France
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Jacqueline and I - Anthony - live in a former farm-house in the countryside but 10 minutes from the centre of Pau, 45 from the Pyrenees and an hour and a half from Biarritz. Our sons 28, 24 and daughter 21 are here now and then, and our Labrador, mare and two donkeys are here full time! There is the house and two barns - one a Gite and the other stables downstairs and a beautiful large space above (see below). Our work (not yours) involves teaching English, servicing the gite and its guests, sometimes welcoming a guest in the house to learn English (usually one week's immersion) and also running an association teaching meditation and yoga in our large Dharma room. We have a lot of fruit - figs, apples and pears in season - and favour an organic plant-based/vegan diet.
Gardening
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Help in the house
Animal care
Based in a very peaceful and healthy location, close to the town with the university, possible language or cultural study (English or French) and the possibility of starting or developing meditation and yoga, Workawayers could also explore the south-west of France while based with us. Please note that this is an English-speaking household in France (even the dog, horse and donkeys speak English!). We can help direct you to French study opportunities, and provide materials for you to work with, and you are surrounded by France and the French, but Anthony and Jacqueline are British.
The property is fairly large with a garden shared with guests in the gite, an orchard, a field looked after by the horse, and extensive woodland from which the donkeys bring up logs occasionally. General gardening and tidying are ongoing, lots of painting needs doing, helping with the donkeys to fill the log shed would be great, grooming and mucking out might feature, collecting fruit and juicing in season, helping in and around the house would be welcome, rigging up the hydro-generator? - depending on what skills you bring.
English, French, Italian, some Spanish, some German
One of our sons' bedrooms on the top floor (with a view over the valley and a small bit of mountains) sharing one of the bathrooms on the floor below. Alternatively (depending on other guests we have), the single room next to the Dharma Room which also has its own small bathroom (compost loo) and kitchenette.
Plenty of walking - or exercising the mare - among the surrounding Jurancon vineyards, and cycling - though it is hilly round here (that's why the Tour de France comes though Pau most years), good trains to Bordeaux and Toulouse, not far from Lourdes. Pau is only 10 minutes by bus and is a lovely French town with a chateau. Spain is an hour away. There's a piano you're welcome to play; our dog Cosmo would love you to take him for a walk.....
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
One
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
