A NEW COAT FOR THE DOVECOTE
France
Renovation
Renovation
Fixed dates
About the project
A NEW COAT FOR THE DOVECOTE
📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The town has already hosted an international workcamp in the 2000s and has very good memories from this experience. You will meet people who are involved in ecological issues and who develop many actions with the inhabitants, e.g. this winter, the school children planted a large orchard. This workcamp fully integrates this activist and sustainable development approach.
💼 What the programme involves
A small welcoming town, a green municipal team, a pleasant living environment in the heart of the Auvergne, for a nice high workcamp!
The municipality of Saint-Germain-Lembron values the traces of its past, by safeguarding the historical heritage still present. It recently discovered an old dovecote (pigeon house), a small stone tower that appeared when a building with which it was intertwined was destroyed!
The objective of this workcamp is to restore two facades of the dovecote, using a manual and traditional technique of lime masonry, which is the most ecological possible. You will spend about 30 hours a week on this site, working alongside a technical leader. The different stages of the work you will carry out: removal of vegetation from the tower with pruning shears; removal of the old coat using chisels, sledgehammers and metal brushes; do the joints between the stones with a natural coat made of lime and sand. Your group\'s work will enable us to get a beautiful "exposed stone" finish for the dovecote.
You will be working at height, on scaffolding. If you suffer from vertigo, this is probably not the best workcamp for you! If you are not afraid, working at heights is generally very pleasant and allows you to enjoy a beautiful panorama.
🏠 Accommodation on site
You will be accompanied by two camp leaders throughout your stay.
You will stay at the Centre Jeanne d'Arc, in the village, about fifteen minutes walk from the site. You will sleep in two rooms on large gymnastic mattresses (men and women separated). You will have a fully equipped community kitchen, showers and toilets, a large room for collective life and a terrace where you can sit in the cool shade of the trees. The site is closed and will be reserved for your group.
The group will be sharing the cleaning chores and preparing meals together. The budget will be allocated to the group leader and you will participate in the preparation of meals, prioritizing products from the market and local producers. Wi-Fi is available in the campsite and you will be able to hand wash your laundry or in a launderette in town (for a fee).
📍 About the location
Saint-Germain-Lembron is a small town of 2000 inhabitants, located next to the town of Issoire. It is crossed by several rivers such as the Lembron, hence its name. Its medieval church, its atypical fountains and its small castle allow it to preserve a heritage of typical Auvergne character.
You will have unlimited access to the gymnasium in front of your place of living, to organise sports activities (badminton, football, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics...). The town council will ask local associations to help you discover the region. The programme for your free time includes hiking on the volcanoes, swimming in lakes and rivers, initiation to pétanque (boules game) or participation in concerts and local festivals.
⚠️ Requirements
Please note that it is preferable to know how to swim and not being afraid of heights.
Foreigners belonging to the European Union must bring with them a personal EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), and everybody must, in any case, bring their insurance certificate. If health issues arise on the project, volunteers will have to pay for it, and will then be reimbursed once back in their home country.
ℹ️ Additional information
Bring work clothes, walking boots and a backpack. Bring warm clothes for outdoor evenings and a sleeping bag. You can also bring recipes from your home country, musical instruments and games. You will get around Saint-Germain-Lembron by foot, car and from time to time by minibus
Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.
Sign in to apply📷 Project photos
A NEW COAT FOR THE DOVECOTE
A NEW COAT FOR THE DOVECOTE
A NEW COAT FOR THE DOVECOTE
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📅 Available sessions
CONCF-6307
04/08/2023 → 25/08/2023
Volunteers registered
0 / 13
♂ 0/6
♀ 0/7
ℹ️ Key information
Age required
18–99 years old
Solidarity donation
0.00
French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).
📍 Location
63340 Saint-Germain-Lembron, France
France
🌍 Location info
Local currency
Euro Member Countries (EUR / €)
Timezone
Central European Standard Time
Local time: 21:36 (12/11/2026)
🛡️ Before you leave
✅ Features
🏠 Accommodation
Collective
🗣️ Languages spoken
English
French