Christmas Volunteering in

France at La Giraudière

Christmas volunteering at La Giraudiere is possible this year. Yes the La Giraudiere association “Les Amis de La Giraudiere” is going to put together a Christmas full of festivities and Christmas Tradition in Brossac which will provide forteen days of festive fun.

This weekend there is a meeting at La Giraudiere of the officers and members of the association and on the table are the following proposals.

A “Marche de noel” or Christmas Market where artists, crafts persons, antiqitaires and Christmas related trades people can display their wares. There will also be a pere noel, yes a Father Christmas. Hot mince pies and vin chaud, hot spicy wine, will also be provided. Suggestions about who should be the pere noel are allready arriving and top canidate is Arnaud.

An International Christmas evening with a local choir visiting and providing traditional Christmas carols and songs from around the world “I am dreaming of a white Christmas” is bound to be on the list and what about silent night well it is endless I cannot wait.

Christmas day at La Giraudiere with a traditional English and or a French Christmas dinner and other events are planned including around the globe visit via skype to pass Christmas greetings to the international friends and volunteers of La Giraudiere. The principle idea is that no one in Brossac should pass Christmas alone as all will be invited.

Lastly and by no means least if our energy can last the festive season will finish with a new years dinner party for all those involved and volunteered their services.

There will be a link published upon the website to the pages which will explain more about the program and how you can help for the moment I will provide the main page link at Christmas volunteering in France

Christmas volunteering in France could be the perfect start to a

happier and healthier new year.

Volunteers Autumn foire

The weekends at La Giraudiere start from Friday to Monday so four days for the volunteers to explore the region and become immersed in the rich culture in France.

This weekend Cordula and Fredrick from Germany were out and about with Fredrick’s father and Brother who had come to stay the weekend on a visit. The remaining group consisting of Elaine from the UK, Julie from Australia, Jim and Peggy both from USA remained at La Giraudiere and were quick to take up Paul’s offer to visit Aubeterre, a plus belle village de la France, plus a surprise visit to an Autumn Foire.

For the La Giraudians Volunteers Autumn foire at Rioux-Martin is a must, no matter what time of year you visit La Giraudière, there is likely to be a fête in one of the nearby villages. French villagers certainly like to party, and they make visitors really welcome to these events too. Sunday 6th October dawned very hot and sunny, but here in the Charente region autumn was being celebrated in the attractive and very well tended village of Rioux-Martin.

Volunteers soup in France There were stalls galore, of bric-a-brac, colorful plants, local crafts, local wine and honey, plus a café bar area where locals were catching up on each others’ news or just enjoying the beautiful sunshine. The mayor of Brossac was there, (though not on duty!) and Paul introduced us all.

We all decided to stay for the Lunch and we met some friends of Paul Jean-Mitchell from the petanque club in Brossac and his partner plus some other friends who live in nearby market town of Chalais. We all sat down together for lunch and this was a good time for us to practice our French and immerse in the ambiance of the occasion.

A hard-working team prepared a five course lunch (a bargain at 11 euros) and about180 people sat down to a rational French communal lunch.

The first course was pumpkin soup or known as soupe au potiron in French this was followed by more soup for those who wanted and of course there was bread w, water and red wine. The main course was honey coated hog roast with white French beans, the name of which slips me for the moment, but again there was a second helping for those that could manage it. Then came the cheese and salad followed by the dessert a wonderful apple pie.

After a superb lunch Paul and Julie went to watch Brossac village football team whilst the rest of us went back to LG for a well deserved siesta

local folk dancers

Fete des Vendanges

Every year, in September and October, French wine producers (les viticulteurs) harvest the grapes that will be made into wine – and this harvest is known as le vendage. Its timing depends on many factors such as where the vineyard is, the type of grape being grown, and the nature of the wine to be made,  plus of course the weather conditions that year, so the Charente region’s 2013 vendanges are several weeks later than usual due to this year’s climate.

Some grape harvests are now done by machine, but others still use teams of seasonal workers picking by hand (vendange à la main). Human pickers can beat the machines by being gentler with the vines and by only picking healthy grapes and on steep hillsides humans have a definite advantage over machines ! These workers have to be strong, able to travel between the various vineyards, and willing to work between eight and fourteen hours a day. When conditions are right, the grapes must be picked !

This year we didn’t do that much grape-picking, thankfully, but instead we went to a Fête des Vendanges in Archiac which showed us all about the process. What did our group think ? “informative and great fun !”   “An excellent introduction for those unfamiliar with the process.”

The day was a brilliant mix of demonstrations, eating, drinking, entertainment, folk dancing and singing, plus a display on Cognac and barrel-making. As Peggy, an American volunteer, said, “A great experience of local culture ! ”

Normally, each year the volunteers from La Giraudiere are invited to help the local viticulteurs with their vendage unfortunatley because the harvest is so late it is an expirience that will be missed so the Fete at Archiac help replace it some what.

Another Wonderful Weekend for the Volunteer Group at La Giraudiere

The Autumn Volunteer Group at Karyssa’s birthday dinner

Our Autumn Volunteer Group spent another lovely (albeit rainy) weekend here in Charente.  Our weekend festivities began last Thursday afternoon, which just so happened to be my 23^rdbirthday.  And what a great place to spend a birthday!  During our lunch break my fellow volunteers surprised me with a homemade cake, card, and wildflower bouquet.  Later that night, Peggy made a delicious enchilada dinner, Dan provided some excellent wine, and Paul was ready with a box of chocolates.  We enjoyed a nice, cozy evening of sitting around the kitchen table, sharing pictures and stories about each of our homes.  That’s been one of the highlights of my time here at La Giraudiere: getting to know people from all over the world.  It’s been interesting to compare differences between our cultures, but also to discover how just how much we all have in common.

Cheese plate at Poirier Gaston

                On Friday we wanted to have one last big volunteer group outing before Dan and Grace departed over the weekend.  So we choose to return to our favorite local restaurant, Restaurant Poirier Gaston. The five course meal was just as delicious (and long) as we remembered. That afternoon, the guys went off to the afternoon game of pétanque.  It was quite the momentous occasion, as it was Steven’s first time and Dan’s last time playing pétanque here in Brossac.  Friday night was quite eventful: we were invited to a surprise birthday party/welcome home party for a young French woman who recently returned from doing humanitarian work

Betty’s surprise birthday party

in Cameroon.  The soirée was held in the Salle des Fetes of the nearby village of Passirac (every village has some kind of Salle des Fetes, basically a public hall that residents of the town can rent out for a big party or event).  There was a big crowd there, made up of people of all different ages.  We successfully surprised Betty, the birthday girl, and then the party got started.  Plates were loaded with food, glasses were filled to the brim with drinks, and (most importantly)…a disco ball was found and installed.  LG was well represented on the dance floor. We showed off all kinds of great dance moves while the French mostly looked on politely.   It was a late night (later for some of us than others) and we all had a delightful time.  I was amazed yet again at how the local community welcoming and inclusive the local community is.

                Saturday morning we were forced to say farewell to Dan, our New

Steven at the monolithic church in Aubterre

Zealander.  Dan is just about the most gentleman-ly man you could ever hope to meet, and we were all very sad to see him go.  When Paul dropped Dan off at the train station he also dropped  Peggy and Jimi off at Chalais to spend a few hours running errands in town. They decided to attempt an impressive 14 km trek on foot all the way back.  Their journey took about four hours but led them past some really beautiful countryside.  In the afternoon, Katie was kind enough to drive several of us to Aubterre.  We found a restaurant and enjoyed a very French (a.k.a. long) meal of steak frites.  After lunch, Steven, Katie, and Liat explored the town, checking out the subterranean church (and taking plenty of pictures along the way).  Grace and I, already having done an Aubterre trip the week before, enjoyed a cup of coffee and a pleasant chat in the lovely main square of the town. That evening was a bit chilly and rainy so we had a group movie night and watched The Bucket List.

                We had to say another sad goodbye on Sunday morning, this time to Grace, who decided to spend a few days on the western coast of France before returning to her native Ireland.  Her enthusiasm, optimism, and kindness will be missed!  Afterwards a group of us set off to Barbezieux to attend a brocante.  There is truly an art to French flea markets.  Row after row of tables are laid out with wares, ranging from complete junk to genuine antiques.  Toys, vases, paintings, books, records, utensils, glasses, knick knacks, purses, chairs, scarves, dolls, tools, farm equipment, postcards, and pretty much anything else you could think.  After a half an hour of wandering, everything started to look awfully

Fête de Patrimoine in Berneuil

similar.  There were also several food stands there, including a giant pastry cart selling croissants, tarts, and meringues as big as your head.  (I choose to indulge in my first crepe since I’ve been in France.  Probably the best 2 Euros I’ve spent so far). That afternoon, Cordula went on an organized “bee walk” through some nearby woods.  Although the cold weather kept most of the bees away, she did get to see some great scenery and interesting natural finds.  Steven and Paul attended a “Fête de Patrimoine”in Berneuil, which was a big celebration of the heritage of the village. Similar festivities, aimed at promoting the

Niko cooking a delicious meal

cultural legacy of each region, take place all throughout France.  People dressed in traditional garb demonstrated games, daily activities such as washing, and art that hearken back to the village’s past.  Liat and I, meanwhile, ventured off to Les Antilles de Jonzac, an aquatic center in Charente-Maritime.  There was a large heated indoor pool and sauna, which proved to be a very relaxing way to spend the day.  That night, we had a fantastic dinner back at La Giraudiére with the whole volunteer group as well as several of our French friends: Niko, Aymeric, Arnaud, Johnny, and Elvis.  Niko and Aymeric kindly offered to be the chefs for the night and cooked pasta carbonara for all 14 of us.

                Monday was market day, so it was off to Chalais for the village market and to do the grocery shopping for the week.  Cordula ventured into a British teashop and discovered a French conversation group at a local   for French learners to get together and practice.  She’s looking forward to the opportunity to improve her French.  The rest of us had a mostly quiet day at home, finished off by stew and cornbread, courtesy of Katie.

Cheese vendor at the Chalais market

            It was truly a great weekend…and, unfortunately, my last weekend here in Brossac!  I’m leaving this Friday, and I’m already getting a little depressed at the thought of saying goodbye.  The past five weeks have gone by much faster than I expected.  I couldn’t imagine a better French experience spent with nicer people.  La Giraudiere has a very special kind of magic, and I’m so glad I got to be a part of it for awhile!

Summer comes to an end and the Autumn Volunteer Group arrives at La Giraudiere

           Over the past two weeks, new arrivals have been steadily showing up at La Giraudiere.  Now every room in the house is occupied and the Autumn Volunteer Group is all present and accounted for!  The newest members of the team are:

• Katie, my fellow American, who is also from my hometown of Denver, Colorado. She arrived  a week and a half ago, eager to see the sites and get to work.

• Cordula and Frederich, a mother and son from Berlin, Germany.  Cordula is here to volunteer and Frederich is attending a local school.
• Liat, an American from San Jose, California.  Liat is a French tutor and her excellent French skills have already come in handy.
• Peggy and Jim, also originally from Northern California but now full-time world travelers.  The couple recently spent several months in Costa Rica and they are now beginning a European adventure.
• Steve, from Sydney, Australia.  He arrived yesterday afternoon and immediately jumped into action, helping out with dinner preparations.

We’ve all stayed very busy the past two weeks, both working and playing!  The main project at the moment is getting the walls of the main entryway and dining room of the old house finished.  Grace, Cordula, and I put all our energy into sanding, plastering, and painting the walls of the future dining room.  The room is now bright and shiny. Dan demonstrated a great deal of care in the restoration and painting of several doorways.  Katie spent last week in the yard and is now our gardening expert.  Last Thursday we decided to take advantage of the warm weather and have a group gardening session.  We lopped branches, pulled weeds, mowed grass, piled branches, and trimmed vines…Now the back garden looks very civilized!  This week the gang is working on the main entry hall of the house.  In addition, Peggy has graciously agreed to be our “house mum” and has started taking over the cleaning and cooking duties.

Aubterre, a lovely little village

During our time off we’ve found plenty of activities to keep us occupied!  The weekend before last we visited Aubterre, a village that has been officially listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France for the past ten .years–and for good reason!  The whole town had a Mediterranean kind of charm; it’s laid out on a hill, crossed with winding footpaths that lead past red-roofed houses and gardens full of colorful flowers.  Everywhere you look there are beautiful views of the rolling green hills of the surrounding countryside.  During our time in Aubterre we visited Eglise St. Jean, a breathtaking subterranean church constructed in the 11th century.  Later that day we also experienced an absolutely heavenly meal at Poirier Gaston, a restuarant in the local village of Bardenac.  The restaurant is only open for lunch and is a favorite meal spot for local workers.  Lunch lasted for about two and a half hours,  during which we ate soup, bread, salad, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, turkey with vegetables, a cheese platter, wine, and dessert and coffee to top it off.  All for only 13 Euros!

Dan and Grace at Restaurant Poirier

            Last weekend we each had our own mini-adventures.  Katie and Grace went off to the Dordogne for three days, where they stayed in a centuries-old house and enjoyed the gorgeous views alongside the river.  Peggy, Jim, and Dan went with Paul to watch the Brossac football team play.  They also visited a brocante (flea market) in the local village of St. Quentin, where they perused the secondhand goods.  Cordula and Frederich spent some time cycling and exploring the area.  Cordula has become our resident botanist, researching the local fruits, flowers, trees, and incorporating wild herbs and berries into our meals here.  Liat and I spent some time practicing our French by hanging out with the local youths, including swimming at the lake, going to a BBQ (which, after spending three weeks here, I’ve learned is a weekend tradition during the summer), and attending a small birthday get-together for one of the local lads.  On Sunday evening a big group of us went out to weekly dinner at St . Berndard’s, the local restaurant in Brossac.  We were joined by some of our French friends and ended up with a bilingual English/French table (which resulted, as always, in lots of hilarious attempts to translate conversations back and forth).  Overall it’s been a wonderful last few weeks of summer and we are ready to see what the fall brings to Charente!