We are an American couple who are blessed to own
a beautiful historic estate on 181 acres of fields and forest in
Brittany, France. (Google Chateau Le Mur for more info about us and the
estate.) We ocassionally host workshops and Holiday Home-Stays on our
property in the summer months. We are looking for a mature couple* to
help us out with care-taking, gardening, key holding and help with
preparing, greeting, etc. We generally have another couple onsite who
will work along side you, and when we can, we are on-site and work along
side with everyone and have a lot of fun in the meantime! (Note: ours
is not a moneymaking enterprise, we wish we could pay!!!! We take
minimal guests, and are just trying to cover some of the costs of taxes
and the upkeep of the place and have a good time in the process!!)
*Sorry, but this means no singles or families. Past experience shows
that our place is too remote for single folks and doesn't work for us or
them, and as far as families, we can only offer a one bedroom apartment
that accommodates two people only.
What responsibilities are required of the house sitter
We ask for 25 hours work/week per person in
exchange for a lovely furnished 1 bedroom apartment (utilities and Wi-Fi
included) in our 14th Century Manoir. (We don't micro-manage, you can
do everything in 3 days and take 4 days off, or put in a few hours each
day.)
These are the types of tasks we need help with: General caretaking of
the property; cleaning, prep, and greeting of vacation home-stay and
workshop guests; General gardening; keep forest paths clear of fallen
tree debris; mow lawn (we have twp ride-on lawn mowers) trim hedges with
electric trimmer; plant flowers and vegetables; weeding; occasionally
cut down trees and chop wood as needed (we have electric and gas powered
saws); Rake driveway when needed; Fertilize fruit trees; Experience in
additional types of property and home maintenance a big plus! (If you
have additional artistic talents, such as mural painting, tree-carving,
upholstery, please let us know!)
What are the good features of the property and location
Enjoy the majestic Brittany coast and sandy
beaches, walled Medieval cities such as St.Malo, Vannes, Dinan, and
explore the nearby villages of Rochefort en Terre, Malestroit, Josselin
and Gacilly. Explore the wonders of Carnac's Standing Stones, and visit
one of the most famous landmarks in France, Mont St. Michel! If you
think you would enjoy visiting and working in one of the most beautiful
settings in France, please get back to us soon! If you love to wake up
everyday in a beautiful peaceful countryside; meeting and interacting
with charming people; practicing French; love the Ocean; want to be in
an environment steeped in Medieval History ....then this is the place
for you! Thanks, Ernie and Terry
Asking for at least a four week commitment, longer if mutually
beneficial. Experience the 'real' French in Brittany, as it is one of
the most traditional areas of France.
What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment
We require a mature married couple* that own a
home or have owned a home in the past. Please be aware that you must,
ABSOLUTELY rent/bring your own car/motorbike while you are here. If you
are coming from outside France, it is often much cheaper to rent a
vehicle long term from your home country than within France. Also,
though we adore animals, we ask that caretakers do not bring their pets
for this assignment.
**We've had married couples help us out the last few summers and have
had a blast together! We are happy to supply recommendations from them.
Testimonials: Our first house sit - made amazing and enjoyable by the
owners—Terry and Ernie are the most friendliest of all people. They
welcomed us warmly, and involved us in many social events with them. Le
Chateau Mur is a great place to work, the grounds are beautiful as is
the Manoir. Terry and Ernie are beloved of the beautiful chateau and
their enthusiasm and energy shone through and is infectious to all
around. It has been a pleasure to work with them in their ideas to
maintain, upkeep and improve the property. They are so approachable, an
interesting and passionate couple. We would have no hesitation in
returning back to the chateau to work with this wonderful couple again.
We will definitely keep in contact with them. Paul and Julia, United
Kingdom, 05 July, 2018
Super Time at Chateau Le Mur, Brittany!
We stayed here for about 6 weeks in the summer of 2016. We knew from our
initial email contact that our hosts Terry and Ernie would be good fun
and ‘team’ people. They are also kind and really interesting. They have
tastefully renovated this gorgeous 19th century Chateau and 14th century
Manoir. It is a stunning property of 181acres in the heart of the
Brittany countryside, full of artistic touches, historical quirks and
lots of flair. We helped in the garden, which was a pleasure to be in.
We also did apartment changeovers and feeding and grooming their lovely
pets (two lovely cats, a very sweet dog, miniature sheep and miniature
pony). The hours were fair and flexible and they encouraged us to take
time off to explore the beautiful region of Brittany. We got a great
apartment to stay in, spacious, cool and comfortable with its own
kitchen where we cooked for ourselves. We worked closely with the great
caretakers who were here during our time, so it helps to be a team
player. The atmosphere here is fun, lively and welcoming. The property
is extensive, including natural woodlands and there is always lots to
do, so you should have a genuine work ethic and be prepared to use your
initiative. Having your own car is very useful to visit the nearby towns
and many attractions eg La Gacilly, Malestroit, Josselin, Redon,
Vannes, Carnac, St-Malo, Mont St-Michel etc. We would recommend helping
out / housesitting for Terry and Ernie, to anyone who is happy to
contribute their time and skills in return for a great base to explore
Brittany, meeting very interesting hosts and the chance to stay in a
beautiful historic property . Looking forward to a return visit in the
future. It was a pleasure to share your property. Thank you so much!
Eimear and Ian, Ireland, 11 January, 2018
|