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I am Liza (31 years old) and Alex (35) is my boyfriend. We have a little boy of 18 months, one dog and two cats. We moved here several months ago and are looking for energetic and handy people to help us in the renovation and the gardening, to share skills and good times.
We are restoring (second work essentially) a little French castle that was originally rebuilt around 1980. The castle was built by the inventor of Kapla -the wooden game for kids-.
We fell in love with this gorgeous building and wanted to be close to nature, enjoy the peace and tranquility of the countryside and live a new life.
We are happy to take couples or friends.
We value everyone that comes to help.
This year's projects will include:
- Painting walls, windows, furniture
- Installing kitchens
- Redoing bathrooms
- Sewing curtains, decorating...
- Building a compost
- Gardening (planting trees, bushes, maintaining what is already here, planning for next year's garden).
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
I (Liza) am Dutch but born in France so fluent in both languages. Alex in French. We both speak English. We are used to travelling abroad (and love it). A few years ago, we went on a one-year road trip in north America in a van, photographing wildlife and landscapes (i have a degree in photography). Our Instagram account is @tracesofwilderness. Photography, wildlife and travel are topics we love to talk about and share, and we hope to capture a bit of wildlife here.
Sharing moments together is a very important part of the experience, we love spending time for meals, games, hikes, yoga, music.
As we just started our renovation and are at the very beginning of our landscaping and gardening, we feel that there is as much we can learn from you as there is to learn from us. But we can tell you about the environment here (plants, mushrooms, trees, animals...) as this region is where I grew up. We are currently planting a lot of fruit trees and planning our garden for next year, so you could get some information there or help us if you have the knowledge.
For the construction, we have quite a lot of experience and would be happy to show you. Alex is also an artisan and antique dealer.
Looking for a couple or friends to help us with the restoration of our home, housework and gardening.
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Dutch: Fluent
You will have your own room for the duration of your stay, with a private bathroom (except the washing machine that we also use).
We serve three meals a day,
- Breakfast (choice between cereal, yogurt, fruits, nuts, bread, cheese, marmalade, etc.) around 8 or sooner if you prefer.
- A hot and copious lunch provided between 1 pm and 2 pm
- For dinner a soup with bread and cheese or a simple hot dish around 7 pm.
In between meals there is always fresh fruit, homemade cake or cookies.
We personally don't drink alcohol, except for an occasional beer, but we don't mind if you do.
I cook everyday with fresh and local produce, and we value time spent sharing meals.
We are also happy for welcoming to join us in our activities (hiking, swimming, games).
Also, if you are without transport, we are happy to drive you to the nearest village which is 5Km from the house where you will find shops.
We have some land, with a beautiful view of the river and a private swimming spot.
This place is located in the Vallée du Tarn, that has retained its charm and character because there is no major tourist facility.
It is a paradise for hiking, swimming, fishing and cycling.
There are also beautiful medieval villages to visit.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
This host can provide space for campervans.
Two
Maximum 3-5 hours a day, 5 days a week