General info

Live in a castle with us. In the little village of Serbonnes, next to Sens and about 100 km away from Paris (direction south east), I am restoring the castle of Grand-Varennes and its grounds. I have already been working for a year and much has been done. The second floor remains to be renovated and will be dedicated to guests. We will create four en-suite bedrooms and an open-plan kitchen and living room. Work to be done includes skimming, painting, tiling and decoration.

The park has been prepared to be turned into a permaculture garden. From late winter, we will begin designing and planting vegetables and fruit trees. Work to be done outside is mainly gardening.

I am French, 52 years old, and in a long term relationship with my partner who lived in California and moved to France this year. I speak French, English, Italian and German. The castle has all modern comforts and there are three double bedrooms dedicated to volunteers.

What type of host are you?

• Private / individual / family

What are you looking for help with?

• Building
• Cleaning
• Farming / gardening
• General help

What is the mission of your community?

Ultimately, I will turn ten of the castle bedrooms into an
artists residence. While we complete the restoration and the networking with art foundations, I plan to advertise five rooms as a B&B. In the old stables, we organise cultural events for the locals (film society, cabaret dinners, concerts) and host functions and private events.

Les Amis de Grand-Varennes is an association based in Serbonnes that supports the restoration and development of the château. The château is being transformed into a cultural centre that hosts artist residencies, cultural activities and a permaculture garden focused on producing fruits and vegetables for greater food self-sufficiency.

How many volunteers could you host?

• More than two

When would you need volunteers?

• All year long

How many hours of help per day?

• 4–5 hours of help per day

How many days of help per week?

• 4 days of help per week, 3 days off

Are accommodation and food included?

Yes, we offer food and accommodation.

Not a cent will ever be charged for food or anything else. When we sometimes go to local restaurants, volunteers are my guests. For those who need help with transportation, I offer to pay for the train ticket between Paris and the castle.

What type of accommodation can you provide?

• Private room
• Private room for a couple

Diet – nutrition information

We cook at home and buy products from local and, when possible, organic farms. We are about 90% vegetarian.

Visa – could you provide visa support, information or invitation letters?

No, we cannot help with visas but we can offer general assistance.

Volunteers’ benefits

The site is exceptionally beautiful. Our village is quiet but very pleasant and there is a coffee shop and bar. The castle is along the river Yonne and we have two small motorboats that volunteers can use. The castle is about one hour away from Paris by train, so volunteers can easily spend their weekends visiting Paris.

Language

French, English, German, Italian.

How to get to your site

To come to my place from Paris, it is easy. You can catch a regional train (TER) at Paris Gare de Lyon in the direction of Laroche Migennes and get off the train in Pont sur Yonne, which is about five minutes away from the castle. My partner or I will come and pick you up at the station. The train ticket costs about 10.70 € for people younger than 26 years old and about 21 € for others.

Is there internet access?

Yes.

Contact details 🔍📧

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