Live with our family and learn new skills in beautiful Normandy, France

Details

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  Description

  We are an English couple (Olek is of French and Polish heritage and speaks French fluently) and our dog living in a village in Higher Normandy, classed as one of the most beautiful villages France.
  
  Our current projects include decluttering and reorganising the various items in each room, our garage and our outhouses. Once this is done, we will be repainting the interior and some of the exterior. Living in a large house from the 17th century means there is an endless list of small tasks that always need doing.
  
  We have a large garden and a vegetable plot that you can assist with weeding and general maintenance as well as helping to mow the grass when appropriate. Olek is an artist and often exhibits outside at weekends and help would be welcome to set up the paintings onto grills if timings match with your visit. We can use help in lots of different areas for a few hours a day to assist our busy and sociable lifestyle.
  
  We usually sit down for a cooked evening meals at the table - outside during the summer, (sometimes on the sofa in front of TV). Lunch varies from hot food to a sandwich, soup, salad depending on what people prefer. We are a lively couple – lots of laughs, arguments quickly resolved always something going on – friends stop by, phone rings often for bookings for our bed and breakfast and holiday home or French and English speaking friends just for a chat. We speak English at home amongst ourselves.
  
  We are all fully vaccinated against covid.
  
  Our dog Poppy spends most of the day sleeping after having a long walk. She is always alert within seconds if anyone is cooking food, rustling bags that might contain food or at walkers passing by the front of the house. We’re non smokers, but smoking outside is ok. You’ll have freedom of the fridge and will be treated as part of the family but we will respect your privacy and you are free to do your own thing in your spare time. We have a digital piano that you are welcome to use (with headphones if you prefer).
  
  We would like to ideally host more than one person at a time so that the jobs listed above get done quicker and we have found it to be more fun for the Workawayers like this. We have a king size bed in 1 bedroom available. Depending on your skills and how long you can stay for, a single person is fine too.
  
  We are often available at the last minute and can collect you from Rouen Rive Droite Train station or the bus stations or Gaillon Aubevoye train station and with notice, possibly Paris. Buses and trains regularly come from Paris to Rouen and Gaillon.
  
  Our area of France is beautiful steeped in history dating back to the middle ages. We will be happy to show you around the Normandy countryside and Olek can share his insight into the local historic world war sites in the area.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are English speaking at home and are fluent in French too (Shirley is not so fluent as Olek). We live in a beautiful village and are happy to exchange food and living ideas as well as showing you around our beautiful countryside and places of interest such as Rouen and Paris.

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  Help

  We can accommodate one or two couples to stay in 2 double rooms each room has a double bed or a single person will be equally welcome. Our first priority is decluttering our garage and unused rooms. We have a trailor and there may be several trips to the rubbish tip required as well as helping to move items to other areas for permanent storage. We have repainting outside and inside the house to be done. We also need to weed and maintain our garden and vegetable plot. Walking our dog and helping Olek to store or transport his paintings to exhibitions may be required occasionally.
  
  We can accommodate people for a minimum of 2 weeks but would prefer longer.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  2 double bedrooms of which 1 has a king size bed and the other a single which converts to a double within our house. Access to kitchen, bathroom and garden. French and English Television, Netflix, Amazon Prime.

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  What else ...

  Our village is surrounded by France's largest Beechwood forest. We live in an area rich in history (William the Conqueror and his son, Richard the Lionheart and many Kings of France lived or passed through our village). Not far from the cities of Rouen (45 minutes drive) and Paris (1.15 minutes drive or accessible by train). The gardens of Giverney are 50 minutes drive away and there is a local abbey, chateau and gardens nearby to visit along with numerous walks through the forest which you can do without having to drive anywhere first. Our village is a small but active one, with bars, restaurants and hotels that are especially busy at the weekends or during high season.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We have space for a campervan on the street outside our house but not for one that takes up more space than a large car as parking is limited.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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