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Description
We are a family of four preparing a new chapter of our life: moving into a yurt in a forest, near Milhac, in the beautiful Lot region, in southwest France. The area is wildly peaceful, full of hidden treasures: oak forests, rivers big and small, villages and markets, starry nights, and many quiet places to walk, swim, breathe and slow down.
We will spend the summer building our yurt in the woods, and we are looking for motivated (and somwhat skilled) people to share this transition with us.
Our family is made up of Brice, 42, an illustrator who has already built a straw-bale house and plays the accordion; Anne, 39, who facilitates collective creative residencies and loves tea; Milo, 7, who loves hip-hop & birds; and Olympe, 8 months old, who is currently a fan of pretty much everything.
Our project is rustic, in progress, but full of life, imagination and forest energy.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Creative DIY projects
Interests
Culture
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Sustainability
Art & design
Writing
Music
Drawing & painting
Performing arts
Hiking
Camping
Nature
Dancing
Outdoor activities
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Depending on the rhythm of the days, we may take you with us to swim in the river, walk in the forest, explore the surrounding villages, or climb on the nearby cliffs. We will also be happy to bring you along when we go to concerts, shows or cultural hangouts in the area, so you can discover a bit of local life in the Lot. And if you prefer to spend some time on your own or go discover by yourself, we can simply give you directions to cool spots!
We are always happy to share creative practices, ideas, stories and skills. Anne has a lot of experiences to share around collective creativity, facilitation and non-formal education, while Brice loves to exchange on illustration, self-building and hands-on construction. We also enjoy sharing meals, will be glad to help you discover French cuisine, and to tase dishes from your own region if you ever wish to cook!
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
We are looking for help with the practical work needed to make the yurt comfortable and ready to live in: setting up an off-grid electrical system with solar panels and batteries, putting partitions inside the yurt, insulating and cladding walls, designing & building a wooden staircase, installing an off-grid water supply system.
You will mainly work in pairs with Brice, and sometimes with Anne and one or two friends giving us a hand. Brice has experience in self-building, including the construction of a straw-bale house, and enjoys sharing skills in a practical, hands-on way. You do not need to be an expert, but some experience or confidence with DIY, woodworking, basic construction, electricity, solar systems or even off-grid living would be very welcome. The idea is to work together, learn by doing, solve problems as a team, and enjoy designing and creating an autonomous forest home.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Accommodation
You will stay in Brice’s straw-bale house, on the Causses du Lot, in a quiet and natural environment. Depending on your preference and on the number of people staying with us, you will either sleep on a sofa bed inside the house, or, if you would like more privacy, we can set up a tent for you in the garden (more than one hectare wide). In both cases, we will make sure you have a clean, safe and comfortable place to sleep, with the bedding you need.
We will share meals, which we will prepare for you. We like simple, family-style food and we will be happy to eat together most of the time. We are used to cook vegetarian food, even though we sometimes eat meat and fish. If you enjoy cooking, you are very welcome to prepare a meal sometimes too — we would love to discover food from your own region or country.
That being said, everyone sometimes needs quiet time. We will usually share meals and daily life together, but there will also be space for you, and for us, to spend time on our own when needed.
What else ...
During your free time, there are many beautiful things to discover around us. The area is full of lovely villages, rivers, forests, walking paths and cliffs, and in summer there are many cultural events, concerts, festivals and local initiatives happening nearby. The city of Gourdon is also only a 7-minute drive away, with shops, cafés, markets and everything you may need.
Public transport is quite limited in the countryside, so it is good to be aware of that before coming. Hitchhiking usually works well here, and we can also drive you to places sometimes, depending on our schedule. If you have your own car, van or bike, it can make exploring the area easier, but it is not essential.
A few things to know about our lifestyle: we use dry toilets, and because our sewage system is based on phyto-purification, we only use ecological and biodegradable cleaning products. We try to live simply and respectfully with the place around us, so we ask you to respect these small ecological habits.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
There is no Wi-Fi at home, but we use mobile data and it works well. Both Brice and Anne work online with clients and partners without any particular trouble. If you are a digital nomad, you should be able to manage online work, video calls or emails, as long as you are comfortable using your own data or setting up a mobile hotspot.
Space for parking camper vans
If you travel with a van or campervan, we have some space where you can park. There is an electric plug on the terrace and a water tap in the garden that you can use.
Can possibly accept pets
We can welcome animals as long as they are not dangerous for the children and can stay outside. Please tell us in advance if you would like to come with an animal, so we can make sure the arrangement works for everyone.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
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