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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
20 Apr 2025
Reply rate
90.9 %
Usually responds within 1 day
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Description
Hi !
We welcome workawayers twice per year:
°°°In March/April to help with the olive tree trimming, when you'll discover the joys of using manual pruning shears or the electric shears. Olive trees are incredibly resistant, surviving in the August heat as well as in snow.
After the branches are trimmed, they need to be piled and burned, what fun !
°°°In September/October we're getting ready to pick the olives, when we put down large nets around the trees (photos on the profile). Before doing that, we'll need to rake under the trees so that the nets can lay flat.
You'll learn that there are different races of olives, but only one colour ! We'll take the olives to the Moulin where you'll see how the olives are processed into oil.
If you ever get bored, there are always miscellaneous tasks to do around the property ; triming, cutting, raking, piling wood, painting, etc. Or if you have a special skill, or prefer to do certain tasks, we'll work around that. If you like DIY projects we'll see what can be done. If you're happy, we are happy ! We've come to understand that often our workawayers are so very talented that they teach us as much as they learn about our way of life.
My family lives on the ground floor of a large home. Upstairs there are 4 bedrooms,3 bathrooms, kitchen, terrace with a view.
Two of those bedrooms are rented to students during the school year.
If there is one Workawayer, you will have a private bedroom, private bathroom, share wc.
If there are two Workawayers, you'll still have a private bedroom, with a shared bathroom and wc.
While we share our table with you certain days, other times you'll be able to manage your own time, eat when you want (I've been told we eat late at 8pm !).
We've discovered a nice exchange is sharing a meal made together, a recipé from your home country.
The bus passes in front of our home where you can get into the centre of Aix en Provence in 10 minutes; often I can drive you. Aix is a busy town filled with international students; markets, shops, restaurants abound. Another 20-minute bus trip away is the animated city of Marseille, full of sites to see.
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Hi, I'm a Canadian, from Vancouver, living in Aix en Provence for the last 30 years. We have a large property with over 100 olive trees and always need assistance with that ! You'll have your own private bedroom and will share the shower room/wc with another workawayer or woofer.
We welcome helpers in March, April, September, October.
In March and April : olive tree trimming, fertilizing, digging out baby olive trees and replantig them
In September, October, is the time for preparing the fields for the large tarps (filets), then finally, in October, starting the recolt.
Trimming other trees and bushes, raking, retrieving wood from the forest, chopping, piling, is an all-year affair.
Inside the house you'll find our two daughters, 24 years old, in need of help with their Italian. Around the table we can speak English, French or Italian.
We ask for 5 hours of help per day, five days per week. To keep you happy and satisfied we try our best to furnish everything you need during your stay; your help is greatly appreciated !
We offer 3 simple meals per day (breakfast consists of bread or toasts, jam/butter/cheese/fruit/yogurt, coffee, tea), lunch could be sandwiches, pasta, while the main meal in the evening is shared with the family and could be just about anything.
If you need particular food items, lke sugar and snacky foods, I can drive you to the Auchan 5 minutes away where you can buy everything you'd like.
We are a carnivores but eat a varied diet. I buy organic when I can, but not always. Vegetarians and vegans are welcome; If you have other special dietary needs we will do our best to accommodate you.
All guests have taken advantage of our proximity to the centre of Aix (by bus 15 minutes max), and to Marseille (30 minutes extra), as well as the beautiful weather enjoyed here in the south of France.
We have a larger property in Nyons in the Drôme where you'd be welcome as well; the Domaine de Chausan is the large red building in the photos.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We live in a rural environment but we're only a short drive (5 minutes) from the centre of Aix where you can enjoy the city life, attend exhibitions, visit museums, colorful markets, etc.
Working with olive trees will bring you knowledge of this particular type of agriculture, from digging them out of the ground as babies, to recolting their fruit in October.
Our family is bilingual English/French and happy to communicate in either language. I teach English in Aix to children and adults. We have a 6 year-old dog of mixed race, and two 2-year old cats and 4 chickens !
Help
Outside help would be maintaining the olive trees, trimming, watering, weeding; cutting grass, tidying up, digging, raking and filling up the holes the dogs or wild boars have made !
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Italian: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
My husband Benoit speaks Italian very well, along with some Provençale. He is a history fanatic, can spend the night in discussion. The girls are perfectly bilingual English/French; while my mother tongue is English, my French is very good.
Accommodation
We live on the ground floor of a large house. The upstairs is completely independant with kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. Usually two of these bedrooms are rented by students, who consider this their home.
There are two bedrooms for workawayers. You are considered invited guests and are expected to follow the rules of the house (don't touch things that don't belong to you, clean up after yourself).
All of your meals (which we provide), are had upstairs in the kitchen or on the terrasse with your partner workawayer, except for the evening meal during the week when we sit down all together.
We have discovered that most guests go exploring during the weekend and meal provision is sometimes unnecessary; we play that by ear.
What else ...
The bus passes in front of the house; you'll be in Aix en Provence in 15 minutes; from there the world is your oyster, going to Marseille, côte d'azur......
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have no problems with internet/fibre !
Space for parking camper vans
We have plenty of room for any size camper.
Can possibly accept pets
No problem with well-behaved pets. We have a dog ourselves.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Feedback (2)
Always in good humour, Franz is a versatile young man who helped us out with varied activites on the property.
We'd welcome him again.
Lynn and her family live on the ground floor, while another… read more
Always with good humour, pity your stay was cut short, thanks again Murray !
Photos
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Always in good humour, Franz is a versatile young man who helped us out with varied activites on the property.
We'd welcome him again.
Lynn and her family live on the ground floor, while another… read more
Always with good humour, pity your stay was cut short, thanks again Murray !
I hope you experienced something new, while getting to practise your French, which is rather good !
All the best,
We enjoyed hosting you and happy that you were able to take advantage of your time here in Aix en Provence exploring the town.
Good Luck to you !
ps Hope you don't mind your photo on our listing !
But two weeks before her arrival date, after months of communication, she suddenly disappeared.
Well not really, as she is still active on the site, so we know she's okay......
But she has not answered our notes, not given us any explanation for her actions. She's… read more
I have to smile thinking about our time together:)
Lynn really cared for me when I was ready to miss the last bus and she always mentioned that it… read more
He assisted us both with the manual work required, which entailed picking olives, and his preferred activities dealing with his varied fields of expertise. From drilling in holes for putting up shelves/a door lock/solar light, to more sophisticated tasks such… read more
