The volunteers will be integrated into the group of 6-8 long term volunteers of the association. Volunteers can join and quit the project any time.
The community of St. Géniès de Malgoirès owns a park in the heart of the village. For some years now they have started to recondition this park (field clearing, ...). This year, the community wishes to restore the walls of an old channel that once led water to the mill.
This year is the second year of a partnership which has as its goal the restoration of the whole park. The duration of the project might be extended until end of June.
The group will work together with a technical animator and an employee responsible for the maintenance of the park of the community. Volunteers could also create interactive projects or evenings with an 'all-round' association of the village.
ACCOMODATION:
in the hosting center of the association
LOCATION:
Saint Géniès is a small community at 20 km from Nimes and 40 km from Alès.
Jaligny (650 inhab.), at the edge of the river La Besbre, with an old castle built in the middle-ages, organizes its first international work camp. Your project consists in renewing the roof of a public shelter, close to the covered market where the famous « Turkey Fair » takes place every year. You will have to fix the roof structure as well as to cover it with new tiles. The town council also aims at creating contacts and animations with the inhabitants, namely the youngsters.
You can walk along a path without noticing it, on the verge… You can go past it, arrive by the Gundy river and walk on a 1968 bridge… You did not see it, but it was there, just a few metres from you...The Kerouspic mill! Its ruins are hidden behind trees and ivy. Its race is still visible at some places. There are also some trace of the barrage which allowed the water to run through the mill. Your mission will be to valorise this place, to clear the mill of brushwood, to discover its architecture and to understand its layout all along your work.
Work:
You will participate in the renovation of this ancient mill, located at around 13km from The Palacret. Covered by luxuriant vegetation, your role will be to cautiously remove what is in the way so that the mill will be visible again for visitors. Some walls will have to be consolidated to avoid rain seepage. So you will participate to different kinds of work : wood clearing, earthwork, masonry work... We are waiting for you to bring your own creative ideas to enrich the project !
Accommodation:
You will sleep in a newly renovated building. You will sleep in double rooms.
Location:
The Centre Trégor community of cities gathers eight rural towns, among which is Cavan. It is located between Lannion and Guingamp (arrival station). The Palacret site is fifteen minutes from Cavan, in an little isolated valley between Begard, where you can find all facilities, and Saint-Laurent. There, one can find a UNAREC branch, working on integration on the whole territory of Begard. Volunteers are always warmly welcomed, thanks to the strong commitment of local organisations and councillors. You will have the opportunity to attend a Fest-Noz (a famous joyful Breton party with dances and music) and to discover the infinite charm of Brittany and its amazing pink granite coastline ! The Palacret is about 30km from the sea.
Montpezat welcomes international volunteers for the second year. This year the old stone path will be covered by land-art and poetry works. Volunteers will help to prepare a week-end exhibition in cooperation with artists.
Work:
Volunteers will help in doing the land-art exhibition with artists and welcome the public coming to see it. If you want, the group can create its own artistic works. There will be some stone wall work too.
Accommodation:
Accomodation will be provided in 3 bungalows, with 4 beds and 1 bathroom in each. Bungalows are in a camping near the center of the village.
Location:
Montpezat is a beautiful rural village of 780 inhabitants located in Ardèche department. People living there are really open minded and dynamic. The wilderness around the village is very beautiful and diverse.
Nearest city:
AUBENAS
Nearest airport:
LYON
Terminal:
AUBENAS station
Special Requirements:
The local population is happy to welcome again international volunteers. Meeting with local people is really important. Volunteers will come with good shoes for walking (mountains shoes).
The General Council of Allier, manager of the natural areas of the U(Gorges de la BoubleU , undertook to protect and enhance the ecological and cultural heritage of these Gorges (river canyons) surrounded by forest. In this context, the renovations of the small built heritage were begun. They are part of an overall plan for the reopening and maintenance of land which have been gradually abandoned and invaded by vegetation. The site, which stretches for 4 km, kept a true wilderness. In addition, exchanges with associations and local people are on the agenda: meetings, visits and events will be on the schedule of your workcampWORK: near an abbey classified as an historical monument, you will renovate a shed (roof and walls) and part of the boundary wall that reflects the ancient agricultural practices (grazing, vineyards ...). You will use traditional masonry techniques: work with lime mortar, use of old techniques and materials (stone, lime, wood, traditional tiles ...)
Accomodation & food:
two places tents, (bring your sleeping bag) and collective tent for the group life.
Location & leisure:
Chantelle (1060 inhabitants) is located in the heart of the Bourbonnais in Allier county, 70 km north from Clermont-Ferrand and 15 km north from Gannat. The heritage of the region offers a rich historical and cultural diversity: many castles, Romanesque churches, natural sites are present on the territory.Airport: Paris.
The town of Vallet has already hosted an international workcamp, last year. This year the town hall wishes to finish the work of beautifying the church square. The volunteers will have to develop the surrounding area of this church into a place suitable for gatherings and conviviality.
The technical objectives will be to dig out and remove the joints in a part of the outside lower wall and then to fill them again with lime mortar, to canalize the rain water and to carry out landscape work.
The inhabitants of Vallet are motivated to make the workcamp a project of interaction and rich intercultural exchanges by organizing visits to the region (the ocean, cities).The volunteers will be able, with the workcamp leaders, to organize their own leisure time and activities.
Verfeil is a little medieval XIIIth century village, built upon a promontory, surrounded by a beautiful hilly landscape. The work will consist in the renovation of a retaining wall, called « la Prugnerette », along a path on one side of the village. You'll be guided in the work by a dynamic town employee and probably some villagers will come and help. Some young mentally handicapped people will join twice a week to work together with you and to share some leisure time.
During the free time you will have the opportunity to discover this beautiful countryside area, including the Gorges de l'Aveyron river, and some surprisingly well-preserved medieval villages such as Saint-Antonin Noble Val, Caylus, Cordes sur Ciel, Najac...One festive event of the Occitan summer seminar (Lenga Viva) will take place in Verfeil during this period and will enable you to enjoy and get a little bit more acquainted with this local culture.
ACCOMODATION:
In tents at the stadium with kitchen and dining room in the village
LOCATION:
Verfeil is located 100 km north-east of Toulouse and 50 km west of Albi.
The city of Grigny is pleased to welcome you in the heart of the Parc Saint Lazare, which hosts educational farm and garden. The organisation Etudes ET Chantiers helps people with less opportunities by giving them professional training. In Grigny some of these people follow a market gardener training. You will work with these persons by doing some rehabilitation work in a dynamic of sustainable development.
Work :
Mosaic work, wood wall construction and realisation of a educational solar shower will be the subject of this site. To continue the project conducted in 2010, you will realize a land art wall with recycled materials on the building that welcome each day the people with less opportunities of the association. Participate in the landscaping of the sites! Web address - www.grigny91.fr
Requirements:
This activity gathers both environmental awareness and sustainable development, but you also participate in the enhancement of a working place of a group with less opportunities.
« The outside world did not interfere, because it seemed so distant, and so we spent our spare time getting to know each other and learning about each other countries', languages and cultures. Everyone was completely relaxed. This simply would not have been possible on any other type of holiday. VAP enabled me to have a truly memorable experience. »