Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
21 Mar 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
6
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
We're a dutch couple (75 & 58) living in the Gers, a beautiful area of France, since 2001. We own a property of 1,5 ha with an organic vegetable garden and fruit trees, a big farmhouse and a cottage.
We have 4 horses/ponies, a dog, cats and chickens. Our animals are all considered family members. Two of the Icelandic ponies are ridden as a hobby and all four are used in the horse-assisted coaching sessions that I offer.
We live in the farmhouse, and the cottage is used by friends and family. In the summer it is rented as a holiday home, but in early spring it is available for workawayers.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
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
- We consider workawayers as a temporary part of the family, so you are also involved in our social life. Our friends are openminded and multinational: French, British, German, Dutch, Belgian, South African.... and most of them speak several languages.
- In our organic vegetable garden, I (Nynke) work as much as possible with the moon calendar. I can teach you a bit about it. I'm also very interested in astrology and Human Design, so I'm happy to share my knowledge, even if it's basic for the moment.
- Although we're dutch, we are quite well integrated in the community of Gaujac, a tiny and hospitable village in the south west of France. As members of the local party committee we're involved in organizing fairs, feasts and other events, and workawayers can also join in if desired.
- In the morning I usually do a half an hour yoga session, on the lawn if the weather is nice. You are very welcome to join me.
- Our 4 horses/ponies play a big role in my life, they're my colleagues in my equine assisted coaching practice (nynkequi.com). We can learn a lot about ourselves from the way horses respond to us. I am happy to share their benefits with you in the everyday contact, by going out walking with the horses or by an actual session in our spare time. I'd also like to do some horse riding with a partner. We live in a beautiful hilly area and it would be nice to be accompanied by an experienced rider on my Icelandic horses. Although they're small, they are strong horses, however the rider shouldn't weigh more than 75 kg.
- This is a quiet region where there is fortunately no mass tourism. You can still find many authentic villages around here as well as enjoying wonderful views over the foothills of the Pyrenees. For those who enjoy tranquility and space, nature and hiking as well as visiting authentic villages, markets, festivals or local museums, you will find this a charming and unique place to visit. The locals are very friendly!
Help
The help will mainly consist in gardening and outdoor tasks , some animal care and house tasks in our private home. In the springtime that is: starting up the vegetable garden, pruning trees and hedges, splitting and stacking log wood, some help with cleaning and re-organizing in our private home.
In general we work together, but if everyone agrees, it can happen that you do tasks independently. The hours (start time) are determined in consultation. We ask you to help us 4 hours a day or otherwise but approx. 20 hours/week/person.
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: FluentThis 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.
Accommodation
We'd love to host a couple or a pair of friends in the well-equipped and spacious cottage (ask us for the website link to see photos ).
There are two bedrooms with each two beds or one double bed, two bathrooms and two sitting rooms. So we can even host two people who don't know each other yet, the cottage offers sufficient privacy!
You take care of your breakfast and dinner yourselves and we get together for the hot lunch (mostly at 1 PM), and throughout the day for a coffee, tea and a beer. When we're having friends over for dinner, we'll have drinks and dinner together of course.
What else ...
We can fetch you at the airport (Toulouse Blagnac) or at a local bus or train station.
But if you want to do some local sight seeing in this area, you really need a car!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have a good wifi connection.
Space for parking camper vans
We have a huge open barn under which you can park your vehicle. There's electricity, a dining area and the holiday cottage adjacent, where you can use the kitchen and sanitary.
Can possibly accept pets
Your dog might have a great time here, and he's very welcome to stay. But only if he doesn't chase our cats and free range chickens! Our own dog (female) is very easygoing with other dogs.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Feedback (3)
We probably would have stayed forever…just because of these lovely two people and their animals, the amazing landscape, the nicely challenging work, and the extraordinary meals.
Nynke was super well organized when it came to our tasks. We had a ‘to-do-list’ and worked… read more
They really did great jobs, and not only the funniest things to do. Like cleaning an enormous attic, cutting wild growing bushes, ivy and… read more
Nynke and Hans are a lovely couple with open minds and hearts and we immediately felt like part of the family.
The accommodation in beautifully arranged cottage was more than comfortable, and we got perfect balance between socially active time and privacy. The meals together… read more
Krystyna stayed for 16 days and Matt joined us only in the weekends. They are hard working, very competent in many domaines, responsable, tidy and communicating… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.7)
Communication:
(5.0)
We probably would have stayed forever…just because of these lovely two people and their animals, the amazing landscape, the nicely challenging work, and the extraordinary meals.
Nynke was super well organized when it came to our tasks. We had a ‘to-do-list’ and worked… read more
They really did great jobs, and not only the funniest things to do. Like cleaning an enormous attic, cutting wild growing bushes, ivy and… read more
Nynke and Hans are a lovely couple with open minds and hearts and we immediately felt like part of the family.
The accommodation in beautifully arranged cottage was more than comfortable, and we got perfect balance between socially active time and privacy. The meals together… read more
Krystyna stayed for 16 days and Matt joined us only in the weekends. They are hard working, very competent in many domaines, responsable, tidy and communicating… read more
