Share our life in a historic Mas in the foothills of the Cevennes, France

  • Activité récente : 2 mai 2025

Disponibilité

  2025 

 Séjour min. souhaité : Au moins une semaine

Jan
Fév
Mar
Avr
Mai
Jui
Jui
A
Sep
Oct
Nov
Déc

Infos

  • Description

    Description

    Hello, we are Anita and Chris. Anita was born and raised in Kenya and Chris is English. We have travelled together extensively, and we are returned to Europe after 30 years in Los Angeles. Between us we speak English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Kiswahili. I am a pianist and teach and Chris is a sound mixer for major motion pictures.

    Six years ago we moved to France, to a beautiful old Mas, originally a monastery and then a silk mill just outside Ales, on a hilltop with a magnificent view and access to all amenities. We love to have people in our home work with us on the renovation of the Mas and it's garden and also to afford them an experience in a most beautiful part of France, exploring the magnificent Cevennes mountains, the nearby historical cities of Nimes, Montpellier and Avignon. Ales has a train station with great connections.

    We very much enjoy having guests in our home and so far we have had over forty Workawayers and I think it says a whole lot about the experience of staying and working here that some of those are people who were here for a second, third or even fourth time.

    We have a very affectionate dog, a Rhodesian ridgeback mix, who loves people.

  • Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

    Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

    Jardinage
    Bricolage et construction
    Cuisine/repas pour la famille
    Aide à la maison
    Entretien général
    Aide informatique/internet
    Home sitting
  • Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

    Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

    We are located just outside the Southern French town of Alès in the department of the Gard. We are on the edge of the Cevennes Mountains which offer some wonderful walks and hikes, rivers, gorges and grottos and river swimming. The history of the area is rich and complicated, as with most of Europe!! The Occitane was a stronghold of both French resistance to German occupation in WW2 and of Protestant resistance during the various French religious wars over centuries. Alès is a cultural centre itself but we are also close to the Roman city of Nimes, the Mediaeval and very picturesque town of Uzès , Montpellier and Avignon. The Mediterranean is an hour to the South with beaches and seaside towns and the wild beauty of the Carmargue with its wild bulls, horses and flamingoes. We are also in the heart of a wine growing region, so much to explore.

  • Aide

    Aide

    We are looking for help with renovating the house and improving the grounds. There is a lot of varied work including redecorating and rebuilding, pathways, decks, flower, shrub and vegetable beds, mowing, brush clearing etc. Chris is competent in pretty much all of these but could use some help and a second pair of hands. Specific skills are always welcome too though. In the summer its is too hot to work in the middle of the day so work would normally be between 8am and noon and 5pm and 7pm.

  • Langues

    Langues parlées
    Allemand: Courant
    Anglais: Courant
    Français: Courant
    Swahili (Kiswahili): Courant
    Espagnol: Intermédiaire
    Italien: Intermédiaire
    Indonesian: Débutant

    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.

  • Hébergement

    Hébergement

    The ground floor is given over for the use of guests. There are three bedrooms: two large and one smaller one, each opening onto the extensive garden. The shower and toilets are shared, but there is an additional wash room. The largest room also has its own kitchen.

    We would encourage having lunch and dinner together over conversation and good wine. Chris is an excellent cook, but we would also enjoy experiencing other cuisine from those who like to cook. Breakfast is help yourself’. We would provide the food and there is always plenty of wine or beer, plus Chris has a specialty in making his own tonic water for gin and tonics by the pool.

    We would encourage anyone with a musical instrument to bring it. I play classical music and would love to have some chamber music partners, Chris plays more rock n roll piano, but all music is encouraged in our large living room which used to be where Yehudi Menuhin led the Cevennes chamber orchestra.

    We have one hectare of land so there is plenty of nice outside space, a swimming pool and ping pong table.

  • Autres infos...

    Autres infos...

    Alès itself has a lot of bars and restaurants and there are concerts and theatre. It is easy to walk into the old town and wander its alleyways with its myriad of interesting shops.

    Alès also has a regular and efficient train station which connects you to the TGV from Nimes, which is only 1/2 hour away. Montpellier is about 45 minutes. Paris is 4hrs, Marseilles 2hrs, Barcelona 4hrs. We are generally available to drop you and pick you up at the train station.

  • Informations complémentaires

    Informations complémentaires

    • Accès Internet

    • Accès Internet limité

      Accès Internet limité

    • Nous avons des animaux

    • Nous sommes fumeurs

    • Familles bienvenues

  • Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

    Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

    We have space to work in and pretty decent Wifi. We have hosted a couple who ran an internet based marketing and graphic design company. They were here for five months.

  • Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

    Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

    Deux

N° de référence hôte : 937678337228

Sécurité du site

Feedback (17)



Photos

L'image représente trois personnes assises à une table chargée d'un assortiment de nourriture, sur un fond serein d'arbres et de mur de pierre.
L'image représente une scène sereine d'une maison à deux étages avec une allée en gravier, avec une voiture argentée garée devant l'entrée, entourée d'une végétation luxuriante.
L'image représente une charmante scène de maison avec une vigne verte luxuriante et des fleurs jaunes et blanches éclatantes qui poussent sur ses côtés, dégageant un sentiment de sérénité.
L'image représente une scène sereine d'une femme nageant dans une piscine, avec en toile de fond une maison et une végétation luxuriante par une journée ensoleillée.
L'image représente un jardin serein avec une variété de plantes et de fleurs, sur fond d'arbres et d'une chaîne de montagnes lointaine sous un ciel bleu avec des nuages.
L'image représente une maison à deux étages avec un balcon, située derrière un champ herbeux et des arbres, sur fond de ciel bleu clair.

Feedback

Ce sont des évaluations supplémentaires en option lorsque les membres laissent un feedback. La note moyenne pour chaque option est affichée.

Exactitude du profil:
(4.9)

Échange culturel:
(5.0)

Communication:
(5.0)






















Join our family and help with some gardening, fruit picking and bee keeping near Nancy, France
Come join and join us at our beautiful place in nature in Aveyron, France