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Description
Are you looking for something different? We are offering a working holiday helping to renovate at our 500yr old farmhouse set in 2 hectares; we sit alone amongst rolling hills on a route of St Jacques de Compostelle. Some great walks, cycling or just sit and enjoy the scenery in your spare time.
We'd love you to help us with:
- DIY/Building work
- Construction
- Gardening and vegetable patch (weeding, turning soil etc)
We have 1 double room or camping in the grounds (for couple or one person) We're looking for people who are practical, hard-working, must enjoy physical work and being outdoors - happy to follow instructions.
You should be fairly independent and comfortable around small dogs that make a lot of noise but are otherwise friendly with humans!
Plenty of free time to enjoy the peace of the countryside.
Chris is a retired theatre worker (stage carpenter) Sandra a retired English teacher. We're both parents and grandparents and would describe ourselves these days as young of mind old of body. We are both personable and friendly, we're both used to working with younger people and happy to share what we know.
We are mostly vegetarian but don't have a problem with people that aren't.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
A friendly welcome awaits you.
Sandra is a competent cook and likes dinner parties to cook for others and chat over a meal. Happy to help with English conversation and would love to get some French conversation practice - if we should get any French speaking workaways. Two of her 4 children have also moved from the UK - to Canada and New Zealand.
Lots of books on the premises to read whilst here.
Chris is an extremely practical individual who, since here in France, has undertaken window fitting, plumbing, carpentry, installing central heating. We are currently refurbishing a swimming pool and repairing the lime mortar to various areas of the house. Generally, jobs could be anything involved in updating a very old and sadly, neglected house. We hope we are doing these refurbishments - sympathetically.
It is difficult to detail what might be learnt from us - we are both in our 60s and have 90 years of work life between us in various industries, family life and so on. When meeting any new person you always learn something!
Ultimately, we hope that we gain extra hands and that whoever comes will learn something new and have an enjoyable experience.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
- DIY/Building work
- Construction
- Gardening and vegetable patch (weeding, turning soil etc)
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Accommodation
We have 1 room in the main house with en-suite, or camping in the grounds available (for couple or one person).
No smoking in the house.
What else ...
The property is located in the spectacular countryside in the commune of La Boissière-En-Gâtine. Whether you enjoy walking, running, cycling, watching nature, gazing the dark skies, exploring or simply wanting a change away from the rat race - this is the place. We love the countryside and hope to share that with you.
A pilgrim route of St Jacques de Compostelle runs alongside the property.
Parthenay, our nearest biggish town has a medieval walled town to visit. We are approximately an hour and 15mins from the fantastic Puy du Fou - a full and interesting day - which, if you choose the right day, ends with a fantastic light show on the lake.
Plenty of Chateaux to visit and Plan d'eau, for lake swimming.
There isn't a nearby bus, but we are happy to drop you at a nearby town or stop to get transport.
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?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
