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Join our family and help us with daily life in Bellecombe en Bauges, France

France
Favourited 301 times
Last activity: 24 Apr 2024

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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
23 Apr 2024
Reply rate
97.4 %
Usually responds within 9 days
Feedback
4
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Email verified

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France

Share moments with us in our little paradise in the Rhône-Alpes, France

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Availability

2024

Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Description
We are a cycling family.
Christophe (52y.), 3 boys Aloïs (16y 1/2), Simon 11y 1/2 and Martin 9y, Lina 14y 1/2, and my self Justine 44y.
We eat organic food, try to reduce waste and leave close to nature ( we used to be flexitarian but our teens became vegetarian over a year ago). I personally eat dairy and gluten free. VEGETARIAN and VEGAN not an issue at all !

Christophe travels for work. I might need help ( household ) when he is away.
We will be happy to host either a native English or Spanish speaking to help the children get the language and culture. This is the main purpose for us to host and our target.
Simon and Martin are homeschooled and have some weekly activities (piano, drums, basketball, judo, handball and visits to museum or so).
We are looking for someone who is willing to spend time with the children. If you aren’t comfortable with children, please look for an other stay.

We live in a nice house surrounded by nature and lakes in the French Alps. Perfect place to practice cycling and MTB or hiking.
25 min from Annecy lake or Aix les Bains

Our neighbors have three cats ( not allowed to come into our house).
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We can help with the French language. We share all meals together.

France's largest region in terms of size and second largest in population, the Rhône-Alpes region is a very attractive place for travelers.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Language and cultural exchange: bring some of your country in our daily life so that we can travel while staying at home ;-D

I'm running three accomodations on the lake of Annecy through Aibrnb. During the season (April to September), I might ask help some days instead of being with the children (no scrubbing only lighter tasks such as making beds,hoovering or mowing the grass). Timetable can be fixed for each week.
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
This host offers a language exchange
I love languages and I wish my children can benefit from the exchange to improve their English or Spanish and discover a new culture and language. You can play / bake / play board games / go on adventures with them / sing/ teach / read books /…
Accommodation
Own bedroom with bed, working space and bathroom. EBike provided.
We share meals together, we usually cook for the guest but can adjust if needed.
What else ...
Hiking, cycling, fishing, skiing...
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We have a large parking place (about 6 cars can be parked)
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 556128555914

Feedback (3)

7 Jun 2023

Left by Workawayer (Tyrone ) for host

Well, where do I even start? I left Justine and Chris's this morning, and I felt I had to write this immediately to better process this experience. Coming into this workaway, I had not many expectations. I knew I just wanted to be in the midst of a French family, not only to experience a different way of living within a different family but also… read more to experience life with younger kids (as I am the youngest in my family, and never normally interact with them otherwise). I knew that there was much to be gained from this new experience, except I didn't know what.

Now, as I leave, I can say that not only have I learnt so much, but I have also been blessed with incredible memories that I will cherish for a long long time.

From the get go, Christoph and Justine hardly asked me to do anything. I was confused, as I am used to a more strict rough 5 hours of working time with my previous workaways. However, as I came to understand, Chris and Justine's main emphasis wasn't the physical work so to speak, but rather the value of the interaction between their children and foreigners like myself, who bring a different part of the world into their home. It took me a little time to comprehend this, as I felt I wasn't pulling my weight. However, once I got used to it, I started to really enjoy myself and my time with them. For the most part, I spent time with Simon and Martin, as they are home the most. Being with them taught me a lot. Not only did it remind me of the importance of play and fun in the cultivation of a healthy lifestyle, they also taught me patience, understanding, and strength. And perhaps most importantly, we shared many great memories together. Whether it was one of the French card games they wanted to play, or talking about this and that, or playing basketball, frisbee, handball, activities in the forest, drawing, lego, etc, it was a privilege to be able to spend time with them.

Chris and Justine themselves were also incredibly helpful, accommodating and kind during my stay. My bus got delayed by 4 hours in the beginning, making my arrival go from 8pm to midnight, not to mention my early bus out this morning, so I am very grateful for their efforts in picking up and dropping me off. They cooked very nutritious and healthy foods, which I appreciated, and there was always enough food for me to eat. They were also very easy and laid back with me. They were generous with 'days off', although it's hard to call it that because every day felt like a day off to me - interacting with the children never felt like work. As a result, I never really wanted to take a day off. I think I took two in the span of 3 weeks. One to visit Annecy town, and the other to go swimming in Annecy lake. Being at their house was so great that I didn't really want to leave for a 'day off'. Justine also sent me many great recommendations throughout my time there, whether it was hikes, beaches, or cooking classes.

I feel it's also necessary to mention how absolutely STUNNING the area is. The mountain view from the home and the endless fields of grass around were all unreal. I still remember going on a run with the kids during the beginning of my stay, and being really shocked at how gorgeous it all was. For the most part, the scenery of this place felt like a green screen. It was a beautiful change from city life in Sydney, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to spend time here. I adore the fact that they live so closely with nature - a well-intentioned decision. The children benefit very clearly from it, and to be honest, I kind of felt like I was living a childhood I never lived when I went into the forest or ran around the grass fields with them, or went on a walk/run/ride through the countryside. Sometimes I just had to take a moment to appreciate it all. I think I spent one night outside just staring at the moon and appreciating the mystery of it all for a long long time. The way the sun shines through the trees of the forest, or the wind blows beautiful patterns through the grass, or how the plants glow from the morning sun, there is so much nature here to observe and enjoy. We even saw a double rainbow from the terrace one evening, it was so beautiful. And of course, you can't forget Annecy lake and Annecy town. They give you an E-bike to use during your stay, so definitely check it out. It's real life fairy tale stuff.

In terms of my routine, I would try to do my own things when the children were occupied with home school or away for one of their co-curriculars (music, sports, etc). I would read, exercise, draw, journal, go for walks/runs, play the piano, or occasionally try to cook something. So you have lots of time to do what you want as well, which I really appreciated.

I think another severely underrated thing about staying here, is how amazing the neighbours are. I came into this experience not even thinking about them, but left spending some of my last moments with them. Their house is attached to the neighbours, in what used to be a big barn/farmhouse of sorts, so there's quite a bit of interaction between them, especially for the kids. The neighbours also have 4 kids, and also WWOOFERS which were great to hang out with and talk to. Anyways, Lucy, the oldest, which I never met because she is away at university. Marion, the same age as me, who is away for high school during the week but home on weekends (although she will be finished in a couple of days). Pierre, a year younger than me who was home during the whole of my stay because of his injury. And Sam, a 13 year old who goes to middle school nearby. I'm not even sure how to describe it well enough, but I really enjoyed spending time with them too. Simon and Martin really liked spending time with Sam, so I would be there as well. As a result, we became quick friends. And believe me, I never thought I could be friends with a 13 year old either, but this year has proven surprising in multiple ways. From having pancake cook-offs, Izakaya visits, bike rides, flower bouquet-making competitions, and races with a 50 year old friend I met in Japan, to wrestling, playing frisbee or minecraft, talking about absolute nonsense, and climbing a mountain with a 13 year old, this year just keeps on proving that life has got so much in store. Sam was a lot of fun to be around. He's young, but he laughs a lot and has always got ideas. He's a talented kid with lots of interesting interests. For Pierre and Marion, they were so funny and great to be around. We spent a lot of time playing a card game I taught them - Nertz - which I learnt from other workawayers in Japan (thank you Mika and Azeem), which was so fun. We shared a lot of great laughs, and I really enjoyed just going over to talk to them about anything and everything. I'll miss them. They're a crazy bunch. Literally. Sam likes eating biscuits dipped in water so they are literally insane. But jokes aside they were an amazing experience of serendipity. Be sure to hang out with them if you can and tell them I said hi :)

All in all, this was such a beautiful experience. You know it was good when it feels weird to leave, and I definitely feel weird thinking about the fact that I don't know when I will see them again, or the fact that none of this will ever be the same. Goodbyes have been weird when I travel, but alas I am very sentimental. I will cherish the memories I made and hope to return one day. You have all been amazing, and thank you for everything. I wish I could spend more time with everyone, but my next adventure awaits. Until next time. Lots of love ❤️❤️❤️

Ty

PS feel free to contact me if you are thinking about going here and have more questions! I contacted Julia, a previous workawayer and now friend of this house before and during my stay and she was incredibly helpful and kind about everything. I will do what I can to pass on the favour :)

(Excellent )

1 Jun 2022

Left by Workawayer (Julia) for host

Wow!!! Where to begin? I was a little nervous going into my first workaway, but I shouldn't have worried at all! I felt so, so welcome into this family and it honestly felt like a home away from home (so much so that I almost forgot to leave a review!!). Justine and Christophe were super fun to converse with, and I learned so much, not just about… read more

(Excellent )

21 Mar 2022

Left by Workawayer (Georgie) for host

My time with Justine, Christophe and all the kids was absolutely amazing. They are all so incredibly kind and I was welcomed into the family with warm arms. I didn't feel like a stranger at all, but instead a member of the family. If it was up to me, I would have stayed there forever. They live in the most beautiful house in the mountains, where a… read more

(Excellent )

21 Mar 2022

Left by host for Workawayer (Georgie)

Georgie est un rayon de soleil: joyeuse, positive, autonome et enthousiaste; adoptée tout de suite par petits et grands.
Une rencontre très humaine qui nous a tous marqués. Nous gardons de merveilleux souvenirs de son passage de 5-6 semaines chez nous et nos papilles aussi !
Vivement que nous nous retrouvions ici ou ailleurs !

(Excellent )

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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)

Cultural exchange:
(5.0)

Communication:
(5.0)

7 Jun 2023

Left by Workawayer (Tyrone ) for host

(Excellent )

1 Jun 2022

Left by Workawayer (Julia) for host

(Excellent )

21 Mar 2022

Left by Workawayer (Georgie) for host

(Excellent )

21 Mar 2022

Left by host for Workawayer (Georgie)

(Excellent )

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Join our family and help us with daily life in Bellecombe en Bauges, France

Profile information

Host rating

Last replied

Reply rate

Feedback

ID verified

Email verified

Badges (3)

Find your perfect host

Availability

Details

Description

Types of help and learning opportunities

Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

Projects involving children

Help

Languages

Accommodation

What else ...

A little more information

Space for parking camper vans

How many Workawayers can stay?

Hours expected

Feedback (3)

Photos

Feedback