Château de St-Ferriol, Languedoc, France - Information for Volunteers

Information for Volunteers at the Château de St-Ferriol

Although the château de St-Ferriol is not open to the general public, from time to time we welcome volunteers to help with gardening, woodland, restauration, archaology, historical research, and fund raising. From time to time we have litters of standard poodles to look after (not cosetted lap dogs, but big working dogs)

We are currently looking for people with experience of

• stonemasonary
• dry stone walling
• working with lime
• woodworking

• blacksmithing
• leaded glass making
• healdic artwork
• historical research
• excavations
• herbalism and organic gardening
• less specialised skills like labouring and gardening.

Volunteers usually work five hours a day for five days a week and are well fed. The location is very beautiful and we can muster up comfortable accommodation in a village nearby or in a caravan with all the facilities required in a nearby field. Sometimes people prefer to camp.

Volunteers have plenty of opportunities for privacy so an independent spirit is a help although in the day there is usually a lot of activity going on with work on the château. With free time people tend to enjoy walking the dogs or exploring the hills or potter with books, photography, or painting. English and French are spoken. If you have your own transport the possibilities are endless.

The château is in the village of St-Ferriol and so there are opportunities to hone one's French (or Occitan) with the locals, who are a mine of agricultural know-how.

If you would like to help, please call us at least two weeks before you are hoping to arrive in the region. As well as ensuring that we have accommodation available, an idea of your interests, abilities and flexability helps us to ensure that you have an enjoyable stay.