Upcycling, painting and gardening the beautiful Dordogne, SW France

France

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Host rating
Feedback
51
Last activity
21/10/2020
Reply rate
95.7 %
Average reply time:
within 1 day
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Availability

2020

Min stay requested: at least a week

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Description
**Availabilty from 13th October**

We are a young British family which has lived in the Dordogne for the last decade. We are currently renovating a stone barn.

We live at top of the second highest point in the area and can see for 20 miles on a clear day. We are surrounded by farms so there is very little traffic - more tractors than cars! so it is quiet, peaceful and surrounded by green hills and trees.

Relax on a fifty foot long terrace and drink in the views. Meals are a hearty affair eaten at a long oak table on the terrace; the more friends old and new, the merrier!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Help around the house
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
My son and I are bilingual English and French, so if you wish to improve either of those languages we are happy to chat away! There are also many beautiful French châteaux and villages to visit.
Help
I am carrying out a building projects, so my builder will need a bit of help with kitchen and bathroom fitting.
I have bought a vintage kitchen which needs repainting and repurposing for my project.
There is also some gardening to be done; hedge cutting, weeding and helping me with my veg patch. Also some stone walling, a bit of laying concrete.
I also have another house which I am decluttering. I have been through everything once, but it needs resorting into things to go to charity and making it a useable space.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Accommodation
In the almost finished house next door. Use of my kitchen and bathroom
What else ...
The Dordogne is one of the most popular tourist sites in France, particularly for those with an interest in Medieval history - we have many fairy tale castles within a 20km radius.

Sarlat has a fantastic Saturday Market, it is the biggest in the Dordogne. For the prehistory enthusiasts we have the Museum of Prehistory in Les Eyzies, Lascaux caves and many grottoes and caves.

We have a lake a 5 minute drive from the house which has it's own beach and is great for swimming or fishing. There are also lots of rambling paths for keen walkers. In the warmer months, we recommend canoeing on either the Dordogne or Vezere rivers.

In terms of transport, we are in the middle of the countryside so there is no public transport. Ideally you would need your own car. We can give you a lift to the local town or lend you a bike to explore the local chateaux and villages.

On arrival, we can also collect you from Sarlat train station (direct trains to and from Bordeaux). There is also a train from Paris which goes to Souillac, then is met by a bus which takes you to Sarlat.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
- Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Photos

Show all photos

Berti in Workshop

Formal Italian garden - still a little more planting to be done!

Brand new stonework on downstairs fireplace

Our current workawayers (Jan 2016); Lilla and Balasz; architects from Hungary.

Brian chopping logs with chainsaw

Feedback left by and about host (51)

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:
(4.6)

Communication:
(4.8)

02/10/2020

Left by Workawayer (Joseph) for host

My time at Enashas place was really nice!
I stayed for about 10 days and had a bunch of varied work, which was really nice so you don't do the same work over and over again. Working a lot outside in the garden and around the house pleased me a lot.
Enasha is a very good host, who always ensures you're doing fine. She drove me to the lake every… read more

(Excellent )

28/09/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Joseph)

Joseph was so chilled and relaxed; a pleasure to host!
You only had to ask him once to do a task and he just got on with it; managing his time really well.
He did grouting, gardening, varnishing.
Got on really well with my 9yo son.
Highly recommend him as a workawayer.

(Excellent )

28/09/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Dario)

Lively and Hardworking.
Did lots of little maintenance jobs, sanding and varnishing, strimming the long grass, weeding.
He was very good at my 50th birthday party, with prepping the space before, pouring drinks for guests and clearing up afterwards.
Didn’t always listen to instructions, so could be a little harder to manage. But with structure,… read more

(Very good )

17/08/2020

Left by Workawayer (Sofia & Santiago) for host

It was our first workaway experience and we definitely were able to go out of our confort zone (it was what we were looking for). Fortunately, she was available at last minute and we organized everything 3 weeks before. We learnt many things such as concreting and tiling, garding, among others. Enasha was always available to drive us to the river… read more

(Very good )

14/08/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Sofia & Santiago)

Loved Hosting Sofi & Santiago.
They were new to workaway, but threw themselves into every task with gusto.
They had some steep learning curves, especially with building, but worked really hard, in very hot 35+ degree weather to learn to mix concrete and lay a floor. They later helped Kevin my builder tile said floor and got used to tile… read more

(Excellent )

02/08/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Emma & Felix)

Excellent; hard working.
They had a lot of weeding to do, after lockdown and did a perfect job!
Very easygoing and polite.
Thank you Emma and Felix

(Excellent )

21/04/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Marcelo)

I’m just catching up with my reviews!
Marcelo was with me for 4 months.(it started off as 2 weeks in October 2019 and he did not leave till February 2020 when he did some travelling before returning home to Chile)
He was an absolute ray of sunshine, so calm, always smiling and relaxed. Marcelo has a huge range of skills, he is a professional… read more

(Excellent )

08/02/2020

Left by host for Workawayer (Michael)

Michael was with me for about 10 days before Christmas. Due to the unseasonably fantastic weather; he did a lot of gardening; trimming many metres of hedges, which now look very smart and neat, strimming and weeding.
He then switched to inside work and helped his fellow workawayer with sanding and filling plasterboard; and painting; which was… read more

(Excellent )

24/11/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (John)

John is a really friendly chap. He is very experienced, and if he doesn’t know how to do something; he will figure it out.
In the 2 weeks he was with me, he refitted a complicated roof structure; relining, building up the wooden structure and retiling to make it watertight. He also used zinc sheeting to fix a leaky chimney and cemented up gaps… read more

(Excellent )

24/11/2019

Left by Workawayer (John) for host

Had a great time here and really got to use my skills if a fun way, the region is fantastic with amazing walks starting right on the doorstep. Sarlat has some great markets and lots of local food to taste. Enesha is a lovely person who really puts on a good meal. I would definitely revisit.

(Excellent )

22/10/2019

Left by Workawayer (Eva) for host

I was very happy to help and spend some time at this beautiful house in the Dordogne. Enasha received me last minute and was very warm and welcoming throughout the whole stay. I loved our conversations and the general atmosphere at the house. The work was fair and gave me opportunities to try new things, even in just a few days. Enasha never… read more

(Excellent )

09/10/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Eva)

Eva is a confident, capable young lady. She has the energy and enthusiasm of her 18 years, but she is also very mature.
Really hard working; she and her fellow workawayer weeded my garden, and she mastered the petrol strimmer and hacked away at the long grass and weeds.
Her organisational skills came into their own when she tidied my workshop, and… read more

(Excellent )

29/09/2019

Left by Workawayer (Vit) for host

A very nice quiet house in a good neighborhood with a fantastic view and incredible sunsets. Working here was a great experience. I worked 4-5 hours max per day cleaning and helping Enasha with whatever she needed, in exchange for accommodation and food. After working hours or on your days off you can explore surrounding areas with are also very… read more

(Excellent )

21/08/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Vit)

If I was running a business, I would hire Vitaly on the spot!
He has extremely high standards, and comes to you with solutions, (already completed) not problems.
I had an extremely tight deadline to reach and I would not have reached it without Vit’s organisational and practical skills.
He grouted my terrace, fixed shelves, mirrors, furniture,… read more

(Excellent )

21/08/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Andy)

Andy was only with me for about a week. He worked extremely well with my other workawayer and grouted a brand newly tiled terrace. Very neat at painting and varnishing; organising my cupboards and chest freezer, he is a perfectionist.
He also took some stunning photos of my house, gardens and son!
He’s great with children and my 8 yo really… read more

(Excellent )

09/07/2019

Left by Workawayer (Valentine) for host

I spent a week with Enasha as the first experience of Workaway and I am very happy! Enasha is very kind and knows how to make herself available to volunteers. Thanks to her and to the different people I met during my stay, I learned lots of new skills. His son, Xavier, is as talkative as he is adorable and playing with him has been a pleasure. The… read more

(Excellent )

07/07/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Valentine)

Valentine was with me for a week. She is extremely polite, considerate and hardworking. I was really busy and basically gave Valentine and her fellow workawayer Dylan à list of tasks. They were excellent at organising their work. Valentine knew exactly what needed to be carried out and used her common sense all the time when she could see tasks… read more

(Excellent )

05/07/2019

Left by Workawayer (Dylan) for host

My time spent with Enasha and Xavier (her son) was great! I felt very relaxed and pleased to be around such easy going people whom were full of kindness and smiles ! This was my first traveling and workaway experience and I am so happy I made contact with Enasha because the 20 or so days spent with her at her beautiful home, close to Sarlet,… read more

(Excellent )

04/07/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Dylan)

Dylan stayed for 2 blocks of just over a week each. After his first stay, he was so amazing I asked him to come back after his already arranged stay with his next host.
The first time he came; he helped my contractor install septic tanks and a huge soak away system. He is a natural with heavy digging machinery and learnt to use the digger and the… read more

(Excellent )

12/06/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Ayaka)

Ayaka is a very sweet young lady. She is quite quiet and reserved, but very friendly once you get to know her.
She was only with me for 4 days; but worked really hard. She is meticulous and careful in her work. She weeded my entire formal garden which had been neglected for some months (!)
She also painted and varnished a large bench I had… read more

(Excellent )

11/06/2019

Left by Workawayer (Ayaka) for host

Enasha was a generous woman, so I could behave as I am! Also, her 8-year-old son was so friendly that we became a good friend in a few hours!
I stayed only six days and just did weeding and painting, but wanted to be longer. I had almost no skills, but Enasha let me work at my own pace and in a way that I feel the most comfortable. After work, I… read more

(Excellent )

30/05/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Andrea)

Andrea was a Ray of Italian sunshine; charming, positive and hardworking. He is a very intelligent young man, and if he lacked experience in something, eg a new tool, he was quick to figure it out.
He is very organised and disciplined with his time. If you set him a task, he manages his time well and doesn’t require any supervision.
Is also very… read more

(Excellent )

24/05/2019

Left by Workawayer (Andrea) for host

I spent almost 20 days in the Sarlat countryside with Enasha.
She is an open minded person, and she knows a lot about culture, business and life in general. She loves to have conversations with travellers and this is good for everyone who wants to improve their English and French.
The area is peacefully, with a big porch where you can sit and… read more

(Excellent )

04/04/2019

Left by Workawayer (Veronika) for host

I stayed with Enasha for 10 days and she made me feel at home from the first minute. She's a very caring and friendly host and the communication beforehand was easy.
My task was mainly painting, as the wooden furniture needed colour, and a little bit of gardening and maintainance. During my stay I finished painting an amazing bunk bed in the guest… read more

(Excellent )

28/03/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Veronika)

Veronika arrived as a last minute workawayer and stayed 10 days.
She was very cheerful and often laughing! She is easy, unobtrusive company.
Veronika's main project was painting and varnishing some furniture I had made. She is a perfectionist and did a very neat job. She also did hedge trimming, pruning and tidied up my terrace (no mean feat!)
She… read more

(Excellent )

20/07/2016

Left by Workawayer (Julius) for host

I have stayed with Enasha and Xavier for 1 week and I really had a nice time at they place. I spend some time playing with Xavier and it was kind of new experience for me as well. Enasha showed me few new recipes for food. I wish I had a chance to stay longer with them and to know them better but I had to leave. View from the house is just… read more

(Excellent )

18/07/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Julius)

Julius was only with us for a week, but made a great impact. My very long drive had not been weeded in weeks and Julius was so diligent and spent 3 days restoring it to perfection. He was so tidy around the house. On the day he arrived; I had to pop out and i told Julius to relax after his journey. Instead he had cleaned the kitchen and tidied,… read more

(Excellent )

07/07/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Jonatan)

Jonatan is such a perfectionist, in the nicest possible sense! One of my first requests for him was to tidy the kitchen. He even polished my kettle; coffee machine and even the draining board.

He did a fantastic job of garden maintenenance. his lawnmowing was fantastic - no small feat as we have 5 acres (most is done by the farmer next door);… read more

(Excellent )

04/07/2016

Left by Workawayer (Jonatan) for host

I stayed at Enasha's home 10 days. It was my first workaway experience and i can say that it was a fantastic experience, more than i had thought. I like it very much although it made me very short hehe.

Enasha is a very cheerful and pleasant person and she always was attentive you were comfortable; as at your own home or even better. His son… read more

(Excellent )

07/07/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Bertold)

Berti was just the most fabulous workawayer, relaxed, calm, with a great sense of humour! He could turn his hand to any challenge I threw at him, he just took his time and figured it out.
For example, he plumbed in my new washing machine, when the old one broke, although he had never done one before.
My ex left a half made cabin bed for our 5… read more

(Excellent )

05/07/2016

Left by Workawayer (Bertold) for host

First workaway exp. of which iam very pleased to had there is always nice food provided. The ambient is very relaxed and from the first day i felt like being home. I am greatful for all the "tools" and space for my imagination thats been provided for teaching myself and for self-developement.

Eventhough I've been dropped in the midst of some… read more

(Excellent )

05/06/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Balázs & Lilla)

We were so lucky to have Balasz and Lilla stay with us. They are qualified architects, with many practical skills and a great work ethic, so an unbeatable team to have around.
They could work independently on complicated projects, such as plasterboarding the eaves, with al the tricky angles. Balasz also had a failsafe method of tiling the floors… read more

(Excellent )

27/02/2016

Left by Workawayer (Balázs & Lilla) for host

We stayed almost 4 weeks by Enasha, Steve and Xavier. With beautiful view of the valley trough our caravan-window, all the meals together and introducing us to the beautiful area they choosed to live in, they let us feel as a part of their family. Steve is an excellent builder, who also likes to teach and share his knowledge for people who are… read more

(Excellent )

23/12/2015

Left by Workawayer (Eirik) for host

I stayed only a few days with my last host in France for this year. I would have loved to stay with them a bit longer to be able to get to know each other more. Unfortunetaly it wasn't possible for both sides.
I still had a great time with them and helping them with their project, because working with Steve is very interesting. SInce he is always… read more

(Excellent )

21/12/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Eirik)

Eirik stayed with us right at the end of his workaway stint, so he was only with us for four days. However we already knew him well as he had stayed (twice) earlier in the year with some friends of ours who adored him too and he was an absolute pleasure to have around.

Eirik has learnt lots of skills during his workaway experiences and without… read more

(Excellent )

21/12/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Josh)

Josh was with us for 5 weeks; right at the end of our workaway hosting season this year and if it wasn't for his hard work and contribution, we would not have hit our target of getting our 2 gites watertight and insulated before we stopped for Christmas.

Particular skills josh brought with him is that he is absolutely excellent at log chopping,… read more

(Excellent )

12/12/2015

Left by Workawayer (Thomas) for host

I spent three weeks helping Steve and Enasha and it was an excellent experience:)
The location is beautiful, and has everything a house in the south of France should have , and more!
The project they have undertaken is also really interesting , especially for those interested in restoration or construction, and it was nice to give a… read more

(Excellent )

02/11/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Thomas)

Thomas arrived with little building experience but bags of energy and enthusiasm. He is a fast learner and a hard worker. By the end of the 2 weeks he spent with us, he was a very competent stonemason and roofer and could be left to work unsupervised to achieve very professional results.

Specific tasks he carried out were using a kango… read more

(Very good )

10/12/2015

Left by Workawayer (Matt) for host

Steve and Enasha are wonderfully welcoming people. The days were long and quite physical but its good to finish and think "today have achieved something" and to get into bed tired is also quite nice. The food was amazing and there was always a lot of it, I managed to hate myself at pretty much every meal! There is never a lack of conversation on a… read more

(Excellent )

15/11/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Matt)

We’ve been hosting for a while now, and workawaying is much more than just exchanging work for bed and board, but integrating our volunteers into our daily lives and Matt typifies this ideal.

He stayed with us for 5 weeks and was hard working. He was at his best when working closely with Steve as he is still young and new to the building game… read more

(Excellent )

12/11/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Martina)

Martina was an absolute superstar workawayer, she stayed with us for two months and we really miss her cheery, sunny, energetic nature! There was absolutely nothing she wouldn’t try her hand at and she excelled at.

She initially came to help with cooking and gardening. I called her the “Queen of Sauces” as she could make just even plain… read more

(Excellent )

09/11/2015

Left by Workawayer (Brian) for host

Hey! How are you! I miss you all so much!!!! Although it's been one month I left Sarlat, everything is still very clearly in my mind......

I had a very very wonderful time with Steve&Enasha. Work with Steve is very interesting. It's hard work but you learn new things everyday. I really miss we looked at what we've done after we called it a day.… read more

(Excellent )

10/10/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Brian)

Wow! (Inside joke!) Brian has just left us after a month’s stay. He was an incredibly conscientious, hard working and polite young man to have on our project and in our home.

In terms of work, he mastered many skills; from using a chainsaw to chop logs, a cement mixer to make all different types of mortar, for building, rendering, pointing and… read more

(Excellent )

15/10/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Paul)

Paul stayed with us for a month and his incredible work ethic and desire to learn new skills really pushed our project along. He was always keen to work longer hours to finish each aspect of a phase of the project.

On the first day he did an excellent job of laying and levelling concrete, despite having only done it once before. He quickly took… read more

(Excellent )

15/10/2015

Left by Workawayer (Paul) for host

What an amazing experience I've just had with Steve, Enasha and xavier...I was with them for nearly 1 month and thoughroughly enjoyed my time there..Enasha is an amazing cook and I sampled lots of tasty food while there, she took me on many experiences out including canoeing on the Dordogne..(amazing) and many more to mention, while my days off… read more

(Excellent )

31/08/2015

Left by Workawayer (Robert) for host

(Excellent )

30/07/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Robert)

Rob initially came to us in mid June for a month and extended his stay to 6 weeks. We think he may have caught a bit of sun! but he would like to come back in September to learn more about building from Steve. (We are taking a break from hosting in August due to family commitments.)

He is a big, tall, strong lad and Steve has found his help… read more

(Excellent )

05/08/2015

Left by Workawayer (Ross & Emma) for host

We spent the first two weeks of our workaway adventure with Steve, Enasha and their son Xavier, working on their stone barn renovation project. We were made to feel welcome from the minute we arrived and really enjoyed the work which included stone wall building, pointing, gardening and some roofing on the final day.

Enasha's cooking was very… read more

(Excellent )

01/08/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Ross & Emma)

Ross & Emma were our lovely Celtic couple who arrived in their VW camper.
From the first morning they both hit the ground running. Ross worked so hard chipping concrete off the stone walls that he was swapping between pneumatic drills which were overheating fasting than he was!

Emma did a fantastic job of weeding our long and neglected drive,… read more

(Excellent )

23/06/2015

Left by host for Workawayer (Isla)

Isla was our very first workawayer and she certainly set the bar high!
She is extremely fit, hardworking, cheerful, proactive and quick to learn. Even the toughest tasks, she threw herself into and was willing to work a long day when it was necessary (eg laying concrete!)
Within a couple of days she felt like part of the family. Our 4 year old… read more

(Excellent )

23/06/2015

Left by Workawayer (Isla) for host

Steve and Enasha are wonderful hosts. They're kind, friendly and sociable, their home is in a beautiful part of France, and Enasha is an excellent cook. The work is varied & interesting. I picked up a lot of practical skills from Steve - he's a natural teacher. They included me in their social life and went out of their way to make sure I saw some… read more

(Excellent )

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Host ref number: 723734919858

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