People usually think that to travel or holiday in the south of France is expensive, and the way that you’re thinking about it, it probably would be. Booking hotels, going out to fancy restaurants every evening, booking excursions… it all adds up. But there is a cheaper and (in my opinion) more fun way to travel – Workaway. With Workaway you typically work 4-5 hours per day, five days a week, in return for free food and accommodation. There are volunteer options all around the world. Including the French Riviera! My France Workaway experience was something to remember.
My partner and I like to travel in this way, it allows us to take our time and spend longer in places for cheaper. You can immerse yourself in the culture, and get to know the amazing people and the surrounding area. There are thousands of hosts to choose from all around the world, and you are sure to find a host that suits you and how you work. It’s also a great opportunity to learn new skills and put yourself out of your comfort zone. You can make the most of your adventure and feel great about helping people with their projects too. We only wish we could have stayed longer with our France host… we got back to the UK just in time before the coronavirus started to affect Europe.
Our Workaway host
We found our France Workaway host a little last minute as our original host bailed – we had to re-arrange all transport and find a new host within a couple of weeks as our flights had already been booked! Thankfully, Kai was to the rescue – an inspirational German fellow who owned an ecological project in Fayence. Kai is passionate about the environment and combating climate change, and there was no shortage of jobs to do around the property. Also, opportunities to cuddle and learn about animals!
Eco-provence Workaway
Kai owns Eco-Provence, just a short walk from the village of Fayence. It’s situated at the top of a valley and from the house you can see for miles around. It was the most magical thing to have a coffee in the morning whilst watching the sunrise and the wisps of fog dissipate in the valley below you. He generates his electricity with solar panels and grows vegetables in his garden. The property stretches around and below you, making it feel like a garden snatched out of the Shire. On these peaceful days, you can imagine a hearty Hobbit picking his way up the path with an armful of freshly picked vegetables. There’s even a small school helping children learn about nature, and Kai holds meetings in the guest house with the local environmental group. It’s a pretty wholesome place, to be honest!
We got there late on a Thursday and started the work on Friday morning, with the weekends off. When doing Workaway you only do what you feel comfortable with, and as long as the host can see you are willing to try your best you can’t go wrong. My partner and I are always willing to put in some hard work and learn whatever we can. This way we generally get along with everyone just fine!
Do you like working outside?
With it being February it’s delightfully refreshing in the early morning but quickly heats up and by mid-morning. I’m there in my t-shirt whilst everyone else is still huddled up in their jumpers (It’s the south of France and I’m British, c’mon). It’s so much fun to work in the garden! Being a city girl I never took much interest in working outside, but I had someone willing to teach me and I’m always eager to learn something new. Who knew that clearing bushes, making compost heaps and setting fires was fun? All under watchful eyes, of course, I never truly trust myself as I’m far too clumsy. It’s honest work and it makes you feel accomplished when you finish it.
Get stuck in at Workaway
New things are learnt every day, if done right. From gardening to tiling to making cement. Oh boy, the tiling… It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle! Animals also hold a special place in my heart, and here was no different. Lucy and Tinka, two female sheep, were always a delight and I was forever trying to get them to love me. The cat was a little easier to coax, and could fit on my chest with a lot more ease, to snuggle and purr in the evenings by the fireside.
It’s like living with a family – you get accepted instantly and make new friends with the other workawayers, if there are any more with you. We spent three weeks with a German couple there and the five of us flowed well together. Cooking and eating meals together every morning, lunch and evening is a great way to get to know people!
In my opinion it’s important to not just do the touristy things when you visit a country. Of course, I had an exhilarating few days thoroughly exploring Paris but there’s so much more in-depth you can go. You can read about cheap and quirky things to do in Paris here, including the catacombs.
It doesn’t cost much either – a coastal walk is far more pleasant than being herded around in a touristic guide group – and you can do everything at your own pace.
Explore through Workaway
With the weather permitting – as it did take a turn for the worse and rained for a couple of weeks – we would explore the surrounding area. It took one hour on the bus to get to the coastal town of St Raphael, but it’s worth it; with the shops lined up along the seafront and the market hugging the harbour at the weekends, it’s great for a relaxing wander. As it was already quite warm it’s such a treat to do a coastal walk, and it reminded me of just how unfit I am! We walked from St Raphael to Le Dramont. If you look on the map it looks like a normal path but it is almost entirely along the rocky outcrops against the sea. It was so beautiful and required a lot of climbing and navigating, but worth it! The sunburn was also worth it…
Finding little alcoves and beaches to rest is the most peaceful thing too, with the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean gently rolling by beside you. There’s not much rush to do anything in such places.
More hiking
If more inland is your thing then there’s plenty of hikes and walking trails to do, to really get your heart rate up! We visited a mimosa forest in the Côte d’Azur and took a gentler walk along one of the easier and shorter paths. Being surrounded by the golden aromatic plants, with snippets of the sea caught between them is a beautiful experience. Even in February they glowed, and if you catch the sights as the sun is starting to set the effect is mesmerising.
A more challenging walk was to Mont Vinaigre, in Frejus. It’s a beautiful hike as you steadily ascend along the winding paths, and you can either opt for the easier road option or the more challenging path which cuts across and goes more directly to the top. Along the way, you catch glimpses of the sea and look over the forest stretching on for miles. It’s peaceful and at that time of year, it was not busy at all. All the more for us!
Something out of Lord of the Rings
Right by Eco-Provence is one of the most magical rivers I’ve ever seen. That might not be saying much, seeing as I’ve grown up right next to the River Thames, but still. A ten-minute walk from where we were staying was a path you could squeeze down to a merrily flowing river, the rocks coated in a light green moss and giving the water the same magical tinge of colour. It flowed in stages as there were natural shelves and some of them looked deep enough to swim in!
Two out of the four weeks made exploring impossible as the weather became quite bad. Every day we were hemmed in by rain and fog, our temporary home isolated on the hillside. It was eerily beautiful and made us appreciate making the most of our time indoors too. A lot of reading and learning new things! There’s always an opportunity to make yourself better and move closer to reaching your goals.
If we had had a car and more time it would have been great to explore more of the French Riviera, as we would have been able to drive to Cannes, Nice, and even Monaco – how awesome that would have been! How different to the life we normally live, to be surrounded by wealth. Time was not on our side as we had to return to the UK, and we arrived home just before the lockdown started.
Always keep learning through Workaway
Your experiences are always a story to tell, whether they are good or bad. Our experience of our France Workaway was positive and I learned so much and took so much away from it. I’ve become more interested in gardening and taken up small projects with my family in their garden; I’ve even more aware and knowledgeable of the global climate crisis and how to be more responsible; I’ve learned how to use tools in the garden and house that I’ve never touched before; and I’ve learned to say yes to more experiences as the opportunity arises.
It’s these kinds of adventures that give you more confidence and lasting memories. A lot of people have been to Paris, but how many have worked in the south of France? With Workaway you get the opportunity to work with similar-minded people. They have a vision, and you get to help them with it. In return you learn so much, it’s a win-win!
Lastly, I feel like I have to say I’m not affiliated with Workaway in any way. This is just one of my favourite ways to travel and see the world! I’m still new to it but what I have experienced so far, I’m raving about. It would be a privilege if I could inspire anyone else to sign up and find their inspiration. Find your “thing” and run with it!
