Come enjoy nature and animals in an old farm near Orléans, in the center of France

Details

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  Description

  For an experience in a farm with horses and dogs, if you love nature, here you’ll find silence and peace, and also many splendid places to visit.
  
  THE FARM
  We live in a sparsely populated province called Berry located in the center of France just south of Paris region. The closest cities are Gien (27 km) and Briare (35 km).
  Just west is the Sologne territory. We are located between Orléans (60 km) and Bourges (50 km). Here nature is all around, though we are at only 2 hours from Paris. East is the Sancerre valley.
  Our house is an 18th century farm surrounded by fields and lands. We have few horses and ponies on 20 hectares. A little stream runs through our land where horses can drink. We have dogs, cats, poultry, birds.
  
  ABOUT US
  We were running a riding center which is closed now. We have kept our retired ponies and some horses for pleasure riding.
  I work as a sales advisor and I represent ecological products for a German company. I am having Equine Shiatsu classes to make it my new future job.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  General Maintenance

  House sitting
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  Interests

  

  Pets

  

  Farming

  

  History

  

  Animals

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  We are delighted to host people at home especially when they are interesting and have a good sense of humor. I love chatting and laughing and sharing our knowledge on different subjects like history, archaeology, animal behavior.
  There is also a lot to see around : many castles and touristic monuments, nature sightseeing, hiking etc. We can provide a bicycle or drive you to any bus you need.
  
  • NATURE:
  Many trails and country roads for horse rides, bicycle drives or foot hikes leave from home. The region of Sologne is a perfect spot for nature trekking. We can lend a horse if you really know how to ride (test will be done before).
  
  • LOCAL GASTRONOMY:
  East is the wine area of the Loire Valley with vintages like Sancerre, Pouilly, Quincy, Menetou Salon, Chinon.
  The Berry region is also well known for its goat cheeses like Crottin de Chavignol, Selles sur Cher, Sainte-Maure de Touraine, etc.
  It is also known for delicious local biscuits makers.
  Our neighbours are goat and cow breeders and cheese makers. They hold a shop where volunteers can buy their various dairy products and lots of other local goods.
  
  • TOURISM:
  This is also an area full of cultural things to visit:
  The old cities of Bourges, Orléans, many medieval castles, etc. We’re quite close to the famous castles of the Loire valley: Gien, Sully, Chambord are the closest.
  
  Beauval, the 5th biggest zoological park in the world is also a good place to see in the area, as well as many historical sites and floral gardens.
  
  The close city of Gien has an internationally famous 200 years old high-end earthenware manufacturing. Volunteers can buy wonderful presents for their relatives there.

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  Help

  We have animals to feed, animals to cure, and help throughout our everyday life in a country property.
  Help needed for outside maintenance, DIY and care of the horses, dogs and cats, also help with horse training if volunteer if experienced with horse riding.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Italian: Intermediate
  German: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  We can help you practice English and I would like to improve my Italian and my German.
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  Accommodation

  • THE MAIN HOUSE :
  If this lodge is not available, we have rooms in the main house to welcome volunteers. They would have their own bedroom, couples can have a double bed. The water-closet is in the bathroom which will be shared with the other guests or volunteers. The bedrooms and the bathroom are on the first floor.
  It is asked that the bathroom, corridor to the rooms and stairs have to be kept cleaned at any time. The bedrooms have to be left perfectly cleaned when leaving.
  On ground level is our private part (living room, bedroom, bathroom) and our dining room and kitchen where we have our own meals.
  The bedrooms can be heated with electric heaters, but the corridor and ground floor can be cold in spring and autumn, so warm clothes for inside the house can be needed.
  
  • PROVIDED:
  We will provide our volunteers with sheets and towels as long as they plan to stay a minimum of two weeks. They will have to cook and prepare their meals themselves in the lodge.
  There is neither freezer nor TV available.
  We don’t provide soap, hygiene or household products.
  
  • WIFI:
  We leave free internet access for emails and social networks with a computer. However internet connection is weak in the country and not enough for heavy multi person use. Downloading is difficult and makes telephone communication unavailable at the same time.
  Unauthorized and heavy up or downloading are therefore forbidden (movies etc.). Long WhatsApp video calls can be shortened when we need the connection, especially in the evening.
  We shut down internet access at night when we go to sleep.

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  What else ...

  RISKS IN THE COUNTRY
  The weather can be really hot and dry in summer, cold and muddy in winter. It’s often nice and warm in autumn. Spring is versatile, it is usually part sunny and hot, part rainy and muddy.
  There’s many woods, lakes, ponds and rivers around. It’s therefore a wonderful scenery. It also brings some snakes and bugs (mosquitoes, horse flies, wasps, ticks...).
  
  So you’ve got to be aware and bring long socks, long work clothes and bug spray in addition to your short pants and sunscreen creams. You’ll also need high ankle hiking type shoes and working gloves.
  If you plan to ride, you will need long comfortable pants, long socks.
  
  In the countryside there can be mud or dust, pollen, insects and we have a lot of animals. Be careful if you have any allergy, it might not be a good idea to come here.
  
  Be aware that we use electric fences for the horses and you might get zapped. Harmless but it can be quite painful.
  
  SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT
  We live in the country in an isolated farm in one of the least populated region of France. Therefore there is neither many people nor much mode of transportation around, except 3 trains per day to/from Paris (2 hours trip) and a few buses to Bourges. Train and bus stations are at 50 minutes walk. Our former interns usually went around by bike (we have some) or carpool (lots of BlaBlaCar opportunities). We can take you around by car a bit.
  
  ENTERTAINING DURING FREE TIME
  Our French countryside is like a desert. One can feel very lonely. So you really need to be a bit introvert, like solitude and be able to entertain yourself if you want to come on your own.
  13 km away, there is a lake with sand beaches where you can go swimming or water ski.
  There are rivers where people can fish (with a proper fishing license), trails to hike or ride.
  When the required sanitary conditions are possible, there are many festivals and events going on all year round like the famous music festival "Printemps de Bourges" or the yearly national horse competition in July at Lamotte-Beuvron.
  
  RESTRICTIONS
  We are looking for non smoker volunteers. We are non smoker and allergic to smoke. So it is strictly forbidden for anyone to smoke here, in the buildings or outside, and we prefer having only non smoker guests.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We have a correct Wi-Fi connection but it is shut down at night when we go to sleep. Heavy downloads are not easy sometimes and it can be crowded when two persons work on internet at the same time. Uploading heavy files is impossible.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We've got space for large vans, and there is a terminal service for motor-homes nearby (sewage etc).

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Dogs & horses are welcome in certain conditions. We can't accept neither cats, dogs who would be poultry, cat or horse hunters, nor dejection all around, aggressive animals or stallions.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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