📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Grez-en-Bouère is a commune of about 1000 inhabitants where you can discover local heritage such as the countryside, castles, manors, remarkable gardens... The commune has a magnificent cavier mill which takes its name from the cellar on which it is built. This type of mill, which appeared in the 12th century, is the last existing in Mayenne. The superb wooden wings sometimes get started again for visitors’ entertainment. This mill was still in use until 1900 and was classified as a historical monument in 1984.
This first project of cooperation with Grez-en-Bouère will allow you to learn more about different masonry techniques, in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere. You will also have enough time for group activities to discover the richness of the village through hikes, walks and local activities, and to appreciate the sympathy of its inhabitants. Indeed, they are very involved in this project and are looking forward to seeing you because they are always happy to interact with new people from different cultural backgrounds.
💼 What the programme involves
You will take part in the restoration of cemetery wall, and will learn traditional techniques of masonry: masonry work, repairing the joints of the bricks by using traditional techniques (e.g. lime mortar).
🏠 Accommodation on site
Let’s go on an adventure! You are going to sleep under tents, by 2 or 3 (bring your mattress and your sleeping bag), in a field with toilets and bathroom in a local football club building. The cooking and living spaces will be in a building where meals will be taken. 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 dishes with good products from the market and local producers.
📍 About the location
Grez-en-Bouère is located in the South-Est of Mayenne Department, 30 km South-Est from Laval and 15km West from Sablé-sur-Sarthe.
Meetings with the inhabitants will be organised, in particular through the organisation of an international dinner and various activities.
For more information about Grez-en-Bouère : http://www.grez-en-bouere.fr/
About neighboring heritage: http://paysmeslaygrez.fr/LE-PAYS-DE-MESLAY-GREZ/Decouvrir-le-Pays-de-Meslay-Grez/Visites-et-patrimoine
⚠️ Requirements
Workcamp on the country side. Please bring gardening gloves, good shoes and working clothes. As nights can be quite cold, remember also to bring warm clothes. Don’t forget to bring a sleeping-mat, a warm sleeping bag (and a tent if you have your own!).
Don’t hesitate to bring specialities from your home country such as photos, games, music instruments, etc.
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 happen on the project, volunteers will have to pay for it, and then be reimbursed once back in their home country.