Volunteer in an old farmhouse near centre of Pau, France

France

Favourited 221 times

Host rating
Feedback
16
Last activity
20/02/2020
Nº of Facebook friends
39
Reply rate
90.0 %
Average reply time:
within 2 days
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Availability

2020

Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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What's this?

Details

Description
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.
Type of help
Gardening
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Help in the house
Animal care
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
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.
Help
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.
Languages spoken
English, French, Italian, some Spanish, some German
Accommodation
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.
What else ...
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.....
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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Feedback left by and about host (16)

These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.

Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)

Cultural exchange:
(4.5)

Communication:
(5.0)

02/12/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Sydney)

Sydney was with us for the best part of three weeks and was a tremendous help to us and a great friend to the animals. She adopted Cosmo and looked after the horse and donkeys so well (particularly Julia's sore hoof!) that they are still asking when she is coming back! She was a super-fast painter working well alone and using her initiative, as… read more

(Excellent )

05/11/2019

Left by Workawayer (Sydney) for host

Staying with Jacqueline and Anthony was a beautiful, peaceful experience full of learning & laughter! I spent 2 lovely weeks there and would have stayed much longer, but already had pre-existing plans to travel to Norway. It didn't take long to consider their gorgeous property home, they made everything clear and comfortable, tasks were suited to… read more

(Excellent )

16/11/2019

Left by Workawayer (jessy) for host

My time at Jacqueline and Anthony's home was a great human experience, they really are welcoming and kind. The house is charming and cosy. The work I had to do seemed like I was living there and be a part of the family: painting walls, picking up the leaves, cleaning Dharma room or the house, preparing the garden, taking care of animals and many… read more

(Excellent )

07/11/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (jessy)

Jessy stayed with us for almost three weeks and throughout that time was excellent company, really fitted in, and helped us a great deal both in the house and outside in the orchard, fields and woods. She showed considerable initiative and worked well in a team with the other Workawayer who was here. There was also some delicious cooking and very… read more

(Excellent )

07/11/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Jorge)

Jorge was only with us for a relatively short time but felt very much a member of the family. He was a tremendous help to us, from sculpting an immense flight of steps in the garden to a little informal family tennis coaching! Good fun to have around, a hard worker and always showed initiative - welcome back anytime!

(Excellent )

15/03/2019

Left by Workawayer (Irene) for host

I've been so thankful to Jacqueline and Anthony for helping me out on a very short term, picking me up from a train station, and being flexible. It was great to come to a peaceful place where visitors come for healing and retreat, you'll have a chance to join meditation and more. It's close to Pau and various wine estates. Jacqueline and Anthony… read more

(Excellent )

11/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Irene)

We were very happy to be able to help Irene move at short notice from somewhere local to us that wasn't working out for her. She was great workawaying here with some good painting and working with our donkey Julia to her credit, and we all got on really well. We wish her all the best.

(Excellent )

11/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Henna)

We really loved having Henna with us, she is a great worker, experienced, open-minded and helpful in so many ways. She has a lovely artistic sense and yet is also strong and practical, a great friend to the animals too. We would have been more than happy for her to stay longer!

(Excellent )

18/10/2018

Left by Workawayer (Henna) for host

I enjoyed my stay with in Anthonys and Jaquelines place. They were very informative and helpful already before my arrival as I hitchhiked my way down to Pau. They were really understanding and flexible, and I could decide which time of the day I wanted to work and so on. I felt good about them trusting me with the work as well, and on the first… read more

(Excellent )

11/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Marjolijn)

We loved having Marjolijn with us on two occasions as she was passing through France. She was open and thoughtful about everything we had going on here and was helpful in so many ways,. A very meticulous and thorough worker, an excellent cleaner and very good company. We would love to see her again and recommend her to other hosts.

(Excellent )

13/02/2019

Left by Workawayer (Liam) for host

Anthony and Jacqueline were absolutely wonderful to stay with for two weeks. They were clear and up front about what was expected from me, and the work was consistently engaging and rewarding. When I wasn't working I was able to relax and read a good book recommended by Jacqueline or explore Pau. The food was always great, the house was cozy, and… read more

(Excellent )

11/02/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Liam)

We were delighted to have Liam with us. He fitted in really well, was a very good communicator and a hard and thorough workawayer (sometimes I found he had done and finished something only mentioned in passing as a possible future job!) Remembered for his enthusiastic wood chopping and brilliant floor sanding among other things. Sorry to see him… read more

(Excellent )

22/09/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (colin)

Colin was with us for a shorter time than we would have liked but certainly gave full measure - from bringing up (with the help of our donkeys Julia and Venus) and stacking piles and piles of logs, to rewiring some gnawed cables under the floor of our meditation room very quickly and professionally. He was very easy to have around - with the… read more

(Excellent )

20/07/2018

Left by Workawayer (Lynn) for host

I spent two weeks in early June at the Wither’s lovely estate in Jurançon. My tasks included cleaning the Dharma room (removing cobwebs, vacuuming, and mopping), painting a metal chair, weeding, assisting with changing over the gîte (guesthouse), as well as cleaning/sanding and oiling four teak chairs.

Since summer is a busy time with the gite,… read more

(Very good )

27/03/2018

Left by Workawayer (Florence) for host

Jacqueline and Anthony are very serene, caring and interesting people. It is very nice to be with them and in their property, which is very relaxing and alive at the same time (often of the passage).
The nature is beautiful, and close to the bus to Pau or other cities. My health was very good with organic food, meditation, piano, walks, and… read more

(Excellent )

23/03/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Florence)

It was very nice to have Flo staying and working with us. She was a hard and thorough working volunteer - carefully pruning one of the apple trees and bringing loads of logs up from the woods with Julia the donkey among other things - and cheerfully got on with whatever needed doing in the house or outside. She fitted in very well and we wish her… read more

(Excellent )

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Host ref number: 522772691846

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