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Help in an Animal sanctuary in Dordogne France

France
Last activity : 25 Oct 2024

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Host rating
60 %
Last replied
19 Oct 2024
Reply rate
66.7 %
Usually responds within 5 days
Feedback
19
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2024

Min stay requested: at least 1 month

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Description
I love animals and have dedicated my life to rescuing and taking care of them. I currently have 4 dogs, 22 cats, 3 donkeys, two bulls, 6 horses, 6 ponies 12 goats, 5 scheep, 1 pig, 2 rabbits, 2 roosters and 23 chickens. We are a sanctuary.
My goal is to make the farm animals ambassadors for their species and make people aware of the complexities of these wonderful creatures. They are not livestock and they are not things.

I maintain the property on my own, and while I can teach you the specifics of working with my animals, I highly favor work-away volunteers who have prior experience working with animals. I am looking for people who are attentive and who understand the responsibilities of taking care of animals. If you do not know anything about animals but have some specific skills like building fences, construction, woodworking, etc. do not hesitate to contact me, your experience is highly needed and appreciated.

In exchange for your hard work, you sleep in a real room in the estate and are fed organic food. I am a proud vegan, and I welcome you to open your heart and mind about the benefits of this lifestyle.

It is important to know that this can be very heavy/physical work and that anyone coming should be prepared for that type of activity.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Greater appreciation for nature and animals, language practice, living in a region of France full of culture and amazing fares on a beautiful property, low carbon footprint lifestyle.
Help
I need help in all aspects of animal care such as feeding, cleaning, and maintaining their habitat. Some of the fences and enclosures of my animals need to be fixed. Other tasks include: watering plants in the summer, upkeep of the land, helping with the house, or starting a vegetable garden. I am open-minded when it comes to other projects that can benefit the animals and the land.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Accommodation
Private room with double bed and private bathroom in the main house.
What else ...
Dordogne is a very authentic part of France. The area is known for its castles, amazing wines, culture, climate and traditional foods. It is a beloved touristic area from late spring to early fall. I can come and pick you up from Bergerac train station or Bergerac airport. Depending on my availability, I may be able to take you to some interesting surrounding areas to show you a bit of the local culture.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 688458957481

Feedback (17)

24 Aug 2023

Left by Workawayer (Stefano) for host

I have been here for a month and a half and have shared the experience with other workawayers. As soon as I arrived I found a much nicer place than my expectations.
In the garden you will see chickens that get along well with dogs, cats and Sand (the adorable blind horse who lives in the garden).
In the horse meadow you will be able to see bulls… read more

(Excellent )

8 Jul 2023

Left by Workawayer (Olivier & Melanie) for host

I stayed with Ariane for 5 weeks back in January/February 2020. I had heard about the sanctuary by word of mouth and wasn’t on WorkAway at the time, which is why I’m only leaving a review now. I still have great memories from my time there, looking after all the lovely animals and having nice dinners with Ariane. All the animals have their own… read more

(Excellent )

22 Apr 2022

Left by Workawayer (Charlotte) for host

Please see our feedback policy for more info about why this review is not displayed

(Negative )

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Accuracy of profile:
(4.8)

Cultural exchange:
(4.5)

Communication:
(4.4)

24 Aug 2023

Left by Workawayer (Stefano) for host

(Excellent)

8 Jul 2023

Left by Workawayer (Olivier & Melanie) for host

(Excellent)

22 Apr 2022

Left by Workawayer (Charlotte) for host

Please see our feedback policy for more info about why this review is not displayed

(Negative)

31 Jul 2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Erika & Alan)

Great couple, great workawayers, great personalities!
Both Erika & Al are very responsible, calm and compassionate. They work hard, independently and have great work ethic.
Erika knows a lot about all kind of animals and how to take care of them.
They are both extremely easy people to get along with. They came as volunteers and left as… read more

(Excellent)

27 Dec 2019

Left by Workawayer (Erika & Alan) for host

What an amazing experience we have had with Ariane and all the animals. We shared our time there with two other Workawayers, Lucy and Aline, who quickly became friends.
Caring for animals is a rewarding task. To be able to spend time with so many different types of animals felt particularly special. Chronos and Hermes were the two we were most… read more looking forward to meeting as we'd never spent time with cows and we weren't disappointed. Sitting with them on a sunny day gave a sense of peace that is difficult to describe.
The cats are all so lovely and all so unique. Cats in laps! What more can you ask for? If we could have taken Sidges and Aramis and Tara with us we would have but really we love them all.

We were so happy to see how peacefully the animals live together. The dogs and cats all seemed so at ease with each other. Some of these animals have had really hard lives but they are so happy now and open to love and kindness. We can all learn so much from them.

Brushing the horses and getting lots of horse hugs was a highlight for me (Erika) having grown up with horses but not had one in my life for a long time. Buki gives the best hugs! The tiny sheep and goats are adorable (especially Bucky) and fun to spend time with if you can find them.
The donkeys are very calm beasts to be around as well. Tarabelle, Victor and Tin Tin have the softest muzzles. You have to kiss them.

We had the opportunity to socialise some kittens who were rescued not long before we arrived and I've never felt such a bond of love as I have with these four siblings. Having to say goodbye to them was the hardest thing I've done in a very long time but this is part of the job.

Al was also able to help with some DIY tasks and with the website which was a great opportunity and felt great to be able to help in this way.

Ariane is an amazing person. She is instantly welcoming and so thankful for the work we do as volunteers. The house and grounds are beautiful and the accommodation is outstanding. The air is so fresh. The food is exceptional and so nice that it is vegan and organic. We shared so many lovely meals and long chats over food. We enjoyed a couple trips out to see the local shelter, the vets and to visit Bergerac where we had two lovely meals out.
We learned a lot about caring for animals through traditional and natural methods, about local laws regarding animal cruelty as well as the realities of life at a sanctuary.

Animals need care everyday and everyday can be different so people should only come here if they are okay with this.
We feel very healthy after our stay here both in our bodies and in our souls. Working outside everyday and eating well but most importantly sharing time with animals has been a huge gift. If you get the chance to volunteer here please do it. You won't regret it.
We are already looking forward to visiting again. Thanks for everything you do Ariane. You are amazing.

(Excellent)

8 Dec 2019

Left by Workawayer (Claudia ) for host

No sooner I started reading Ariane's profile I knew she was a charismatic woman devoted for animals.
After my personal experience, I could not be more grateful and satisfied with the work and constant learning from Ariane's advice and the animals personality.
I had such a great time having talks and meals with vegans from different nationalities,… read more

(Excellent)

20 Nov 2019

Left by Workawayer (Marion) for host

Ariane, I'm so sorry that feedback took me so long. I got caught into a lot of travels and Workaways, as you might imagine....

I stayed 3 months at Ariane's place, last winter, with my dog.
I was already used to farm work since many years. But I still learned a lot with Ariane. She knows a marvellous amount of things about rescuing farm animals.… read more

(Excellent)

6 Sep 2019

Left by Workawayer (Erik & Pippa) for host

So sorry that we took so long to leave a review – we’ve had a very busy summer!

Erik and I stayed with Ariane in April-May this year. We loved our stay at the sanctuary. It really is a sanctuary – it feels safe and peaceful. The animals are beautiful and each has a unique personality. The work is hard. You will get really fit working here; lots… read more

(Excellent)

27 Jul 2019

Left by Workawayer (Thomas) for host

Staying with Ariane for a month was a very unique experience and one that I would highly recommend to anyone who would like to connect with animals and escape city/modern life. As a student living in London, the contrast I experienced was huge, and being in such a different surrounding and effectively living with different values and priorities… read more was a very nice change of pace.

I would always (and still do) describe myself as a cat person, therefore I immediately bonded with a number of Ariane’s cats, all of whom have distinct and interesting traits, but I have always really enjoyed spending time with other animals so felt I had a decent understanding of what to expect from the sanctuary. I was surprised however, at just how expressive the goats, donkeys, and other animals were, and felt that I was able to really find and develop relationships with these animals over a number of weeks. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to spend time with such a variety of species-however this did make for some more difficult days as a number of animals had rough experiences during my stay.

The work is without question demanding on occasion, and due to its nature, there is very little sustained respite.There will be some more stressful days and you must always be prepared to help out in one way or another, however Ariane is very straightforward and reasonable in what she demands of you.

Before my month with Ariane, I had never made an effort to cook vegan food myself despite knowing that it was something that I should be looking into, and I can only describe my experience eating in this way as eye opening. I felt extremely well nourished the entire time and felt like my body was running efficiently for the first time, and the contrast to how I felt during my first week following my stay (admittedly not eating very well at a music festival) was really interesting and I now certainly feel motivated to start transitioning to a vegan diet. I took home a number of recipes and have begun integrating them with my previous (limited) diet.

Ariane has an interesting view on the world and we shared some very nice conversations during my stay. I certainly feel as though I have seen a unique and rewarding way of approaching life and truly believe that an experience such as this would be valuable for anybody, especially those around my age unsure of what to pursue in life.

I am very thankful to Ariane for being so accommodating and tolerant during my month stay. It is a beautiful place, and despite the hard work there is plenty of time to relax and enjoy your surroundings, and I will certainly make a point of returning in the future.

Thank you Ariane for making the effort to give these animals a comfortable life, and for allowing people like myself to experience that.

(Excellent)

18 Jun 2019

Left by Workawayer (Megan) for host

I had a brilliant time with Ariane and her animals. The animals are all wonderful, I loved working with and getting to know them, there are so many different characters, and Ariane has created a wonderful home for them all. They need looking after every day though, you need to be ready to work hard.
Ariane is such a lovely person, kind,… read more

(Excellent)

20 May 2019

Left by Workawayer (Kay) for host

Ariane has devoted her life to rescuing animals. There are many sick or ailing creatures at her estate but they are all so very friendly and grateful for love and attention. It is a lot of work for one person and she needs people who can really commit to all aspects of the work, some pleasant, some not so pleasant. The country side is lovely and… read more

(Very good)

12 Nov 2018

Left by Workawayer (Saulė) for host

It has been only a few hours since I've left Ariane's place, and I cannot wait to share my experience here. I've arrived here almost two months ago. And now it feels like I'm leaving home. And at home you have everything: the fun times, the sad times, the frustrating times. But it's all good, because you are always invited to talk openly about it… read more

(Excellent)

24 Jul 2018

Left by Workawayer (Lucy & Joseph) for host

This was without a doubt the best experience of my life. I was there for roughly 1 month and it flew by.

Ariane's property and the surrounding area is beautiful, but more importantly the animals are truly incredible. Working around them throughout the day, you are able to build connections and understand each of their personalities. I was… read more

(Excellent)

21 May 2018

Left by Workawayer (Luisa) for host

I really enjoyed my stay at Arianes beautiful place!
The estate is quite big and makes you feel like being on holiday.
I was very impressed by Arianes love towards animals and how devoting and passionately she cares for former abandoned and mistreated animals - truely impressing and inspiring. I loved helping her with this huge project of… read more

(Excellent)

22 Apr 2018

Left by Workawayer (Albany) for host

I spent three months working here from September to December 2017 as part of my french year abroad. I am very grateful that my uni allowed this as it turned out to be a great three months, full of good food, interesting chats and a lot of lovely people and animals.

My work days started between 8 and 8:30am depending on the light in the morning,… read more and usually finished around 7pm if I remember correctly, though this also varied with the light/cold and the animal situation. The days at the sanctuary were very busy, but Ariane always made sure that we got to enjoy tasty and relaxing meals as a nice break between jobs. She only buys organic food so I left with great skin and a lot more energy than when I arrived! (The the latter was probably more thanks to the constant outdoor exercise). This exercise came in the form of carrying hay bales, running down a muddy hill to feed the bulls, and walking up and down another hill to feed the goats, for example. It was really interesting to see how quickly your fitness improves when you are doing physical work all day! The animals were lovely and very characterful, with interesting group dynamics. It was amazing to see the horses, ponies and donkeys running down the hill together as the sun set (an important part of their daily routine). Late one night, some other workawayers and I went down into the field when the moon was very bright, and found the bulls, horses, ponies, donkeys and cats all relaxing together which was lovely.

Ariane is very caring, with great conversation. She helped me a lot with my confidence and when I went through a difficult break up after the first month, she gave me advice and spent a long time researching the right herbal medicines to give me for the specific emotions, as well as lending me a book about dealing with such emotions. When we managed to finish our work early enough in the evening, she would bring out a bottle of organic wine and we would sit with an aperitif and enjoying the last bit of sun for the year. Her house and land is absolutely stunning, and it was lovely to get to work in that environment. She took me out for curry and pizza on several occasions, and I was also invited to dinner with her friends and mother several times, which was great french practice and a nice break.

I think Ariane would agree with this: as a boss she does expect very hard work. (Though she does always say that she's grateful for what you have done). The main skill I learnt over the three months is the importance of taking initiative and always looking for something else to help with, as there is always something else. This is not the right place to work if you just want a way to travel round the local area! Animals need a lot of looking after, and you can't take days off because you're tired or unmotivated. I was given a day off on my birthday, and another to spend time with my dad when he visited, which was lovely, but other than that I worked every day for three months, though some were days were easier than others. I arrived as a very lazy and under-confident person, but left with a lot more self belief and a genuine desire to keep busy.

No two days were the same, which is what makes the work seem less tiring. We spent one day building a fence which was fun! When the quails were struggling in the winter, some other workawayers and I revamped their hutch with hay bales to make it winter appropriate. Another day, the bulls escaped over a gap in the fence and Ariane and I managed to get them back into the field quite quickly, though it was funny seeing two excited and guilty looking bulls running around the swimming pool! I was always very impressed with how hard Ariane worked to make sure the animals were happy, no matter how stressful the situation.

In conclusion, this is the right job for you if you love animals (and are ideally vegetarian/vegan), great conversation and people, and stunning surroundings. You need to be willing to work very hard and sometimes in highly pressured and stressful situations, such as the mad rush that is feeding all the large animals in the morning. I could keep writing for ages because so many interesting things happened and I'm sure I've forgotten some important things, but this is already very long!

If anyone has any questions, feel free to message me :)

P.S. Sorry for taking 5 months to write this Ariane, you know I'm not the best at doing things on time!

(Excellent)

20 Nov 2017

Left by Workawayer (Zsuzsanna ) for host

I really enjoyed my stay at Ariane's marvellous home and looking after those animals. I am grateful for the experience to live with a vegan lady who actually showed a great example of how to live life in a very economical way with a high standard. The animals are all friendly and easy to work with. This is a place where you find it hard to… read more

(Very good)

12 Sep 2017

Left by Workawayer (Christopher) for host

Please see our feedback policy for more info about why this review is not displayed

(Negative)

6 Mar 2017

Left by host for Workawayer (Tom)

I am very new to workaway but if Tom is any indication of the kind of people I will meet thanks to this site I will love it! Firstly, he is incredibly motivated and hard working. He was really an invaluable help for me. He worked more hours than he was supposed to because that’s the kind of guy he is; genuine, reliable, caring and helpful.

Tom… read more

(Excellent)

28 Feb 2017

Left by Workawayer (Tom) for host

As Ariane's first workawayer, I was a bit apprehensive before arriving as she had no reviews. It all seemed too be good to be true: vegan, south of France, 52 animals! However, I can assure you, this is very real. Ariane is lovely and extremely welcoming. Every mealtime we had interesting conversations about a range of subjects. If you want to… read more meet someone who truly cares about animals and lives in an ethical way, this place is perfect. Ariane welcomed me into her life for nearly 3 weeks and I enjoyed every minute of it.

This is the most beautiful property I've ever seen. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd buy it straight away! It's exactly what you'd expect from a property belonging to an animal lover and an architect. My accommodation was incredible; I literally had a holiday apartment to myself (although don't get your hopes up since it gets rented out in the summer. However, all the other bedrooms are amazing and have en-suites so you can't go wrong!).

The work was all about the animals (feeding the animals in the morning/ helping out in the garden and fields/ feeding the animals in the afternoon). Given animals are unpredictable, don't expect the work to be the same each day. Some days you might start work at 8:30 and not finish until the evening, but you'll have sections in the middle of the day off. Also, since the animals need to be fed every day, days off don't really work here. It would be unfair on Ariane to take 2 days off each week and not help with the animals since feeding them is sooooo much easier with 2 people. Don't worry though, feeding the animals is fun so it's not really work! Only come here if you have a hard-working attitude and if you're prepared to work slightly longer hours if needed. One day, my work involved taking pictures of the animals (the pictures you now see on Ariane's profile) and playing with some kittens that are up for adoption to try and socialise them. I definitely wouldn't class that as hard work!

Ariane took me on several trips out to restaurants, local markets, cinema etc. which were all really nice. It says a lot about her that she wanted to go the extra mile for me and show me the local area. We only spoke in French (although Ariane speaks fluent English, Flemish and German, so if you're not very good at French then you needn't worry) so my French has definitely improved. It's a great cultural exchange opportunity.

If you love animals and are vegetarian/vegan (if you eat meat then don't bother) then you'll absolutely love it here. I became particularly attached to a ginger cat called Jack. If I could've stashed him in my suitcase and brought him back to England then I would have.

Merci beaucoup de m'avoir accueilli chez-toi Ariane. Fais Jack et Jim un gros calin de ma part!

A la prochaine!

(Excellent)

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Help in an Animal sanctuary in Dordogne France

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