Experience authentic alpine farm life in Vailly, France

Infos

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  Description

  I'm Petra, German/Austrian by background, and I speak English, French, and German. Nature is at the heart of everything I do — I'm endlessly curious about ecosystem regeneration, soil health, and yes, even earthworms. Years ago, my partner Nicolas and I bought this farm together, and we built our life around it. When he fell ill, I found myself carrying the farm on my own. My daughter has since moved here to help out, but between the two of us juggling full-time jobs, there's always more to do than hands to do it.
  
  We're nestled in a truly special corner of the French Alps, right between Annecy, Chamonix, and Geneva. This valley has held onto its authenticity — the people here are proud, strong-charactered Savoyards, still deeply connected to the land and to farm life. Visitors come from all over to hike, bike, and explore the trails that wind through the mountains around us.
  
  Our days revolve around a small menagerie — 3 dogs, 6 chickens, and 1 cat — plus a patchwork of green spaces: two vegetable gardens, an orchard, forest, and pasture land. Add in the usual house chores, and you can see why we're always glad to have an extra pair of hands.
  
  We welcome help with animal care, gardening, and general household tasks — 3 to 4 hours a day. Anyone handy with repairs or basic DIY is especially appreciated, as there's always something around the house that needs fixing.
  
  October through the cold months: we're looking for someone ideally long-term to help with woodwork, snow-related tasks, and small construction and DIY projects, alongside the usual animal, house, and garden work. This period calls for someone comfortable using tools, handling physical outdoor work, and pitching in with hands-on winter tasks like stacking wood and clearing snow — practical experience with this kind of work is more important to us than anything else.
  
  If you love the outdoors, don't mind getting your hands dirty, and want to experience genuine Alpine life away from the tourist trail, we'd love to hear from you.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Jardinage d'entretien

  Projets DIY créatifs

  S’occuper des animaux

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Petits travaux d'entretien

  Garde de maison et d'animaux
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Bricolage / artisanat

  

  Menuiserie

  

  Animaux

  

  Nature

  

  Montagne

  

  Randonnée
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  Multicultural exchange: Petra is German/Austrian and speaks excellent English and French. Conversations often flow between German, English, and French, giving you a chance to practice languages in a natural setting.
  
  Nature-based knowledge: Petra is passionate about ecosystems, soil health, and regenerative farming. You will learn how traditional Alpine farming meets modern ecological thinking.
  
  Authentic Alpine culture: Our valley has preserved its authenticity. The people here are strong characters, deeply connected to nature and their farm work. You will meet locals who value tradition, resilience, and simplicity, and you'll get a real taste of local culture, food, and rural life along the way.
  
  Outdoor lifestyle: In your free time, you can join locals and visitors alike in enjoying the surrounding mountains. Hiking, biking, and trail adventures start right outside the farm.
  
  Community atmosphere: With 3 dogs, 6 chickens, and 1 cat, our farm is lively and welcoming. Sharing meals, stories, and laughter with us around the table is part of the experience.

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  Aide

  House care: tidying, meal prep, laundry, woodwork, snow-related tasks, and small construction and DIY projects
  Animal care: feeding, walking, and general upkeep
  Vegetable gardens: gardening, harvesting, and cooking with what we grow
  
  Some pet and house-sitting and outdoor tasks will also be part of the mix.
  
  We would love to have someone comfortable using tools, handling physical outdoor tasks, and pitching in with hands-on winter tasks like stacking wood and clearing snow.
  
  If you enjoy cooking and would like to share one of your favorite meals with us from time to time, that would be very much appreciated!
  
  All in all, we'd love around 3–4 hours of your help per day.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Allemand: Courant
  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Courant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  Cet hôte a indiqué qu’il souhaitait faire partager sa propre langue ou en apprendre une nouvelle.
  Contactez-le pour en savoir plus.
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  Hébergement

  You'll have your choice of one of two options:
  
  A cozy bedroom with its own private bathroom on the first floor of our large chalet — nicely separated from us, giving you the privacy you need.
  
  or
  
  A little house (Mazot), independent from the main chalet and about 15 meters away. Its beautiful interior features traditional old wood, along with a good-sized modern bathroom.
  
  Bedding and towels are provided if needed. We do ask that you respect the interiors and keep the place as clean as you found it — this is important to us. No camping, please.
  
  We'll keep the fridge stocked regularly — you're welcome to eat with us or do your own cooking, whichever you prefer. We're very flexible!

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  Autres infos...

  Nature & Outdoors
  
  Lake Annecy — often called one of the cleanest lakes in Europe; swimming, paddleboarding, and the lakeside cycling path
  Mont Blanc and Chamonix — cable cars (like the Aiguille du Midi), glacier views, and some of the most iconic alpine scenery in the world
  Gorges du Fier — dramatic river gorges carved into rock, an easy and striking walk
  La Roche-sur-Foron and the Salève — great for shorter hikes with big valley views, popular with paragliders too
  Cascades and waterfalls scattered through the valley — good for short, rewarding hikes
  
  Activities
  
  Hiking and trail running — endless marked trails for all levels, from gentle valley walks to serious mountain routes
  Swimming
  Mountain biking — the region is a hub for both cross-country and downhill riding
  Paragliding — Annecy is one of the paragliding capitals of Europe
  Via ferrata routes for those wanting a bit of climbing adventure
  Winter sports — skiing and snowboarding in nearby resorts once the snow arrives
  
  Towns & Culture
  
  The whole valley is stunning with many villages and places to visit,
  and further away for example:
  Annecy old town — canals, colorful buildings, and a Thursday/Saturday market worth wandering through
  Geneva — an easy day trip across the Swiss border, with its lake, old town, and international atmosphere
  Chamonix village — mountaineering history, shops, and a lively après-outdoor scene
  Local Savoyard markets — great for cheese, charcuterie, and regional produce

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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

  Our WIFI connection can be a bit unstable, our workawayers have been using our wifi mixed with their own hotspots.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Un

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  Mes animaux

  Umlindi

  Tuck

Sécurité du site

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