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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
26 Sep 2025
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Description
Please note: When prospective Workawayers contact us and we feel their profile is a good fit, we always reply with 'Call us (phone number) to discuss".
WhatsApp or FaceTime are perfect for this. So if you really would like to come, do just call, anytime - rather than replying with 'When is a good time to call?"
Update: From now on, longer stays are preferred (4-12 weeks). This is an ideal host home for part-time digital nomads or a person writing a book or embarked on another personal project.
We are a couple of international artists (Laury is a sculptor, she is French, was raised in the USA for 6 years and her mother was Dutch - while Joe is a professional freelance videographer and is an American with dual citizenship with Great Britain).
UPDATE December 2025
Our old house (the one you might previously have seen in photos) has just been sold and we are moving 4 kilometres away to a cute house on 2 acres of land with river frontage. It's a very small house, therefore the move-in will not be difficult, so the tasks at hand will very simply help us organize and set up things, walking dogs, cleaning and cooking some of the meals (if you are so inclined). In the off-time, it's a very fascinating part of the county steeped in history with lots of fun things to do, explore, etc.
TYPE OF TASKS
Besides the various fun projects which are very varied (you can learn from watching Laury when she is creating artwork), as always we can use help with everyday living tasks around the house and garden, or with house/dog/cat sitting.
We always teach volunteers how to do things so previous experience is welcome but not required.
In the summer you'll be able to gorge yourself with cherries from two huge trees in the garden.
Though our profile states a minimum of two weeks, our preference is for long stays, meaning a month or preferably more. Some of our workaways have stayed months at a time and returned later for further stays. This is, of course, after a trial period to confirm we have chosen the right Workaways and you have chosen the right Host!
So much to do and all of it fun and interesting! We love to share with you our love of the area and its culture.
Bags of atmosphere and tons of opportunities to explore the surrounding area: vineyards, lakes, Cathar Castles, Pyrenees (skiing nearby in winter), Roman baths, and more. Our small town of Chalabre is 45 minutes from the walled city of Carcassonne, 45 minutes from Foix, 90 minutes from Toulouse as well as the Mediterranean and Andorra, and just 3 hours from Barcelona. The village of Chalabre is not large (one butchers, two greengrocers, a pharmacy, two cafes, one hotel/restaurant) and it has no train service, just one bus in and out to Limoux (but we are happy to come pick you up and drop you off from another nearby train station such as Pamiers).
We are warm, friendly hosts who love to work hard and also love to play. There is so much for you to do here in your spare time: great walking and bicycling on the Voie Verte, exploring the Cathar Way, hiking in the mountains, canoeing, swimming in lakes, playing tennis in the local inexpensive tennis courts (we have rackets and you can find someone locally to play with unless you can tempt Joe), internet-surfing, ambling around local "vide greniers" (the equivalent of car boot sales = literally "empty your attic fairs"), etc.
Training provided for any tasks we ask you to do - strong arms and a willingness to work and play hard are all you need!
We have a zero drugs tolerance - but we love a glass of wine most days at the end of the day. We expect you to pay your share of wine or beer if you drink more than one (but the first drink of a work day evening is on us!)
And yes, we have fibre internet access which reaches all the rooms in the house. It works mostly everywhere, including on the sunny terrace. We also can watch films with Amazon Prime and Netflix.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
House and pet sitting
Interests
Culture
Self development
Charity work
Videography
Pets
Plant care
Writing
Photography
Drawing & painting
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Books
Art & design
Architecture
Animals
Water sports
Nature
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will be around people from all nationalities (we have Russian, English, Belgian, Irish, Dutch, American, Australian and German neighbours in the nearby town as well as of course many FRENCH people!!!! :)
We both love to share our skills (our own artforms sculpture and video). You might also learn to cook in different ways than you are familiar with (Laury's style of cooking is very international with a French base).
Driving on the right hand side of the road might be an experience for some of you!
Learning the way of life of international people living in the midst of a small French town will also be an experience in itself.
Help
We are flexible as to helping hours - and we believe the best way forward with any offer to volunteer is to take it on an individual basis. If you are happy to help long hours for a number of days and then take a long break of several days - that's fine. If you'd rather do shorter days and go off exploring every day that is fine too.
Really your schedule will be up to you - provided it is fair to us to accommodate and feed you in exchange for the help you put in.
Please be aware it's best if you have work shoes that can protect your toes and one set of clothes that can get ruined (by cleaning materials, etc). We have some spare clothing if necessary but not spare work shoes.
We also welcome help with creating meals, walking the dog, etc.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: Beginner
Chinese (Mandarin): BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
Laury was raised trilingual and has a passion for written and spoken words and their origins.
Accommodation
Our house is not a good place for anyone allergic to cats /dogs or for dust allergy sufferers as our on-going renovations do imply dust , and then the clean-up of building materials. You will have your own room or when we have moved possibly a cosy caravan. There is good wi-fi and mobile phone signal (but only some mobile networks work here), and hot water for showers or baths...!
How to travel here:? You can arrive by bicycle, by car, by plane (closest airports are Carcassonne, followed by Toulouse) or by train (not to Chalabre directly) to stations in the nearby towns listed in order of closeness: Limoux, Pamiers, Carcassonne, Foix.
The only public transport to and from Chalabre is to Limoux twice a day - which is why as hosts we will encourage you to tag along with us to some of the lovely spots around us (whether for recreation or for shopping, etc.).
What else ...
In your time off you can hike around the area, or if you have your own car or we trust you with ours or you just tag along with us you can visit Mirepoix, Limoux, Carcassonne, Foix, Toulouse, Ax-les-Thermes (skiing and also Roman Baths all year), Andorra, Barcelona, or go and dip your feet in the Mediterranean. (Re car, as long as you have a few years driving experience, a driving license and we feel we can trust your driving, you can borrow our car).
We expect you to help and then enjoy yourself a lot too - and we will go out of our way to make the latter happen. We eat fresh food and will feed you well. We also love to drink good wine / beer and laugh and relax. Within a few hundred metres of the house you are out in the open countryside in the foothills of the Pyrennees: mountain walking, biking, lake swimming, horsebackriding, skiiing are all available depending on the season, your budget and your stamina.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Good starlink internet connection and own desk in room or in library
Space for parking camper vans
A van can be parked on our land.
Can possibly accept pets
A very well-behaved dog that is friendly to our cats would be welcome.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Bowie
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J'ai hâte de revenir un jour :)
The house is really huge and really well renovated as Laury and Joe are both artists. There are also an other house for Bed and Breakfast and the "forge" which is being renovated.
There is always… read more
Joe and Laury have become really important to me, I cannot… read more
There is nothing to complain about. The accommodation, the food, the working hours, everything is perfect and done with respect to everyone's needs.
Thanks again for everything, see you very… read more
I could talk about all the cuddly animals Neptune, Higgins, Leo, and the Panther (you'll understand when u get there)
I could pontificate about how much you'll learn about cooking,… read more
Laury is the Queen of Spicy food and we loooove that! She can share to you the best way how cook perfectly with passion all the fresh food. So yummy !
She's… read more
My plan was to spend two weeks and I ended up staying for five months. During my time there, I got to take some sculpture classes, make a short film, try new recipes, go out on short trips and… read more
The house is amazing and the work so much fun. Everyday is different.
Definitely coming back next summer!
From the moment i arrived in Chalabre they made me feel at home. Laury cooks the most amazing food and every meal is an occasion. They go out of their way to… read more
Meanwhile, Joe is a true cowboy: calm, reliable, hardworking. Easy to work with… read more
We arrived at Limoux train station and there she was welcoming us: Laury! That very moment I had no idea what expect... In our way to Chalabre Laury shared lots of tips, stories and information about Chalabre, life in France, people, culture and all the great things to do in the area. It was a great immersion! She even shared with us the… read more
Laury's cooking is also fantastic - be prepared to work hard and be very well fed. It's a… read more
If your looking for a stay where you will instantly feel part of the family and involved in the local community then you this is the place for you.
Laury is a great cook and loves sharing ideas. If you are looking to gain new skills then time spent with Joe on their renovation project will be… read more
We have learned lots of new skills and gained loads of confidence in a variety of renovation tasks.
Laury and Joe are incredibly hard working, generous and kind… read more
Time spending with you and your neighbours/firends in Chalabre I regard as one of my best holidays :) You have an amazing home in the lovely environment which I miss already.… read more
