Join our bilingual family for a cultural exchange in Aix en Provence, France

Detalles

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  Descripción

  Hi !
  
  Updated September 3, 2026
  
  Hi, thanks for clicking on our profile !!
  
  
  **************************************************************************************************************************THIS YEAR WE ARE WELCOMING A WORKAWAYER STARTING FROM OCTOBER 1 until NOVEMBER 1 .....
  
  I hope you an make it !!
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  We welcome workawayers twice per year:
  
  
  °°°In March/April to help with the olive tree trimming, when you'll discover the joys of using manual pruning shears.
  Olive trees are incredibly resistant, surviving in the August heat as well as in snow.
  
  After the branches are trimmed, they need to be piled and burned, what fun !
  
  
  °°°In September/October we're getting ready to pick the olives, when we put down large nets around the trees (photos on the profile). Before doing that, we'll need to rake under the trees so that the nets can lay flat.
  You'll learn that there are different races of olives, but only one colour ! We'll take the olives to the Moulin where you'll see how the olives are processed into oil.
  
  
  
  If we want to take a break from the olive trees, there are always miscellaneous tasks to do around the property ; trimming, cutting, weed eating, raking, piling wood, burning branches, painting, wood reparations, taking care of the chickens and their area, walking dogs, etc. Or if you have a special skill, or prefer to do certain tasks, we'll work around that. If you like DIY projects we'll see what can be done. If you're happy, we are happy ! We've come to understand that often our workawayers are so very talented that they teach us as much as they learn about our way of life.
  
  My family lives on the ground floor of a large home.
  
  Upstairs there are 4 bedrooms,3 bathrooms, kitchen, terrace with a view.
  Two of those bedrooms are rented to students during the school year.
  
  The other two bedrooms (with double beds), have a shower room (no wc), between them.
  
  So each WA has their own private bedroom, sharing the shower room between them.
  
  There are two wc s. So, during this time, the student renters get a break on their rent as they must each share their wc facilities with one WA.
  
  Of course the kitchen is shared with the WA s and the two students.
  
  And of course, everybody cleans up after themselves to avoid any cleanliness issues.
  Everybody contributes to cleaning the house once per week; sweeping/vacuuming, washing the floor, wiping all surfaces (you'd be surprised how dirty a wall light switch can become !)
  
  Food, bedding, towels, body soap,dish soap, washing soap;;;all soaps !!! plus shampoo is provided.
  
  I usually make lunch for everybody. Suppers are either made for you and brought upstairs (like a hotel !), or you will be provided food to make your own meals, or, we will all share our dinner table certain nights. Experience tells me its best to vary; and I've been told we eat late at 8pm !
  We've discovered a nice exchange is sharing a meal made together, a recipé from your home country.
  
  The bus passes in front of our home where you can get into the centre of Aix en Provence in 15 minutes; often I can drop you off during my outings. Aix is a busy town filled with international students; markets, shops, restaurants abound. Another 20-minute bus trip away is the animated city of Marseille, full of sites to see.
  
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  HERE ARE MORE DETAILS :
  
  
  I'm a Canadian, from Vancouver, living in Aix en Provence for the last 30 years. We have a large property with over 100 olive trees and always need assistance with that ! You'll have your own private bedroom and will share the shower room/wc with another workawayer or woofer.
  
  We welcome helpers in March, April, September, October.
  
  In March and April : olive tree trimming, fertilizing, digging out baby olive trees and replantig them
  
  In September, October, is the time for preparing the fields for the large tarps (filets), then finally, in October, starting the recolt.
  
  Trimming other trees and bushes, raking, retrieving wood from the forest, chopping, piling, is an all-year affair.
  
  Inside the house you'll find our two daughters, 25 years old, in need of help with their Italian. Around the table we can speak English, French or Italian.
  
  We ask for 5 hours of help per day, five days per week during the recolt which is intense in the beginning; the tree trimming is very time consuming;;;;in the beginning maybe you'll do only 5 trees per day.
  To keep you happy and satisfied we try our best to furnish everything you need during your stay; your help is greatly appreciated !
  
  We offer 3 simple meals per day (breakfast consists of bread or toasts, jam/butter/fruit/yogurt, coffee, tea), lunch could be sandwiches, pasta, while the main meal in the evening is sometimes shared with the family and could be just about anything.
  If you need particular food items, lke sugar and snacky foods, I can drive you to the Auchan 5 minutes away where you can buy everything you'd like.
  We are a carnivores but eat a varied diet. I buy organic when I can, but not always. Vegetarians and vegans are welcome; If you have other special dietary needs we will do our best to accommodate you.
  
  All guests have taken advantage of our proximity to the centre of Aix (by bus 15 minutes max), and to Marseille (30 minutes extra), as well as the beautiful weather enjoyed here in the south of France.
  
  We have a larger property, the Domaine de Chausan, in Nyons in the Drôme where you'd be welcome as well.

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  Tipos de ayuda y oportunidades de aprendizaje

  Proyectos artísticos

  Práctica de idiomas

  Ayuda en proyectos ecológicos

  Jardinería básica

  Proyectos creativos DIY «hazlo tú mismo»

  Cuidado de animales

  Ayuda en una granja

  Ayuda doméstica

  Mantenimiento básico

  Ayuda informática
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  Intereses

  

  Películas y televisión

  

  Mascotas

  

  Trabajo de caridad

  

  Dibujo y pintura

  

  Carpintería

  

  Bricolaje y manualidades

  

  Música

  

  Jardinería

  

  Cocina y alimentación

  

  Animales

  

  Playa

  

  Fitness

  

  Yoga / bienestar
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  Objetivos de sostenibilidad de las NU que intenta conseguir este anfitrión

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  ¿Que es esto?
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  Intercambio cultural y oportunidades de aprendizaje

  We live in a rural environment but we're only a short drive (5 minutes) from the centre of Aix where you can enjoy the city life, attend exhibitions, visit museums, colorful markets, etc.
  Working with olive trees will bring you knowledge of this particular type of agriculture, from digging them out of the ground as babies, to recolting their fruit in October.
  Our family is bilingual English/French and happy to communicate in either language. I teach English in Aix to children and adults. We have a 6 year-old dog of mixed race, and two 3-year old cats, 4 chickens AND a rooster !

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  Ayuda

  Outside help would be principally be maintaining the olive trees, trimming, watering, weeding, picking. Also, cutting grass, weed eating, painting, repairing, tidying up, digging, raking and filling up the holes the dogs or wild boars have made !

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  Idiomas

  Idiomas hablados
  Inglés: Fluido
  Francés: Fluido
  Italiano: Intermedio

  Este anfitrión ofrece intercambio de idiomas
  My husband Benoit speaks Italian very well, along with some Provençale. He is a history fanatic, can spend the night in discussion. He organizes our property in Nyons, just north of Aix en Provence. Our girls are perfectly bilingual English/French; while my mother tongue is English, my French is very good.
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  Alojamiento

  We live on the ground floor of a large house. The upstairs is completely independant with kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. Usually two of these bedrooms are rented by students, who consider this their home.
  
  There are two bedrooms for workawayers. You are considered invited guests and are expected to follow the rules of the house (don't touch things that don't belong to you, clean up after yourself).
  All of your meals (which we provide), are had upstairs in the kitchen or on the terrasse with your partner workawayer, except for the evening meal during the week when we sit down all together.
  We have discovered that most guests go exploring during the weekend and meal provision is sometimes unnecessary; we play that by ear.

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  Algo más...

  The bus passes in front of the house; you'll be in Aix en Provence in 15 minutes; from there the world is your oyster, going to Marseille, côte d'azur......

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  Un poco más de información

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    Acceso a Internet

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    Acceso a Internet limitado

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    Tenemos animales

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    Somos fumadores

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    Puede alojar familias

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  Puede acoger a nómadas digitales

  We have no problems with internet/fibre !

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  Espacio para aparcar autocaravanas

  We have plenty of room for any size camper.

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  Podría aceptar mascotas

  No problem with well-behaved pets. We have a dog ourselves.

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  ¿Cuántos voluntarios puedes hospedar?

  Dos

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  Mis animales / mascotas

  

  Sam (7 años)

  A very friendly mixture !

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