Enthusiastic, fit, creative helpers to renovate and garden in my 16th century farmhouse near Chinon in the Loire Valley, France

Infos

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  Description

  Hello!
  
  I'm a serial expat myself (13 countries, 4 continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, the U.S.) with an insatiable appetite for discovering other cultures. I decided to finally settle down in France's beautiful Loire Valley in 2019 where I ended up buying a farmhouse, parts of which date back as far as the 16th century (this is still mind-blowing to me). I have just about one acre of land and a few buildings and I have been learning to do almost everything myself, because I am infinitely curious and love to learn new things. I have had the help of a few locals too, for the heavy stuff.
  
  I live in the main house, along with my two dogs, Obá and Yozo. I also have two chickens. My partner, who I met here, lives nearby. I'm almost done restoring the main house. Now I am working on turning a big room in another building into a studio apartment. I'd like to be able to host my aging parents independently when they are here and ditto for Workawayers.
  
  The goal with the farm is not to live here by myself but to have the capacity to welcome people from all over the world, from as many different cultures as possible, who contribute to a co-creation, to a co-created space made with that collaborative energy. I'm still pondering on the next developments of this property. I am pretty sure it will involve creativity and art, but I still have to refine my ideas!
  
  The property is set in a beautiful and peaceful valley, by a village where there is a Chateau. We are surrounded by fields, forests, and there are more chateaux than I can count around us. The river runs not far from the house and there is a dedicated walking/running/biking path nearby too. We are a 15 minute drive from the medieval fortress-turned town called Chinon and we are in the middle of the wine country of the same name.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  Entretien général
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  I speak English, French, Malagasy fluently. I am okay in German (also used to live in Berlin), and I kinda get by in Italian. As much as I love Portuguese (lived in Lisbon), and learned it, it's still super hard so if you also can help there, I'm totally a taker. Of course, I'm happy to help you with your French.
  
  When you stay here, I will share everything I know about doing restoration work that I have learned to do on my own. It's always daunting but in the end, everything is doable, and we can even do it well. More importantly, I'm big on re-using, re-purposing, up-cycling everything: creativity really helps. We will have lots of creative exchanges. I own musical instruments but I don't know how to play them, and they actually need fixing but you will be welcome to use them. And maybe teach me too? :)
  
  Meals, ahhh, meals. I love food. All sorts of food. I'm open to vegans and vegetarians, we can have an exchange there too. We will be shopping for food together and if you are here in the summer, we will be consuming vegetables from the garden (hopefully!) and fruits from farms nearby. We will be preparing meals together and eating together. That is a key part of the experience!
  
  I will be taking you to very local places, experiences, fear not.

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  Aide

  General work:
  - all sorts of construction and renovation works: anyone can do these, I will show and teach you. What they require is a good physical condition because it can be tiring (speaking from experience here), and focus to make it easier on everyone. Creativity is a plus because we are always looking for solutions!
  - cleaning and renovation
  - gardening: I will share what I know and I'm also looking for people who can further my education!
  
  Specialized work if you have the skills: help with social media marketing but that would be a bonus

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Courant
  Malagasy: Courant
  Allemand: Intermédiaire
  Italien: Débutant
  Portugais: Débutant

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  Hébergement

  My house has 2 bedrooms. For now, and until we are done with the studio, you will be occupying the other bedroom. I'm happy to have two people max, couple or not.
  
  I'd like to get to work on the studio apartment so you can have your very own place in the near future! Until then, we will be living together.
  
  I love food and I love sharing meals together and before that, the process of sharing how I prepare food, passing on the teachings from friends who are chefs, and teaching recipes and ways of doing things from the various cultures that influence me. So here, people can learn how to make traditional French food of course, including venison, but also food from Madagascar, food from Portugal, from Asia, from the US of course, the UK, Morocco and all of North Africa, as well as vegan Indian food. Specialties from various French regions too: Brittany, South of France, North of France (amazing and so little known). You name it.
  How we feed ourselves is a key part of life and participates in how we do physically and mentally. I also share with all my visitors, the knowledge I have garnered in terms of herbs, natural healing. There is so much to say!
  
  We have high speed internet.
   
  I am not a smoker and I don't drink either. I prefer non smokers.

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  Autres infos...

  There is so much to do, see, and experience here and all around. The Loire Valley's main chateaux of course, but also wineries, museums, day trips to Tours, Angers, Saumur, and even Paris. You can leave in the morning and be back for dinner, easy peasy.
  
  A drivers license is a MUST to be able to roam around. I have bikes I am happy to lend you but you will want to be able to drive. There is a Super U nearby where they rent easily and for really reasonable prices.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  I'm not sure but LOL pretty sure any van, there is space.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week