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Join our family living in a stone farm in a village of St Symphorien de Mahun, France

Profile information

  • rating

    Host rating

    100 %

  • Last replied

    Last replied

    10 Sep 2024

  • feedbacks

    Feedback

    32

  • Email verified

    Email verified

Country info

If you are not an EU Citizen and planning to visit France to work, volunteer or study, YOU WILL NEED THE CORRECT VISA. To find out more information please contact the embassy in your home country BEFORE travelling.

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Availability

  2026 

 Min stay requested: at least a week

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    My partner Clément, Elsa (our 6-year-old daughter), and I (Elisabeth) live in an old stone farmhouse. It consists of a house with outbuildings (cellar, bread oven, etc.) and a barn/stable. Located in a pretty little village in the Ardèche region, at an altitude of 750 meters, it faces due south. A multitude of walking and hiking trails can be accessed right around the house. The village is called St. Symphorien de Mahun (07290). Clément is a blacksmith! And I, a former computer engineer, enjoy social dancing (salsa, bachata, west coast swing, kizomba, tango, rock, etc.) and spend time with our daughter. She is homeschooled. We have two cats and five chickens. We have lots of plans! We are currently creating a large permaculture vegetable garden with perennial and non-perennial vegetables, an orchard of hardy and heritage fruit trees, several gardens, the barn is being renovated into an activity and sharing room, the stable has been transformed into a metalwork and crafts workshop, and so on. We have already furnished three bedrooms, the bathroom, and the living room/kitchen. We have also built a raised chicken coop, a large 3.5-meter-high retaining wall, started work on a forest garden, a balcony with a wrought-iron railing, a solar dryer, and a vegetable garden with raised beds of perennial plants! Depending on the weather and everyone's motivation, we can adapt to the different projects. We are also looking for multi-day gatherings with other families so that our daughter can spend time with other children and with people who are keen to play and learn with her! Music, drawing, painting, reading, writing, building, etc. In the summer, we have to be careful with our water usage because the flow from the springs decreases or even stops, and it rains less often. We are trying to increase our rainwater harvesting capacity, install dry toilets, etc. We can offer volunteers who come to stay with us two rooms, subject to availability, as well as meals shared with us :) The meals are prepared with organic and local products 😋 In our village, there will soon be a bar/restaurant. And within 7km, you can find several shops (bakery, grocery store, butcher, pharmacy, tobacconist, bank, bus stop, etc.). There is the possibility of limited internet access via a 4G hotspot. Depending on the season, you can pick chestnuts, blackberries, mushrooms, wild greens, cherries, apples, etc. And above all, relax in a peaceful place close to nature :)


    Mon conjoint Clément, Elsa (notre fille de 6 ans) et moi (Elisabeth) habitons dans une ancienne ferme en pierre. Celle-ci est composée d'une maison avec dépendances (cave, four à pain, etc) et d'une grange/écurie. Située dans un joli petit village d'Ardèche, à 750m d'altitude, elle est orientée plein sud. Une multitude de chemins de balades et randonnées peuvent être empruntés juste tout au tour de la maison.

    Le nom du village est : St Symphorien de Mahun (07290).
    Clément est ferronnier ! Et moi, ancienne ingénieure informatique, je fais de la danse sociale (salsa, bachata, west coast swing, kizomba, tango, rock, etc) et passe du temps avec notre fille.
    Elle est en instruction en famille (IEF). Nous faisons donc l'école à la maison 🙂

    Nous avons 2 chats et 5 poules.
    Nous avons plein de projets ! Nous sommes en cours de création d'un grand potager en permaculture avec des légumes perpétuels ou pas, d'un verger de fruitiers résistants et anciens, plusieurs jardins, la grange est en cours de rénovation pour y faire une salle d'activités et de partage, l'écurie est devenue un atelier de ferronnerie et de création, etc.
    Nous avons déjà aménagé 3 chambres, la salle de bains, et le salon/cuisine. Nous avons aussi construit un poulailler perché, un grand mur de soutènement 3,5 m de haut, commencé la réalisation d'un jardin-forêt, un balcon et son garde-corps en fer forgé, un séchoir solaire, un potager avec des carrés au plantes perpétuelles!

    Selon la météo et les motivations de chacun, nous pourrons nous adapter aux différents projets.
    Nous cherchons aussi des rencontres de plusieurs jours, avec d'autres familles pour que notre fille passe du temps avec d'autres enfants et aussi avec des personnes motivées par des jeux, apprentissages libres avec elle! Musique, dessin, peinture, lecture, écriture, construction, etc.

    L'été nous devons faire attention à l'utilisation de l'eau car le débit des sources diminue voir s'arrête et il pleut moins souvent. Nous essayons d'augmenter notre stockage en eau de pluie, toilettes sèches, etc

    Nous pouvons proposer aux volontaires qui viennent chez nous deux chambres selon disponibilités et ainsi que les repas partagés avec nous :) Les repas sont réalisés avec des produits bio et locaux 😋

    Dans notre village, il y a au bientôt un bar restaurant. Et à 7km, on peut trouver plusieurs commerces (boulangerie, épicerie, boucherie, pharmacie, bureau de tabac, banque, arrêt de bus, etc).
    Il y a la possibilité d'avoir accès à internet limité via un partage de connexion 4G.
    Selon la saison, on peut cueillir des châtaignes, mûres, champignons, salades sauvages, cerises, pommes, etc. Et surtout se détendre dans un lieu calme et proche de la nature :)

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Teaching
    Gardening
    Animal Care
    Babysitting and creative play
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Interests

    Interests

    Yoga / Wellness
    Outdoor activities
    Architecture
    DIY & crafts
    Self development
    Vegetarian or vegan
    Events & social
    Sustainability
    Photography
    Plant care
    Music
    Books
    Gardening
    Drawing & painting
    Performing arts
    Art & design
    Dancing
    Nature
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Discovering an Ardèche village, some DIY projects, participating in permaculture experiments in the garden, French cooking and language, etc.

    Découvrir un village ardéchois, bricoler, participer aux expériences en permaculture réalisées au jardin, cuisine et langue françaises, etc..

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    Help with ongoing projects, vegetable garden, forest garden, chicken coop and free play/learning with our daughter.

    Aide à la réalisation des projets encours, potager, jardin-forêt, poulailler et jeux/apprentissages libres avec notre fille.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    French: Fluent
    Portuguese: Fluent
    English: Intermediate
    Spanish: Intermediate

    This host offers a language exchange
    On souhaite pratiquer pour progresser en anglais :)

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Room in our house or campsite.

    Chambre dans notre maison ou camping.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    On est à côté de la forêt, il y a plein de balades à faire :) Et aussi profiter de chez nous, au calme avec une jolie vue, lire une tonne de livres car on a une grande bibliothèque 🥰 jouer à des jeux de société etc

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    Accès internet par la 4G très bien :)

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • My animals / pets

    My animals / pets

    Blanche

    Didi

Host ref number: 824314475692

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Photos

The image shows a large outdoor area with a building in the background, featuring a prominent structure with a flat roof and a large open space. The area is surrounded by trees and greenery.
The image depicts a serene outdoor scene featuring a group of chickens, likely hens, with a fence in the background, surrounded by trees and bushes, conveying a sense of natural beauty and tranquility.
The image depicts a family of three posing for a photo, with the mother and father holding their young child, set against a backdrop of a natural outdoor setting.
The image shows a chicken coop with a collapsed roof, surrounded by a fence, and a pile of wood in the background, with a few trees visible in the distance.
The image depicts a serene landscape with rolling hills, trees, and a winding road, evoking a sense of tranquility and natural beauty. The scene is likely set in a rural area.
The image depicts a rustic stone house with a balcony, featuring a wooden door and windows, set against a serene backdrop of trees and a blue sky with white clouds.
A man welds metal on a scaffolding platform, with a scenic landscape of rolling hills and trees in the background under a blue sky with wispy clouds.
The image depicts a man standing on the edge of a small pond, holding a long pole with a net attached to the end, in a wooded area.
The image features a vibrant orange poppy flower with a bee at its center, set against a blurred background of lush greenery and other colorful flowers.
The image depicts a lush garden with a metal archway, featuring a pumpkin vine, vibrant flowers, and a variety of greenery, set against a picturesque hillside backdrop.
The image depicts a construction site with stone walls, a dirt floor, and scattered debris, featuring a person in a white jumpsuit in the background.
The image depicts a serene garden with a stone wall, arched trellises, and lush greenery, set against a picturesque mountainous backdrop on a sunny day.
The image depicts a black metal trellis with vines and leaves, featuring a pumpkin or squash plant with a fruit hanging from it, set against a blue sky and green landscape.
The image depicts two men constructing a stone wall in a mountainous area, with one man kneeling and the other standing, surrounded by natural scenery.

Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host

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Accuracy of profile:
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