Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
32
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
We are Tony and Lynn, in our early sixties, and we live in a small village in the Béarn region of Aquitaine. We’re mid-way through renovating our 17th century traditional French farmhouse and are looking for help with a range of activities, including light labour, gardening and some dog walking.
We can offer the opportunity to gain new skills, and learn about rural life in this wonderful part of the world.
Covid update: Lynn is a community nurse and awareness of risks associated with Covid is understandably at the forefront of our minds. We may ask volunteers who enquire about staying with us, whether or not they have been vaccinated or received a recent test.
We sincerely hope that this does not deter volunteers from coming to stay with us. We are eager to pick up the pace of hosting but we need to make sure that we are all safe.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We have hosted many Workawayers and exchange students over the years, and find the experience very fulfilling. We both speak French (Lynn far better than Tony....) but generally communicate in English within the home.
Staying with us is an opportunity to pick up knowledge and skills, along with the chance to learn about materials and techniques used in a traditional housing renovation.
As well as providing great quality accommodation for our volunteers, we believe that providing delicious and interesting food is an important way to show our appreciation. We greatly enjoy cooking and are eager to share our culinary experiences. We have extended our repertoire of vegetarian dishes and Tony has been learning traditional French cooking techniques and how to preserve local produce, and there is a lot of opportunity to share and experience these methods.
Help
House
We currently need help constructing a large kitchen using both old and new materials, as well as more general work around the house. Looking ahead, we intend to undertake a major renovation of our barn. Any guests with previous trade experience such as plumbing and electrics would be particularly welcome. Firewood preparation and sourcing local wood is an also an important part of our routine.
Garden
The vegetable plot should be more productive than it is! Tony is in the process of adopting the perma-culture principles advocated by Charles Dowding, and needs support in this fascinating area of food production.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Accommodation
The house is a traditional Béarnaise farmhouse built circa 1800, and we are in the process of restoring and refreshing it. The house has four generously sized double bedrooms, each with an ensuite WC with shower, one of which is available for our guests. It is important to us that our volunteers are provided with high-quality sleeping and bathroom facilities, and the room is both beautiful and comfortable. The house is situated just outside a small French village, in an elevated position with striking views of the Pyrenees
What else ...
There are numerous wonderful walking and cycling routes on our doorstep, and we are keen for our guests to enjoy the local countryside. Our local town is around six kilometers away and is a fabulous small medieval fortified 'bastide' with bars and cafés. Local restaurants are of an exceptionally good quality and great value. We make regular trips to surrounding towns, with the occasional trip to the city of Pau or to the coast, both of which are about an hour away. Tony has recently started exploring hiking trails in the Pyrenees and, if the opportunity arises, is eager to take volunteers on these excursions during their downtime.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
Hardstanding with electrical hook-up
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (15)
Elie has a work ethic the likes of which I have not previously encountered. He was only with us for three full days, but on the first day… read more
There are always two sides to the Workaway experience for hosts. The work (ability and ethic) and the personality of the individual guests.
In terms of work, Alex got stuck in to… read more
I aided Lynn and Tony with the renovation of their dining room by stripping the wall, removing the joints, build a metal framework, mounting and sanding the plasterboard. I also… read more
Full-on manual and physical work was relatively new to him, but he embraced the various tasks that I threw his way with a light heart and a focused approach. Careful and methodical are words that come to mind.
I couldn't bear the thought of shelling the sacks of dried beans that we saved… read more
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Elie has a work ethic the likes of which I have not previously encountered. He was only with us for three full days, but on the first day… read more
There are always two sides to the Workaway experience for hosts. The work (ability and ethic) and the personality of the individual guests.
In terms of work, Alex got stuck in to… read more
I aided Lynn and Tony with the renovation of their dining room by stripping the wall, removing the joints, build a metal framework, mounting and sanding the plasterboard. I also… read more
Full-on manual and physical work was relatively new to him, but he embraced the various tasks that I threw his way with a light heart and a focused approach. Careful and methodical are words that come to mind.
I couldn't bear the thought of shelling the sacks of dried beans that we saved… read more
i stay 3 week with them and was a really nice experience.
They are excellent cooker ! All the meal was delicious.
I've learn a lot of tricks like how to make the mortar and apply it on the wall.
Tony and Lynn was taking care when i was working to ask me if i need water or something else, i've appreciate… read more
As it turned out, we needn't have worried. As soon as we met Carina, we knew that we were in good hands. Her friendly and mature nature were just what we were hoping for and… read more
Desde el primer contacto sentí la calidez y sencillez… read more
But I am particularly indebted to him for the way in which he literally attacked a rendered wall as part of our kitchen renovation. The render needed to be stripped in order to reveal the original… read more
To put it simply, they are remarkably admirable people. We spent two and a half weeks with them, and felt fortunate for every day in their company.
Tony and Lynn are in the process of renovating their lovely home in Béarn in order to offer lodging for guests (chambres d’hôtes). As such, most of the work… read more
Both of them cooked fantastic meals for us. We had a beautiful big bedroom in their house and we loved to be in the garden, seeing Otto the dog happily running around in front of an… read more
