House Sitting Opportunity.   Comblessac, Brittany, France


House Sitting in Comblessac, Brittany, France

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Location:   Comblessac, Brittany, France

Assignment Description:

(please note: at present we are no longer taking applications.)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