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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
23 Dec 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
Feedback
33
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Details
Description
In 2025/2026, come to rural France to enjoy a peaceful, friendly, safe, workaway experience. Couples, friends, or single volunteers are welcome.
This is entirely a cultural exchange where any activity done by Workaways is for the social good (of the village community primarily).
Various projects: looking after the community house/gardens, helping out at non-profit village events (plant fair, vide-grenier, christmas market etc) planting village planters & veggie plots, pimping a caravan, walking the dog, village green area maintenance etc..
We live in a small rural hamlet in the Poitou-Charentes region of France. The 20 or so houses are inhabited by a fantastic mixture of characterful locals and homespun and foreign homeowners.
The community used to host a renowned village festival and regularly won village in bloom competitions, and even now we try to keep up appearances. Since 1983 the villagers have maintained and renovated an old house to use as a village meeting hall.
I would like to host volunteers to help keep the village house up to scratch with cleaning, painting etc and to keep the communal areas of the village well maintained and tidy.
In 2026, I personally, will need motivational and physical assistance with planting a vegetable plot, pimping a dull caravan, and helping me to prepare my barn for eventual transformation into a personal ceramic studio (clearing, cleaning, organising), plus there are always many more interesting projects... Feel free to ask about the latest ideas :-)
There will be plenty of opportunities to chat to locals while improving your French (you need to be outgoing to connect with them as they will not find you :-)). I am a TEFL-qualified teacher of English and love teaching, so if you need a refresher, I am more than happy to help out.
The Gartempe River is a short distance away (less than 4km) and the area is fantastic for on and off-road cycling or walking. Roman history is abundant and the World War 2 memorial town of Oradour sur Glane is 35 minutes by car. A train stops at nearby Lathus station (4km) for trips further afield to Poitiers or Limoges. I have two bicycles for your use.
I am more than happy to take you to local attractions, charity shops, and local events (which are plentiful in the summer months).
I can host couples or two/three singles (who don't mind interconnecting rooms that share an en-suite bathroom).
The villagers and I really appreciate meeting people from across the world. It's great to hear your stories and learn from each other.
FYI. I prefer to receive last minute or fairly last minute requests. Up to 3 weeks before your required stay is the optimum time to make a request as I like to be flexible with my travelling plans.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
House and pet sitting
Interests
Van life
Events & social
Vegetarian or vegan
Sustainability
Politics / Social justice
Culture
Gardening
Drawing & painting
DIY & crafts
Art & design
Animals
Cycling
Nature
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Ability to interact with the village community and practise French with genuine and friendly locals. Practise your English while staying with your English teacher host. Relax in total tranquility and gaze at the clear and beautiful night sky. Listen to nightingales, watch owls drift silently in front of you, and breathe fresh air. Our village is a veritable haven and a great place to recharge.
Help
We need help to spruce up/ maintain the village house, keep the village planters healthy, plant vegetables, paint shutters, pimp a caravan, etc.
A can do attitude with an arty outlook is a bonus. Must be self-motivated as I teach online, so cannot be there all the time.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
German: Beginner
French: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
I am supposed to be learning French, so one hour a day of an English/French exchange would work. Also German or Polish would be useful
Accommodation
Twin or double room with ensuite bathroom. Vegetarian food provided - shared cooking duties (I would be happy for some days to be less hours if I did not want to cook 🤣). English TV connection and large collection of DVDs. Broadband (but not fast) internet. Smoking not encouraged but OK outside as long as you ensure that you clean up the butts regularly i.e. clean the ashtray daily:-)).
I will have Fibre internet by the end of January!
What else ...
The area is fantastic for cycling and walking. Two notable spots on the river are Le Saut de la Brame and Le Roc d'Enfer. There's also an extremely well funded and equipped state run outdoor activities centre only 4km walk away on the Gartempe River. Canoeing, climbing, potholing, horse riding and circus courses are just a few of the activities offered.
Lathus town (a short 4km cycle away) has shops and banks and a train station to either Montmorillon, Limoges or Poitiers. Le Dorat is the next stop on the train line south or is a longer cycle journey away. It's a lively town with bars, large 'Collégiale' church, weekly market, and a cinema which regularly offers French and original language films.
I'm happy to take you to visit local attractions (St Savin's UNESCO listed abbey for example), Chauvigny, Angles sur l'Anglin , and any of the local charity shops.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
I do have an internet connection, but it is a rural connection and, although the line is reliable, it is not fast.
Space for parking camper vans
I have plenty of hard standing for campers and an electric hook up point.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Ewa (Ava)
Ewa (Ava) is a black medium sized labradoodle with some strange ways. On arrival she will bark at you, but keep her distance. After anything between 6 hours and 3 days, she will be your best friend. She lovely playing and understands humour. Everything is life is fun.
She does shed hairs - the house is clean and tidy, although does need vacuuming regularly :-).
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (14)
Post Christmas market, Mary took on… read more
Most of their time here was spent house-sitting while I was visiting my mother. Their only task was to ensure that my garden and the village planters were kept watered during the anticipated hot weather.
When I returned from the UK, Orestes worked on… read more
We tackled the hamlet and village house gardens, mostly repotting the planters. We also got stuck… read more
Nothing phased Caren. Her horticultural knowledge was so much appreciated. The village planters haven't looked as good for years! Not to mention my garden.
Caren also helped out looking… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
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:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.9)
Post Christmas market, Mary took on… read more
Most of their time here was spent house-sitting while I was visiting my mother. Their only task was to ensure that my garden and the village planters were kept watered during the anticipated hot weather.
When I returned from the UK, Orestes worked on… read more
We tackled the hamlet and village house gardens, mostly repotting the planters. We also got stuck… read more
Nothing phased Caren. Her horticultural knowledge was so much appreciated. The village planters haven't looked as good for years! Not to mention my garden.
Caren also helped out looking… read more
Jacob and his two good friends, Ellie and Dani, spent almost 3 weeks here in rural France helping me and the village's community association organise 2 events.
As a competent and experienced gardener, he also made light work of all the things that needed to… read more
During their almost 3 weeks that they were here, they did gardening (digging, replanting, preparing natural fertiliser), organised and ran a series of floristry workshops to raise money for our village association (foraging the countryside for, and preparing materials,… read more
Because my initial host had to cancel last minute, Teressa was so kind to host me. She always did her best to make me feel at home, which I sure did. She has knowlegde about lot of things, and I really enjoyed talking with her about travelling. She even… read more
During the time that Rob was here, he also helped out at my friend's small holding a few kms up the road. While there he mucked out barns using their tractor, assisted with… read more
Tasks accomplished included, clearing overgrown brambles and strimming area around the village pond/green, building large wooden surrounds for… read more
despite it raining every day we had some wonderful days.
we pruned some plants, built a structure for the garden, cut wood and some other interesting things.
Teresa helped me a lot when I had to leave due to transportation problems.
I would… read more
Whilst here, their main tasks were to build a large planter with left over granite stones (not easy :-)) and to renovate the entrance door and window at our village's club house… read more
They even managed to charm my timid, distrustful dog and ended up best of friends with her.
Whilst here, Hanna and Carmen dug some vegetable beds, finished filling and painting the doors and… read more
I needed a last minute workaway to help me with clearing a barn that I am converting into a pottery studio (dreaming at least).
Izzy mucked in with anything and everything, including: moving junk, furniture, building materials etc; weeding and potting; upcycling; trips to the local tip, and most importantly, a… read more
My dog had the best few weeks ever. When not doing workaway tasks, Hsui-Yen made time to walk or play with Ewa. They parted great friends.
Hsui-Yen balanced her free time well and was… read more
The jobs we did were really cool and we helped with general gardening (mowing, planting, preparing land and weeding), painting, restoring a pool, as well as cooking and taking care of the lovely Ewa.
We loved the time… read more
Emma enjoys cooking and is inventive with her dishes and sauces.
My dog, an often temperamental labradoodle, took to Emma very… read more
Oscar is an interesting, well travelled, polite and easy-going person, with lots of experiences to share.
Don't hesitate to snap up Oscar's help if he is in your… read more
She is an openminded, friendly, welcoming, easygoing person with a big heart. What let me feel like home.
Her traveling storys are amazing and inspiring.
Working together with her didn't realy felt like work, it… read more
The jobs that she has undertaken here have included digging, planting, edging a flower bed, trips to the tips, walking the dog, cooking and baking. She can… read more
Anik was great company, fun, considerate, thoughtful… read more
She took on all taks with enthusiasm and gusto, even coping admirably with my often temperamental garden machinery. Come rain or shine, Jana managed her list of tasks effectively and… read more
Any task they were asked to help with was executed perfectly and autonomously. Ian helped my brother lay a concrete patio, did some small carpentry works, sealed a bath, refitted my ill-placed and helped with planting.
Joanne was the lead… read more
The house is set in a beautiful little hamlet that is close to Le Dorat, Bellac and Montmorillon and has beautiful walks close by.
The accommodation was great, we had our own room with en-suite and the house is a lovely space to chill out and revitalise.
Whilst we were there we learned how to lay a patio and… read more
I am very grateful for the lovely food that they cooked and the tips that they gave me to improve my… read more
