Volunteer at Catfarm, an off-grid intentional community in southern France 🐈🌱

Catfarm is an off-grid intentional community near Poussan, in the South of France. The project describes itself as a living laboratory where people come together to live, learn and create while experimenting with regenerative practices, community life, ecology, art and non-formal education.

About Catfarm

According to its official website, Catfarm is an intentional community focused on community, creativity and regeneration. Catfarm Education, the non-profit association connected to the project, was founded in 2018 near Poussan, France. Community projects include regenerative agriculture, natural building, art and creative activities, non-formal education and experiments in sustainable and collaborative ways of living.

Volunteering at Catfarm

Catfarm currently welcomes volunteers for a minimum stay of one month.

The community asks volunteers to contribute around 6 hours per day, Monday to Friday. The daily life information published by Catfarm also mentions some collective tasks during weekends. Volunteers take part not only in project activities but also in the everyday running of the community, including meetings, cooking, cleaning and care of shared spaces.

What can volunteers help with?

• Permaculture, agroforestry and land regeneration
• Natural building, maintenance and low-impact systems
• Art, creative projects and workshops
• Cooking, food sorting and shared community tasks
• Community care and inclusion
• Education, communication and project activities

Community life

Catfarm organises much of its work through a horizontal system of circles. Different circles focus on areas such as gardening and regeneration, building, art, community life, well-being, coordination and finances. Morning meetings are part of the daily routine, together with shared responsibilities and project work. Volunteers are encouraged to participate actively in community life and to communicate openly about their needs and responsibilities.

Seasonal rhythm

Volunteer activities normally pause from around mid-December while Catfarm rests during winter. According to the current community calendar, activities begin again in March. Spring and autumn can include Erasmus+ projects, while summer tends to focus more on internal projects and the maintenance of Catfarm.

Community guidelines

Anyone considering a stay should read Catfarm’s current guidelines before applying. Community policies include keeping meat and fish out of communal spaces and a no-substances policy that includes alcohol and recreational drugs.

The guidelines also cover respect, non-violence, communication, cooperation, responsibility, inclusion and care for shared spaces.

Food, accommodation and costs

Older versions of this Voluntouring.org page mentioned free accommodation and different daily contributions towards food. These details date from 2019 and should no longer be considered current.

Catfarm’s present public volunteering page does not clearly confirm those older food, accommodation or contribution arrangements. Applicants are therefore encouraged to check the current Welcome Info Pack and confirm directly what accommodation and meals are provided, whether any contribution applies and what they need to bring before committing to a stay.

European Solidarity Corps

Catfarm also participates in the European Solidarity Corps.

At the time of this September 2026 update, Catfarm describes its ESC programme as a long-term experience lasting around 9.5 months for six volunteers. The programme is aimed at participants aged 18 to 30 from eligible ESC countries who are comfortable communicating in English and living in a vegan, alcohol-free and drug-free environment.

For the ESC programme, Catfarm states that accommodation, food, insurance and pocket money are provided. These conditions apply specifically to ESC participants and should not be assumed to apply to the regular volunteering programme.