Enjoy the countryside and learn more about organic lifestyle with us in Chevroches, France

Details

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  Description

  We’re Marie (28) and Kilian (34), a couple without children living in a house in Burgundy, France. We're working towards greater food autonomy by producing a significant portion of what we eat throughout the year! To do this, we have two vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and a shared greenhouse.
  We also preserve part of our harvests so we can enjoy them all year long.
  
  In the future months, we have lots of new projects planned: we’re hoping to expand the gardens, install dry toilets, improve our food storage areas, and try to improve the ponds we are building now so it could welcome ducks in the future!
  
  Marie: I work part-time as a town hall secretary and I'm involved in local community associations, especially around feminist issues. I also spend a lot of time at home gardening, cooking, doing DIY—or just relaxing.
  I love playing board games, reading, and spending time with friends. I'm really into food preservation—like making tomato sauces, mushroom preserves, or fruits in syrup—and I enjoy learning new cooking and conservation techniques.
  Kilian: I’m an organic fruit tree nurseryman (it is an entirely different project and location; Workawayers will not be asked to participate in any of the commercial farm work). In my free time, I enjoy cycling, cooking, and playing games. I also love foraging—especially for mushrooms and fruits to make jam.
  My nursery plots are a few kilometers from the house, so I spend a lot of time outdoors. I’m usually available in the evenings and on weekends, unless I’m working from home (office work).
  I have experience in gardening and small-scale farming, and I’d be happy to answer your questions, share ideas, and maybe even teach you a few things in the garden! I get around by bike for everything, every day.
  
  Our aim is to welcome people into our home who can lend a hand with our private homestead, while also enjoying their free time here. We only host a few weeks a year—not continuously. Our garden is for us two, but we like to have enough vegetables to feed us all year long + the friends and people we have at home sometimes. So, that means our vegetable patch is quite big :) But no worries, we work a lot in the garden all year long, so we don't rely on others/workayers to have our garden running !

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Light gardening

  Creative DIY projects
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  Interests

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Mountain

  

  Hiking

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Camping

  

  Pets

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Languages

  

  Team sports

  

  Charity work

  

  Animals

  

  History

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Vegetarian or vegan

  

  Sustainability

  

  Farming

  

  Plant care

  

  Gardening

  

  Books

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Nature

  

  Cycling
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Vegetable garden:
  Our goal is to grow large quantities of vegetables to feed ourselves year-round, and also to preserve a good part of the harvest (through canning, freezing, drying, etc.). Maintaining the gardens is a year-round task, with some periods more intense than others. We try to care for and improve the soil without tilling, everything is 100% organic, and we aim to manage our water use as sustainably as possible. We’ll be happy to share our experience, knowledge, and ever-evolving skills with you in the garden!
  
  
  Preserving & food processing:
  This activity is especially important between July and October, but we also do a bit throughout the rest of the year. We spend a lot of time preparing and preserving what we harvest: making jars, filling the freezer, drying fruits and herbs, preparing compote and jams, and more.
  
  
  Home & outdoor projects:
  There are always things to fix or improve around the house and in the big barn next to it—whether it's related to the garden and harvest storage, the chicken coop, or firewood. We’re also working on creating better conditions for biodiversity. One of our bigger projects is about a new piece of land next to our house where we can do a lot : currently building a pond, we also plan to make simple things like bird boxes and sow a wildflower meadow. We’re lucky to have bird and bat colonies living around the barn and nearby areas! As you can understand we live in an area with some wildlife nearby, and that implies different insects in the garden (and sometimes one of them could get into the house especially in summer time !).
  
  
  We will do our best to be available to share work sessions with you for half-days, especially in your first days after arrival. We will happily share our gardening and preserving skills with you, focussing on what we have/grow here. However, there will probably be two days a week when you will work independently while we are at work. We will always brief you before these days, and you can always contact us when you need, even if we are not home. Marie will likely be more available to work with you during the day
  
  In the evenings, we would be happy to share activities with you sometimes. That could be outdoor activities in summer time like a pic-nic, beach-volley or swimming by the river; but also indoor activities like a simple apero or board game with friends :)

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  Help

  Workawayers will only be helping us with tasks related to our garden and home.
  There are many different ways you might lend a hand: gardening, small repair tasks, taking care of the chickens, preserving vegetables and fruit, or creating things like composting toilets or small storage areas in the barn. The tasks are varied, but it is worth noting that most of them can be a bit physical as that is outdoor work. Even though we adapt our working hours to the weather, summer days can be really hot, and you might encounter rain at times during other seasons. We use mostly manual tools, so gardening does require a bit of elbow grease !
  
  We would love to share and exchange with Workawayers who have some gardening interest. Also, having prior experience in gardening would be great — both to ensure that is something you are likely to enjoy during your stay here and eventually also to share different views and practices. However, there's no need to be a pro! We will adapt the tasks to your abilities, and also take into account any disabilities or limitations you may have.
  
  We may occasionally ask for help with meal prep, though we’ll handle most of the cooking ourselves.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Italian: Intermediate
  Lithuanian: Beginner
  Romanian: Beginner

  This 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.
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  Accommodation

  Our house is spacious (140 m²) and located in a quiet hamlet (at the end of a lane), very close to the Nivernais canal and the forest. We have two gardens, rescued laying hens, fruit trees, and a shared greenhouse (about 8 km from the house). The surrounding area is a mix of fields and woodland — very green, peaceful, and great for walking or cycling. A bike path runs straight to Clamecy (5 km), where you’ll find shops and the train station (with trains to Paris).
  
  Our bedroom is on the ground floor, where the shared living room and kitchen are. You’ll have your own room upstairs, with a separate entrance, your own bathroom, and toilet.
  
  The house was renovated in the 1980s by the previous owners and isn’t very well insulated. Your room can be heated, but we only heat the kitchen and living room with the fireplace, so in winter during the coldest weeks it can be around 13°C in the morning, and the fire usually brings it up to about 16-18°C in the kitchen/living room. There’s a space heater in the bathrooms. We’ll do our best to keep the fire going and make you feel at home, but we recommend bringing some warm indoor clothes.
  
  We cook and eat vegan, and we’ll be preparing meals for you and for us — but we’ll be happy to share recipes or cook together if you’d like to join in! Most of what we cook comes from our garden.
  You’re not required to eat every meal with us — we all have different rhythms, of course. If that’s the case, we’ll happily set a portion aside for you.
  
  We can lend you bikes (2), and we’re happy to pick you up from the train station if needed. There’s also a parking space near the house if you’re coming by car.
  If you’d like to sleep under the stars or in a tent, that’s absolutely possible too.
  You’re welcome to bring your dog — as long as they’re okay with our hens!

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  What else ...

  If you’d like to explore the area: Vézelay is just 15 km away, the Guédelon Castle is about an hour’s drive, and there are several other castles to visit nearby. We’re right on the edge of the Morvan Regional Natural Park.
  
  Very close to the house, you’ll find large forests (with plenty of mushrooms!), wild rivers, a small riverside beach in summer, and the Nivernais Canal with its cycling path. The surrounding landscape — a mix of woodlands and hedgerows — is perfect for walking or cycling.
  
  Many festivals and cultural events take place throughout the summer months. Clamecy, the nearest town (5 km), is a lovely place to visit and has a cinema, a library, and occasionally exhibitions, concerts, and more. The two other towns "nearby" are Auxerre, which can be reached by train or bus (about 45 minutes by car), and Nevers (1h15 by car), accessible only by bus.

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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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  Can host digital nomads

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Loofy, Charlie, Ginger & Yokai

  Our 4 rescued hens will love you when you bring them food ! They are super social and friendly :)

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