Profile information
Host rating
85 %
Last replied
17 Feb 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
2
ID verified
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Bonjour!
My husband, Paul, and I have lived in France for 20 years. We have just realised a lifelong dream to own a boat to explore the waterways of France. She needs some TLC, although she is perfectly habitable and ready to go. She is currently based on Le Canal Latéral de la Garonne.
We would like to personalise her a bit to our taste and she also requires some maintenance. She is certainly not luxurious, but definitely has charm.
Currently the barge is based near Tonneins, a small town with a station, about 1 hour 30 mins by train or car East of Bordeaux or 50 minutes West of Agen by train or car. Once the weather improves we plan to move her either westwards towards Bordeaux or South East to a boatyard near Agen to get her out of the water and work on the hull. This is when we would appreciate some help to scrub the bottom at the beginning of May 2025.
Types of help and learning opportunities
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We enjoy sharing stories about our life here in France and would be happy to introduce you to other boaters.
We speak English as our mother tongue and have fluent French.
The canal side towns and villages often have markets and festivals which we are always keen to participate in and of course share with you.
There are endless possibilities to learn about boat maintenance.
I teach French as a foreign language, so would be more than happy to help you with learning French.
Help
The ideal workawayer would be someone who has experience of working on boats and if you had welding experience, that would be perfect. Nevertheless anyone who is prepared to do scrubbing, sanding and painting would be really useful too. We want to change her name back to her original one, so any creative talents could also be useful.
Whilst not vegetarian, we rarely eat meat and would be delighted if you wanted to cook once in a while...but no pressure!
Languages
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Spanish: IntermediateThis host offers a language exchange
I am a semi retired qualified teacher of French and German. During my time living in France I have taught mostly French to English speakers who come to France and realise that in France one speaks French! So I am very ready to help workawayers. I have also taught English to French people. I do speak some Spanish, but not to a high level.
Accommodation
Regarding accommodation, we would have to work out what is best depending on the weather and where the barge is.
Sleeping on deck can be wonderful.
There is not a lot of room in the cabin but we do have a campervan, so there would be various possibilities.
What else ...
There are some lovely villages within walking distance and of course the canal towpath. We have 2 bikes.
It is also lovely just to sit and watch the world go by, both by boat and along the towpath.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We can't be precise about this as it will depend where our barge is on the waterways of SW France.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
Feedback (1)
Throughout her time with us she was always very willing and determined, happy to work with us or be left to her own devices. Once she had been shown what to do, she could be relied upon to complete the task.
As a guest in our home, Juliet was… read more
Photos
Feedback
Throughout her time with us she was always very willing and determined, happy to work with us or be left to her own devices. Once she had been shown what to do, she could be relied upon to complete the task.
As a guest in our home, Juliet was… read more
