet comfortable - no-smoking - room and shower-room

• 

  What else ...

  To see and to do in 'time off': swimming in our 12 x 5m pool (May to October), playing tennis on our hard-surface tennis court, jogging, walking or hiking in the vineyards and neighbouring woodlands or the Gresigne forest. Lots of wine-tasting nearby. Ideal countryside for cyclists at all levels (and a good local rental service). There is horse-riding available locally. On the Aveyron there is canoeing, with great views of the Gorge (30 minutes). The rich architectural, artistic and historic heritage includes churches, castles at Bruniquel, Penne and Najac, medieval hill-top ‘bastide’ villages (Castelnau de Montmiral, Cordes, Puycelsi) - this is Cathar country, and the amazing city of Albi (25 minutes by bus or train), with its vast cathedral, the magnificent Toulouse-Lautrec museum and a charming historic centre. The vibrant city of Toulouse (& airport) is just 35 minutes away by train - its the regional capital and France's second university town. Almost every season has local festivals featuring films, opera, books, music for every taste (check 'Rabastock', Cordes and 'Pause Guitar'...). Wonderful markets everywhere.

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

  • 

    Can host families

• 

  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

• 

  Hours expected

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Feedback (3)