📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The small town of Saint-Maximin, nestled at the heart of the stone quarries of the South of Oise, has an uncommon cultural heritage (troglodyte houses, old open-air quarries, mushroom beds, etc.) that it promotes in its museum "La Maison de la Pierre".
Today, there are still five stone quarries in use in Saint-Maximin. The stone extracted from them is mainly used for the restoration of historical monuments (Paris City Hall or the Arc de Triomphe). The quarries of Saint-Maximin also provide the clay used for the tennis courts of Roland-Garros. An initiation to stone cutting is planned during your stay!
💼 What the programme involves
Come discover and take care of a pedagogical garden in the heart of a village with an extraordinary heritage!
After the success of the previous workcamps, the work continues in the city of Saint-Maximin. At the heart of the village, there is an open stone quarry which today houses an educational garden, called the "Jardin de la Tranchée", that exists mainly thanks to the work that previous groups of volunteers have done during several past workcamps.
In the continuity of the work that has been done for the past years, we will keep cleaning and taking off the remaining weeds, grasses and tree shafts from the rest of the stone quarry. We will also set up arrangements to welcome walkers and inhabitants (marking of paths, benches, …).
A nature coordinator working with the city will accompany the group in our different works undertaken.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Your accommodation will be located in the garden of the "Maison pour Tous Nelson-Mandela", a bourgeois-style house from the end of the 19th century, which hosts the communal music workshops, exhibitions as well as cultural and leisure associations.
The group will have access to the kitchen of this house. You will sleep under individual tents. Large tents will be installed for the collective life. The infrastructures of the municipal stadium (300 metres away) will offer access to showers with a separation between girls and boys. You will share the various collective chores and prepare meals together, prioritising local products from the market.
📍 About the location
Saint-Maximin (3 000 inhabitants) is located in the department of Oise, 70km from Paris. The region has a rich historical heritage that you can discover nearby: The Chantilly Castle, the Compiegne Imperial Palace or the Pierrefonds Castle. Each year, in addition to outings, leisure activities are scheduled (St Leu d'Esserent water sports centre, swimming pool...).
Activities are planned with the youth service of the town to include you in the activities planned during the summer like the July 14th celebrations and meetings with the local population.
⚠️ Requirements
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
Remember to bring work clothes for the work site as well as tight shoes. As the accommodation is under tents, remember to bring your sleeping bag as well as a floor mat or a camping mattress for more comfort.
Don't forget your bathing suit in case you are going to swim in the pool or at the St Leu d'Esserent water sports centre. You can also bring back specialities from your country, photos, musical instruments, in general what you like and want to share on this workcamp, either with the local population or with the group!
On the last day (31/07), the departure time is usually set in the morning.