France
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03/08/2020
My husband Ted and I, Carol, are Americans who have loved the French culture for a long time now. We finally realized our dream to live in France and purchased our 200 year old home a little over a year ago. Our house is on one hectare, or two acres, of land. One quarter of the land is a multiple plotted vegetable and fruit garden. The remaining part of the property has many flower beds, trees and a large covered terrace. We have never had such a large garden before and did not realize how much work it would be to make it completely organic! But, once you taste a chemical free harvest, there is no going back!
In the vegetable garden we have 6 plots including strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and currants. The fruit trees are apples, pear, fig, cherries, plums and quince. Last year we had so many tomatoes that we had to freeze many bags. We make jams, sauces, tarts, you name it. We also took 100 kg of apples and got bottled aple juice.
It's all very rewarding but requires more time than both Ted and I can give.
Gardening
Where we are a located in central France is very peaceful and not crowded. If you stay in the area during your free time you will feel like you have gone back to a slower era of time. There are all the amenities of modern life without all the stress and hubbub. Take time to listen to the birds or enjoy the views of La France Profonde, or the heart of France, the countryside.
We have a variety of tasks in the garden and it depends on the month. It could be weeding, planting, watering, clearing garden debris, lawn mowing or trimming bushes. In the early fall it could be harvesting fruit from one of our many fruit trees.
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Private guestroom with living area and private bathroom. This area is part of the property but not in the house. It adjoins our house. Three meals for each working day will be included with wine or beer. Ted is an excellent cook and numerous days during this time he prepares 3 course meals.
On our days off we enjoy exploring the area and hiking. This area of France is very beautiful and not at all crowded. We think it is an undiscovered gem. We have a bicycle which you can use to discover the surrounding countryside. We are very close to a Voie Verte, a greenway, which extends for many kilometers through many neighboring villages. Also, our town has a train station whereby you can go north to Paris or south to Toulouse.
Our closest town is Argenton-sur-Creuse which is a lovely small town on a river with medieval houses. It also has numerous shops, restaurants and two museums. One of these is a very interesting museum of a one time shirt factory. The other is a natural history museum of the area on the sight of Roman ruins.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
One
20 - 25 hours per week divided up however you choose
