Help us prepare our gardens for winter and to support Jo in creating her art in Alos, France

  • Favourited 9 times
  • Last activity : 19 Sep 2023

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    We are an English couple living with our friendly dogs and cats in idyllic rural France in an area called the Tarn. Our mission is to expand our potager this year and maintain its peaceful surrounding gardens and land. There is also cleaning to do and advice required on creating social media posts. Deep in beautiful countryside we are located close to historic villages and market towns, and the landscape is perfect for discovering by biking or hiking.

    We need volunteers for two weeks in November and another for a week in December. The December position is slightly different in the requirements - which focus more on dog-walking and meal prep than gardening.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    We garden using a cross between the no-dig and permaculture methods and as organically as we can manage, which may be of interest to others. Using power tools is an essential part of our work and we will teach you how to use them safely.

    We love conversation and to learn about the lives of other people, as well as to share our own experiences. We speak English at home and are happy to help you improve your command of the English language.

    Locally there are many hilltop villages and the town of Albi, with its cathedral and art gallery. Toulouse is an hour away by train and there is a station not far away.

    Our home is surrounded by wildlife and we are trying to do what we can in order to conserve and improve our land to benefit that.

  • Help

    Help

    The help we need is very varied at the Moulin .... so we need someone who is as equally prepared to get stuck into chopping wood as they are to do a bit of cooking or household chores. Some of the chores are strenuous and need supervision. We won't ask you to do anything without checking that you're happy with the tasks and fully trained. Largely we'll be working alongside you - but there will be times when you need to do the tasks alone.

    Other times we might ask you to make marmalade, pot up plants or do some therapeutic weeding. Sometimes we get a bit fed up with cooking and might ask you to use your shift to prepare the evening meal.

    Its very varied but all of it is important and we're always very appreciative of your hard work.

    For our December opportunity we require someone who has experience of animals and who will prepare drinks and meals whilst Jo focuses on her art.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    French: Intermediate

    This host offers a language exchange
    We speak English fluently and have a good understanding of (slowly spoken!) French.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    We have two rooms available - one a single and one a double with access to a bathroom separate to our own. The living space is shared with us but as our home is spacious you will also have plenty of privacy. We have a swimming pool which is available to use if the weather permits.

    We have wifi but no mobile phone signal but we have good access to the internet - good enough for working.

    Each morning we will put out a breakfast of cereals, toast, fruit, yoghurts and juice for you to help yourself. Lunch and dinner are uusally prepared by us.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We are happy to collect volunteers from our local station if you don't have your own transport. There are no buses or taxis available in our local village, but you can borrow a bicycle and the hiking in the area is lovely. Our nearest village with a bakery, cashpoint and shop is 6kms and our nearest big town is about 24kms away. If we are planning a trip there ourselves we will happily take you with us.

    Locally there are lovely hilltop villages to explore with their weekly markets, the town of Albi with its historic cathedral and busy shopping streets and the gorges and rivers of the Aveyron. If you are interested we will show you them during your time off.

    We ask you to plan your arrival here on a Saturday or Sunday, so that you are ready to start your working week on a Monday. We do not work weekends. You can spend your weekends as you wish - whether that's with us or exploring in your own way.

    Our working day begins at 8.30 and we finish at 1.30 for lunch, with a coffee break mid-morning.

    Dinner is usually around 7.30pm. We enjoy a varied diet but you should be aware that we cannot cater for a vegan diet.

    We are really proud of our home and hope that you will enjoy it and respect it as much as we do. It is important to us that we fulfil our part of the deal by making sure your surroundings are comfortable, that you are happy and that you see something of our region. In return we ask for your hard work and your humour!

    We cannot welcome smokers, sorry.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    We have an acceptable internet connection which we have used to run our own remote business. However, our mobile phone signal is non-existent in the house so we use WIFI.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    We have plenty of parking space close to the house

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 445522198968

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