France
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*️️️*️️️*️️️*️️️*️️️*️️️We are looking for one person who can work outdoors to start as soon as possible - to stay with us for around two weeks. We are working in a woodland, clearing out some trees to allow more light onto the floor - this will help the grass and wildflowers grow. It is very physical work. We are a Retreat centre where our who focus is on being quiet in ourselves and relaxing deeply into nature. All food is organic / bio and we live in a beautiful eco-house [off grid].
Our farm is 40 hectares of rolling woodland and meadow near the small town of Mirepoix, in Ariège, south-western France. We are developing our farm project. We are a spiritual Retreat Centre as well as a farm and currently have 7 Galloway and 10 Casta cows. Our project involves developing a nature sanctuary on all our land which includes the cows, an orchard, recreating wildflower meadows and creating wildlife ponds and of course, showing love and respect to the original inhabitants - the deer, wild boar, buzzards, lizards and so on.
Helpers who are passionate about nature can experience a wide range of habitats including woodland, a forest-garden and orchard, wildflower meadows and a beautiful stream.
Our organic farm and the surrounding landscape help us come to a clearer understanding of Self and what it might truly mean to live in the Heart of Nature, our original home.
We are particularly interested in Helpers who are dedicated to exploring natural landscape of the Heart.
We are also keen to host native french speakers who also have some knowledge of english.
It is important that potential helpers are animal lovers and also happy to be around our energetic young sons!
Our home is completely 'off-grid' with all the normal conveniences of shower / hot water / washing machine / cooking facilities and internet connection.
The farm is in a very rural area with truly spectacular views of the Pyrenean mountain range. Yet we are also just a 15 minute car drive away from Mirepoix, a very beautiful little town with a stunning medieval centre.
The departement of Ariège is one of the poorest in France, yet in terms of culture, scenery, wildlife and a certain 'untouched feeling' it is one of the very richest of all.
Would also be perfect for people with their own camper van.
Please feel very free to contact us with any questions.
Love and warmest wishes
Dave, Diana, Gabi and Elie
Gardening
Babysitting and creative play
General Maintenance
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Farmstay help
Help with Eco Projects
Help around the house
Animal Care
Language practice
Art Projects
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
We really encourage helpers to become part of our family during their stay. We feel that our home provides an opportunity for travellers to really enter into a deep relaxation, slowing down enough to really be able to listen to their heart more clearly. For us this is vital in living a good, simple life and we take care to engage with our guests in a way that helps them feel a sense of safety and warmth. There are also many opportunities to learn about farming / gardening methods that put the well being of the natural world before all other needs. Without nature we are nothing. When we care sensitively for nature, nature automatically takes care of us. This is the heartbeat of our home and project.
The aim of our project is to create a small wildflower and herb nursery which will be sited next to a large nature sanctuary garden which includes a forest garden, an orchard, wildflower meadows, herb garden and two wildlife ponds.
We need volunteers to help us in these early stages of the project and also in more general tasks for the farm.
The work can include:
Chopping firewood for next winter;
Creating pathways through the forest;
Collecting wildflower seeds and identifying species;
Planting fruit trees;
Helping put up fences;
Clearing meadows of small bushes so that flowers can grow more easily;
Working in the vegetable garden;
People with fluent french and good knowledge of permaculture practices are particularly welcome.
We don't expect slave labour and are very flexible with working hours, days off to explore the area etc.
What we want most of all are enthusiastic people who love nature and who appreciate living in the Heart.
Our land is certified organic and we live as much as we possibly can an organic lifestyle.
We have 17 cows so volunteers must be open to working with animals if the occasion arises.
Catalan: Fluent
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: Beginner
Space available in our eco-house.
We offer organic food mostly home grown or sourced from the local area.
The nearest town is Mirepoix, about 10 minutes by car or just over an hour walking. It is a beautiful medieval site with a fantastically atmospheric centre.
The Pyrenees mountains are a 30 minute drive away, with many opportunities for hiking, trekking, skiing, snowboarding etc. The section of the mountain chain that runs through Ariège [the Departement we are in] are known for their greenery and still-wild character.
Carcassonne, one of the most visited and well-preserved medieval cities in France is a 45 minute drive away and Toulouse is just over an hour.
The region surrounding our terrain is also rich in the history of the Cathars, a religious sect who shunned the attempted control of the Vatican and as a result were persecuted in the first wave of the Inquisition.
Ariège is also famous for its numerous caves and prehistoric cave-art, which in places is spectacular and spine-tingling to say the least.
This is a very economically-poor area of France, with low populations and very little industrial development, yet in terms of biodiversity, incredible landscapes and equally charismatic rural characters and culture, it is one of the very richest.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
One
4 - 5 hours per day, 5 days a week
