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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
20 Jun 2025
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100.0 %
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Description
Hello,
We are Cat and Silvan (6 years old).
We live on an organic permaculture farm in the Pyrenees in the south of France. The property is situated in a small hamlet of 8 houses bordering a wild forest including chestnut, ash, oak, acacia and cherry. We grow much of our own fruit and vegetables and collect hazelnuts, walnuts, mushrooms and wild herbs from the forest. I cut my own wood and much of the wood used in the construction has been harvested from my land and cut using my friends mobile saw mill. For the moment I have no domestic animals. My friends graze their horses during the summer months.
As my title says I am into simple living. I enjoy eating fresh food from the garden and prefer to be creative with dishes with what i can source locally than going to the supermarket.
When there are more of us here we often do a rotation of cooking, which is great as we get to taste each others variations and be inspired. If you are not confident in cooking don't worry, it is a great opportunity to learn as all the ingredients are so fresh and tasty you can't go wrong and we will help.
I am a fan of 'hugelkulture' beds and love to see a good layer of mulch in the garden. I am also passionate about the concept of forest gardening and implement many of these principles and am keen to extend further this practice.
Silvan is homeschooled and participates in weekly activities such as music and a forest school . We are surrounded by a close knit homeschooling community.
I am Australian and speak English and French.
Daily activities are varied and can be flexible, depending on interest, they may involve gardening; weeding, mulching, planting, harvesting, preserving, drying.
Forest management, land clearing, chopping wood, fencing.
Renovation projects, bricolage.
Meals are predominately from the garden, supplemented by local organic produce. Can cater for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free. We have source water.
Accommodation is in a caravan with a wood burner. It's nicely located on top of the terrain, morning sun, peaceful, or camping.
We have a compost toilet.
We are 10km from the vibrant village of Foix. There are many hiking tracks from the doorstep and rock climbing sectors are close by. There is a small village 5 km from us which has a weekly market and a diverse range of music and cultural events almost weekly throughout the year.
Long term stays are an option, and I am exploring ways in which we could formally create community with others potentially buying in, or placing a yourte for example.
Any questions do not hesitate, i look forward to hearing from you.
Bonjour, je m'appelle Catherine (Cat), je suis australienne. Je vis avec mon enfant de 5 ans, Silvan, dans une ferme, bio, et pratique le permaculture. Nous sommes situe dans les Pyrénées, dans le sud de la France. Mon enfant, Silvan, est scolarisé à la maison et nous sommes bien reliés à la communauté locale. Notre jardin potager fournit une grande partie de notre nourriture. Le bois de construction et de chauffage provient de la terre. Pendant plus de 15 ans, j'ai été instructrice de cirque et de yoga. Aujourd'hui, je passe plus de temps sur la terre et avec mon enfant qu'à enseigner, mais j'aime maintenir ma propre pratique. J'aime beaucoup le paillage et je suis une 'fan' des hugelkultures.
J'ai actuellement trois chèvres et les chevaux d'un ami qui broutent les champs pendant les mois d'été.
Les activités sont variées, et flexible; maraîchage, plantation, paillage, séchage des herbes, récolte, conservation...
Nettoyage des terrains, coupe de bois, clôtures.
Projets de renovation, bricolage.
Les repas proviennent principalement du jardin et sont complétés par des produits biologiques locaux. Nous pouvons répondre aux besoins des végétariens et des végétaliens. Nous disposons d'une source d'eau.
L'hébergement peut se faire dans une caravane avec un poêle à bois ou en camping.
Nous avons des toilettes seche.
Nous sommes à 10 km du le village de Foix, tres animé. Nous sommes à l'orée d'un petit hameau bordant une belle forêt de châtaigniers, de frênes, d'acacias et de hêtres. Il y a de nombreux chemins de randonnée à partir de la porte et des secteurs d'escalade sont à proximité. Un petit village situé à 5 km de chez nous propose un marché hebdomadaire et un large éventail d'événements musicaux et culturels presque chaque semaine tout au long de l'année.
Nous sommes content de faire de nouvelles rencontres et d'accueillir des gens chez nous.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
LGBTQ
Sustainability
Self development
Farming
Performing arts
Languages
Plant care
Music
Gardening
Cooking & food
Animals
Hiking
Dancing
Mountain
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Camping
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are 5 km to a very active community with cultural events pretty much every weekend. The pyreness is on the doorstep, an adventure playground for those that love randonee, escalade, etc..
Help
Vegetable growing, forest management.
A wide variety of tasks available.
Construction- as it is a renovation project there is plenty to be done in this area for those that have the skills, and for others bricolage projects and the possibility to work with professionals to learn when major works are being done.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
Silvan's first expressive language was Auslan (Australian sign language), we both speak English, myself French, Silvan is learning French and says they are keen to learn Spanish!
Accommodation
caravan with wood burner or camping.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can possibly accept pets
There is a large terrain here. Dogs are welcome.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (18)
Together with Alexy, another helper who is staying, we made a great team.
I found Lea to be mature, easy-going, resourceful and fun to spend time with. .
My son Silvan bonded with Lea quickly, and his French language progressed in leaps and bounds in a very short time.
Lea is well travelled, an avid… read more
The nature around is just amazing with a beautiful view of the mountains & the forest just next to Cat's place.
I enjoyed working with Cat clearing the land, starting planting seeds in the garden & spending time with her lovely soon Silvan.
Cat is full of good & positive energy, makes… read more
Actually I expected working more with the animals and doing acroyoga. Anyway she was attempted to go… read more
Photos
Feedback
Together with Alexy, another helper who is staying, we made a great team.
I found Lea to be mature, easy-going, resourceful and fun to spend time with. .
My son Silvan bonded with Lea quickly, and his French language progressed in leaps and bounds in a very short time.
Lea is well travelled, an avid… read more
The nature around is just amazing with a beautiful view of the mountains & the forest just next to Cat's place.
I enjoyed working with Cat clearing the land, starting planting seeds in the garden & spending time with her lovely soon Silvan.
Cat is full of good & positive energy, makes… read more
Actually I expected working more with the animals and doing acroyoga. Anyway she was attempted to go… read more
Cat was very kind and helpful. Indeed she wanted to help me to be fine. For example she… read more
I worked mostly in the garden and it was physical and satisfying.… read more
Ryan stayed with me for more than a month over winter and in that time we did an amazing amount of work particularly in the forest. I found Ryan to be very practical, strong and capable and at the same time very respectful and sensitive. He is a… read more
Its the perfect place to relax and be in contact with the nature, forget about all the stress of the city...get healthier in body and mind!
The delicious meals of Cat made me feel very good with my body; sleeping in the caravan was so great because of the contact with the… read more
You can feel really good at her place. The animals are so cute, they all seem to love humans.
The… read more
work can be diferent all days. Foix is a nice town, you can go making hitch hiking is to easy.
Cat… read more
We sleep in the caravan ans was really cosy. We have good time toghether, working, cooking, doing Yoga, going to the city also, for a tradicional dance festival. About the work, we did exactly what the description says, help layering the floor,… read more
I was left to work fairly independently some of the time, which was nice, but shared lovely meals with Cat and even got to go to two acro yoga classes she gave!
It was lovely staying in the caravan, and I'd be… read more
