Come and enjoy some rural living and help us with our eco-projects in Lower Normandy, France

Infos

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  Description

  We are a welcoming team of people working out of an 18th century Chateau in the beautiful countryside of Normandy. We provide and facilitate learning and work placements for students from a host of organisations and backgrounds, of varying ages and in a number of different occupational areas, as well as offering a new and creative approach to holidaying and working with the land. We are always on the lookout for volunteers who are keen to roll up their sleeves and get 'stuck-in' to whatever the day presents.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et projets de construction

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  You will sometimes have the opportunity to meet and work alongside people from various backgrounds and cultures. With a strong ethos on being eco friendly and self-sufficient you will be exposed to, and included in, a whole range of ideas, methods and ways of thinking. We believe that by working in partnership with our visitors and in harmony with the land in all of our areas of activity, we will achieve a negative carbon footprint.

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  Aide

  We are a large project looking for help in many areas including gardening and horticulture. We have approximately 10 acres of land that needs maintaining, an allotment area, which needs cultivating, weeding, picking and most importantly eating! We also have three terraces of which we have exciting and elegant plans for that will require clearing, landscaping and pruning. Construction and general maintenance will include various building projects on the site such as carpentry, stone masonry, pointing, plumbing, painting/decorating and general help. Other tasks may include animal care. Alongside this we are preparing the project for the installation of a glamping site and need to clear and prepare an old stone barn to become a communal indoor space with shower and toilet facilities.
  
  In addition to the above, we are also keen to add to our existing support and are looking for responsible individuals who can commit to a longer stay than our current volunteers – preferably a minimum of 3 months (and potentially longer). We have a staff member who is at the property 09:00 – 17:00 weekdays and when necessary, evenings and weekends. However, we would really like to have some more experienced people who can take on a more responsible volunteering roles helping with the recruitment, planning and coordinating of our wonderful world travellers.

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Débutant

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  Hébergement

  You will be staying in the main functioning part of the chateau or in our comfortable gite. You will have a clean and comfortable room to sleep in, depending on numbers this will be private or shared. Shared bathroom and living space. We have a dining area where breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided. We share the cooking duties and food is all home cooked, locally sourced or grown on the property where possible. Food is served in the plentiful, you will most certainly not go hungry.
  
  If you are interested in the longer term coordinating role, we will provide you with your own bedroom/living space.

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  Autres infos...

  We are situated in the lush landscapes of Normandy in the region of Orne. We are within walking distance of the small village of Frenes. The nearest town is Tinchebrey, a typical French town offering all main amenities including bars, restaurants, a cinema and of course patisseries. With the hills of Swiss Normandy just around the corner offering stunning national parks along with winding rivers and rock fronts, a whole host of activities for tourists are available including canoeing, rock climbing and hand gliding. Along with its rich culture and historical sites there will be plenty to get involved in and visit. All staff here are open minded, happy, friendly and welcoming. We expect all participants to be respectful of fellow volunteers as well as students and staff. We have policies and procedures in place that we would expect you to follow with respect and honesty. You will have the opportunity here to build self-confidence and work as a part of a fun and energized group as well as developing your own initiative to work independently and complete tasks.
  
  We are in a very rural, agricultural area of France and some people may find this to be isolating. If you think you may feel this way, it might be an idea to consider coming with a friend. Additionally, there is very limited local transport, by arrangement we may occassionally be able to assist with dropping off/picking up from a location but it is not something we can incorporate into our offer.

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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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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  We have an accessible internet provision although phone signal is not always sufficiently strong when inside the property.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  There is plenty of space to park up a camper van at our property.

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  This is a 'may be'. We would need to discuss this before making a decision.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Nombre d'heures attendues

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

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