Learn new skills helping us to create our new home in Limalonges, France

Details

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  Description

  We have recently semi-retired to rural France from the UK. Chris was a joiner/carpenter for almost 40 years, and Dawn worked in the television industry for 30 plus years. We still feel young at heart so wanted a new and different change of life’s so we sold up in the UK and now starting a new chapter in rural France. We have taken on a large 6 bedroom farm house, with two additional two-bedroomed cottages - all lovable but in need of renovation and updating. The land which is classed as nature/woodland needs taming and we realise it’s quite a task for just the two of us so we would be keen to have some helping hands!
  
  We have 7 adorable baby alpacas which are very friendly and feed from the house. They love people and a joy to have around. I am experimenting with using alpaca poo to make briquettes and also fertiliser as it’s much better for the environment to use the briquettes on fires and the fertiliser equally one of the best environmental products.
  
  We are looking for volunteers from May 2024

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  The house is in a lovely part of France and perfect to explore rural France as well as local trains connecting to larger towns to experience the wider cultural of France. 90 minutes to the west you can be at the coast in the historical and beautiful La Rochelle. In our village there is a small bar and a restaurant and occasional fetes to enable you to interact with the locals and improve your french language.
  
  Chris is a joiner/carpenter for 35 years and there is potential to learn more skills in home renovations, as well as gaining experience with the alpacas

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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

  We are a married British couple and have recently bought a large 200 year old farm house with 3.5 acres of land in rural France (Poitou Charente). The house is at the edge of a village. We are the beginning of our journey of renovating the main house house and dealing with the overgrown grounds/woodland, which we need help with as well as some help with the general renovations of the house (painting, pointing stonework etc).
  
  We will also have Alpacas arriving later!

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  In return for your help, we will provide accommodation in the main farm house. We have several bedrooms and bathroom available for any volunteers. We will also provide full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks)

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  What else ...

  There is a local train line a few miles away which links to larger towns, which you can then also connect to fast trains to Paris. It is good for cycling in the area with lots of flat quiet roads.

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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?

  More than two

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