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Experienced person or couple to help with painting shutters and doors in a vintage house in Mirepoix, France

  • Favourited 17 times
  • Last activity: 15 Nov 2023

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    I am a an expat living in France, living in an 800+ year old renovated convent . The paint on the shutters and doors is curling and shows bare wood. I am reaching out for your assistance.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    I am eager to share my knowledge of spiritual healing and to help you practice American English as well as learn from you.
    I look forward to sharing stories over meals and though I love to cook I enjoy the opportunity to cook together and share recipes if you are interested. Of course, I will honor your choice to prepare your own meals if you prefer.

    The bedrooms are lovely, the kitchen is charming and the peace and serenity of this place is beyond compare.
    I hope to learn gardening skills from you if you do gardening...and would like to participate in the painting and masonry projects as my health allows.

    If you choose to come to Les Cordeliers to help, I know that you will be glad you did and I will be forever grateful for your generosity, kindness and the chance to make new friends.

    This workaway experience will open your eyes to the many layers of history that mark this region. There are several phenomenal dinosaur parks and museums in this area.

    The Ariège has the most prehistoric caves of any department in France.
    Prehistoric caves like Niaux take your imagination into the past as you view the excellently preserved cave painting.
    Lombrives cave has immense chambers and a network of long galleries. It is the largest cave in Europe open to the public. According to legend it contains the tomb of Hercules' lover Pyrène.
    Le Mas d'Azil cave is the only cave in Ariège with a road going through it. Discoveries there led to the identification of the Azilian Age. The cave was inhabited continuously since the Magdalenien age and huge quantities of tools and other artifacts were found there. Many are on display in the Museum of Prehistory in the village.

    The Ariege is steeped in medieval history and the village of Mirepoix is charming, with one of the best Monday Markets in the South of France.

    This area is Cathar country. You will learn about the Cathars and the role this convent played in the Albigensian Crusade. Above me is a castle, once owned by a Cathar sympathizer. His castle was given to one of the crusaders named Levy. It was he and Simon de Monfort that built Les Cordeliers and other convents in this area, to house Cathar women from Montsegur, that would give up their faith to save their children. They entered this convent to become nuns.
    Nearby is where the crusade began in Carcassonne. You will surely want to tour the castle and the many archeological sites and castles in this area.

  • Help

    Help

    The doors and shutters need stripped, repaired and repainted. I am ultimately hoping for nonsmoking folks with experience in gardening and painting that are know-it-all handy types.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    I live on the ground floor and have my own mini-kitchen. The middle floor is living area, dining room, kitchen and pantry. Top floor has four bedrooms, two baths. I am happy to provide food that you can prepare if you prefer and for me to also join in and cook with you.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    I have three bikes. The closest train stations are Pamiers, Carcassonne and Limoux.
    There are local buses and a pick up spot for that is a 10 minute walk into town.
    The yellow and red train are an inexpensive way to see the countryside.
    Carcassonne is 45 minutes by car and there are castles all over place, including Le château de Terride which is on the hill above my property. There are medieval events nearby throughout the summer and a host of fun events in Mirepoix, including jazz festivals and antique fairs.
    There is a bus to Andorra for fun tax free shopping and bussed to Ax - les-Thermes. Ax - les-Thermes is known since antiquity for its thermal waters. It also delights lovers of sliding sports who come to hit the slopes..
    Your time off can be very rich in memory making.

  • 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

    I have fast wifi. An adapter on the top floor is helpful, because this is a large 3 level stone house. Best reception is on the 2nd level at the dining table. I had a documentary film producer staying with me for five months during covid and he made the dining table his day time office. It worked splendidly.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 864833526747

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