Help us with our farmhouse renovation and garden projects and explore Sarlat and the Dordogne region, France

  • Favourited 180 times
  • Last activity: 21 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Hi, we are a Franco-English family of 4 who moved to the Dordogne from the UK in 2016 to renovate an 18th century farmhouse into our home and holiday accomodations.
    Mike is British, Sylvie is French, and our home language tends to be English, sometimes "Franglish", but we all have a good command of French.

    We have a dog (beagle), very friendly but very lively (she loves a lot of attention and patting) and a cat (who loves to find beds to sleep on).

    We are currently renovating the barn attached to the house into holiday accommodation, so there is a lot of various work going on, from insulating to plaster boarding, electrical & plumbing work, and then painting and decorating.
    Sylvie likes to "collect" pieces of furniture and objects to try and give them a second life, so if you like fixing things, repairing, etc, there will always be a "project" for you!
    We do need people who are strong and healthy, not scared of heights, as some of the work involves going up and down ladders or working on a platform.

    We have a fairly big garden (around 7.000 sq.m) , with a small orchard of fruit trees, which need looking after : collecting & cutting dead wood, picking up fruit to make jam, and hopefully help set up a vegetable patch as we'd like to grow our own vegetables.
    We also have now a swimming pool in the garden and we'll need help with the landscaping.

    We live in a small town, with shops within walking distance, very busy in the summer with night markets and lots of events, quieter in the winter, but still lively. There is the weekly Sunday market, voted best market in the Dordogne in 2019.
    Own transport is not essential as the train station linking Bordeaux to Sarlat is also within walking distance, reaching Bordeaux in 2hrs 1/2, Bergerac in 1 hr and Sarlat in 15 mn. The closest airport is Bergerac (about 1 hour away).
    We are a few km away from the River Dordogne, which you can easily cycle too; in the summer, it's great for swimming, kayaking, fishing, and in the winter time, great for dog walking, rambling...

    The Dordogne is a beautiful region of France, with plenty of historical sites, from castles to caves (Lascaux caves are about 45 mn away), but also indoors and outdoors activities for everyone, so there is plenty to explore in your spare time.

    We are smokers, but never in the house, only outdoors, no matter the weather!

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    General Maintenance
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    As we are a bilingual family, we could help with your learning French and English, but we also tend to take from both cultures, food or traditions. We have regular visits from our respective French & English families.

    Meal times are very important for us, as we like to spend time around the table not just to eat, but to talk and to catch up with one another.

    We tend to cook a variety of meals, not quite typically French nor English. Sylvie likes cooking casseroles dishes and Indian food and Mike likes to experiment with new recipes. We are, however, not so good with vegetarian food, but we would love to learn new recipes and try new foods.

  • Help

    Help

    We are looking for some help in our renovation projects, which includes plasterboarding, insulating, painting, decorating, and some work around the garden & outdoors area, cutting wood, collecting fruit, helping set up a vegetable patch as we would love to grow our own vegetables ... we already have fruit trees and we are getting good at jam-making!

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    French: Fluent
    German: Intermediate
    Spanish: Intermediate
    Dutch: Beginner

    This host offers a language exchange
    This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
    You can contact them directly for more information.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    1 bedroom with a double bed, with the use of the family bathroom.

    Meals will be shared with the family, as well as, whenever possible, family outings. We have regular visits from our French & English family, so it can get quite busy at time, and we enjoy spending time around the table, talking and exchanging about lots of different topics.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    There is lots to see and do in the Dordogne, historically and culturally. Because we are close to the train station, transport is not an issue, and the town centre is within walking distance. You will not feel isolated, yet you will be able to experience the French countryside way of life, still being close to all services!

  • 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

    This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    One

  • ...

    Hours expected

    About 5 hours a day, 5 days per week

Host ref number: 853569875896

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Accuracy of profile: (5.0)

Cultural exchange: (4.9)

Communication: (5.0)