Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
24 Apr 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 23 days
Feedback
8
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hi every one !
My girlfriend Alix and I live in Normandy, near Veules les Roses, 5 km from the sea.
We began the renovation of our 400-year-old cottage last year in 2021. We are not professionnals of eco-construction, but we are curious, we like testing, and sometimes we are helped by real craftsmen.
Alix began a job of artistic director for a little art festival here in Normandy, and I work as a cider maker since 3 years. As it is still a little cider production, I manage to work for the cottage at the same time (4 or 5 days a week approximatively).
We began in January 2023 to welcome Workawayers, who could help us on the cottage renovation.
For the early spring of 2024, the different planned tasks are :
- Coating with earth, straw fibers and lime
- Cleaning and sanding wood and windows
- Taking care of the garden and the apple trees
- Making lime joints for old stone walls
- Lime paintings
These are not difficult tasks, but the more we are, the most pleasant it is ! We have welcomed around 30 Workawayers for now, and each time it has been a very pleasant experience for us.
We live in a big house that we rent, 12 minutes far from the cottage and 30 minutes far from the cider factory, and we have some empty rooms for you !
Do not hesitate to contact us for more infos, photos or other.
See you,
François & Alix
Types of help and learning opportunities
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
The aim is to learn together about eco-construction and spend a good time nearby the sea here in Normandy.
Help
For the end of 2024, we'll have to sand so old piece of wood and cover them with an insulation made of hamp and lime.
We also have to build a new slab made of lime and cork.
I work around 8 hours a day, but obviously volunteers are not asked to help that long, it would be 5 hours a day.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Intermediate
Spanish: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
We like learning more about spanish and english, and we would be glad to teach french.
Accommodation
The house we rent is in the center of a small village, 50 meters far from a little shop. It is a big house, able to welcome around 8 or 10 people, so you'll have your own rooms. (3 more rooms available)
The cottage is 15 minutes far from the house with a car, and we can provide you some bikes so that you could be independant the rest of the time.
Concerning the meals, we enjoy sharing the differents meals with the hosts, and we usually cook the meals together.
What else ...
The area is the good place for hikings and cyclings along the sea. At the sea you'll find the famous Norman white cliffs (we are 40 minutes far from Etretat, that we could visit if you want so). Rouen is one hour far from here, you could also visit the city if you want.
You can get here with trains, that could lead you to Yvetot (30 minutes far from the house), and then with a bus (NOMAD 525) from Yvetot to Saint-Valéry-En-Caux (15 minutes far).
Last little precision, we get the internet with our mobile phones, that we use for connection sharing. It works very well but if we are not in the same location we cannot share our internet (maybe you have yours on your mobile). If needed we have an office with the internet, 50 meters from the house.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have an office in which you can work, with a good internet connection. The office is 50m far from the house we rent.
Space for parking camper vans
You can park your campervan in the garden.
Can possibly accept pets
We love pets.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (5)
Thanks a lot for your help, I hope we'll see you again!
We really enjoy spending time with her, she is positive, full of energy and she cares about people around her. She was a great help for the tasks we did at the construction (putting new windows on frames, ordering some heavy material in the garden...).
And at the same time we spent great moments with… read more
Photos
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)
Thanks a lot for your help, I hope we'll see you again!
We really enjoy spending time with her, she is positive, full of energy and she cares about people around her. She was a great help for the tasks we did at the construction (putting new windows on frames, ordering some heavy material in the garden...).
And at the same time we spent great moments with… read more
Thank you Pia and Theo,… read more
