Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
29 Apr 2025
Reply rate
95.5 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
26
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Badges (3)
Details
Description
How is it, living in a house from 1546?
Find out by touching, caring and loving it!
You like to repair things, help in the garden, create new solutions, help around the house?
You could learn a lot about trying different tasks in a very old house, it's an old stone building with enormous beams in the attic and large stone slabs as floors
There is also a room full of leftover wood (gets less...) and plenty of stones in the garden
Projects are discussed and we will decide together, what you want to help with
Whatever, we’ll discuss it
You don’t need any special skills, it’s enough to be enthusiastic about trying new things,
I like very much to show you how things could be done, but you can also look for other solutions.
You might be very young or not so young anymore, you might have plenty of energy to spend or live with a handicap – as long as you feel up to it: WELCOME !
I’m Colette, retired and 71 years old, who has embarked on a great project: bring an old house from 1547 to life again…
Now I'm some years on it and it looks really better!
As I had an accident with my back, I do need help. There are family and friends from time to time, but on a daily basis it would be very nice to try doing things together
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Interests
Charity work
Events & social
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Architecture
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
The evenings when we share a meal around the big table on the terrasse or in the big kitchen when it's not summer yet, are a very important part of our being together
If you want to improve your french, we could try to speak it as much as possible.
I'm bilingue, that means that my other language is German
And of course you can always speak English :))
The house was a part of a medieval fortress and it sits above the little village of Passavant, just a few houses and a church in a circle
Plenty of woods and nature for hiking. The river Doubs is at 14 km and Baume les Dames is the nearest place for shopping
30 km away is Besançon with its medieval city and a really impressive chateau
Help
As a 71 year old woman, I try to give an old building from the 16th century its life back.
As I'm not getting stronger, and lots are done by try and error, I'm looking for someone who is fun, kind and willing to participate. There are things I can't do alone and I would very much appreciate some help
The property could do with any skills really... ranging from repairing, help around the house, gardening, cutting wood, cleaning, to clear some dumping spaces. Tell me about yourself and we'll know how your skills could be put at best use.
Of course we prepare our meals together
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
French: Fluent
English: Intermediate
Accommodation
A room with a double bed and its own bathroom
Could also be shared by a couple
The house has a big kitchen where we can prepare food together or sit in front of the little stove when it's cold.
Most of the heating is with stoves, that means that in colder times we have to fetch wood in the barn or even cut some. The bedrooms and baths are heated with electric radiators - not very environment friendly.
There is a dining room, very elegant, but most of the time serving as working space for computers...
The garden is high above the village with a beautiful view - meals are outside when ever possible
Subterranean corridors? Yes, goes with the house. They are all blocked, but I'm discovering!
What else ...
It's really french countryside! Walks and hiking, but of course we will go shopping in the next small town.
In France there are no buses, but in the town is a train station (I'm driving you) and from there you are in Besançon in half an hour.
I started with workaway in 2023 and I'm very happy to meet new people with other lives and other ideas.
Plenty of discussions about everything is essential.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
There is wifi and it's ok for working. Downloading can be slow. If you want, I can put a little table in your room, otherwise we share the dining room table
Space for parking camper vans
No problem for motorhomes, there is a parking space
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (13)
The work was very flexible, you can usually pick and choose. I did some cleaning in… read more
Anne cleaned some rooms with their windows, made of old glass - a challenge and a lot of work.
She works very well and sees the tasks by herself, be it cleaning or weeding.
She’s always… read more
She fitted from the beginning in the life in Passavant, no questions, no explanations needed – she knows about life and work!
She doesn’t mind doing hard or dirty work, keeps going until she’s happy with the result. So am I… her work quality is outstanding,
She… read more
and… read more
There was a lot of landscaping and gardening to do and the results are stunning. Even in a heatwave Leo finished it… read more
Photos
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The work was very flexible, you can usually pick and choose. I did some cleaning in… read more
Anne cleaned some rooms with their windows, made of old glass - a challenge and a lot of work.
She works very well and sees the tasks by herself, be it cleaning or weeding.
She’s always… read more
She fitted from the beginning in the life in Passavant, no questions, no explanations needed – she knows about life and work!
She doesn’t mind doing hard or dirty work, keeps going until she’s happy with the result. So am I… her work quality is outstanding,
She… read more
and… read more
There was a lot of landscaping and gardening to do and the results are stunning. Even in a heatwave Leo finished it… read more
Everybody had her own timetable and Nuria had chosen to work online in home office for the week. This turned out to be absolutely no problem, Nuria did work here in the afternoons by doing some diy with a pair of shutters that needed sanding and painting or… read more
For the barn he constructed a shelf with a door made of… read more
I've been with her for nearly 2 weeks. At first it was supposed to be only 1 week, since it was my first time, but we decided to extend for 1 more week.
There were 2 other workawayers and together, we spent wonderful time… read more
The house had a good cleaning, she helped setting up the garden and did some gardening for the spring season.
She is very good at cooking, which is a very nice addition to my European one.
Steph is the most… read more
She came to an unknown place, and it was no problem for her to settle in and find her way around the house.
As we just started the new season, there was a lot of cleaning to do – the garden needed some time and everything in the barn had to be taken out.
Evelyn did all of it with a smile and… read more
I found Colette's work away when looking for last minute hosts in the area for me and my friend to stay with. What hat stood out to me is how open Colette was in her profile to… read more
After a happy season with a lot of wonderful workawayers, Miriam was such a joy
We went along in harmony, and she was a very dedicated helper too – she renovated a pile of very old shutters, from planning to sanding to fine sanding. Primer, two coats of color with sanding in between – of course!
She stayed… read more
Her dog Tripel is well behaved and fits perfect in a household with a garden.
From the beginning it was clear that An loves working outside and she isn’t afraid of heavy garden work, including… read more
She is interested, follows talking/discussions/arguments/conversations with a lot of knowledge and her own… read more
If you… read more
Max is kind and honest, you can always trust him to be there for everybody.
A young man who is discussing and thinking about so many different subjects, always sharing his ideas and trying to see the other side.
Max wants to learn new things, he’s interested in the surroundings and finds easily the… read more
Veronika is the most gentle and and lovely person – you’ll discover only in time how much she has done, what she has seen and how many skills she has.
She tried several new things and didn’t give… read more
From the start I felt very welcome, as I said before, like a friend. Not… read more
His creativity combined with a sense for design is outstanding and the result in triple D 23 design for my extractor hood spectacular
At a brocante nearby, Pete found exceptional things, he helped me chose the pieces who… read more
