Back to top

Dear Friends.

Well, here we are in 2012, it is time for real change!

I have been clarifying the stages of Eco Chateau in my mind and heart as well as implementing some important practical steps.  We had a few people join us here for the last minute meeting in October and I postponed the December meeting so that we could have a larger group in the new year.
  We are now very pleased to announce that we have some exciting new developments to share with you….

 1.     CO HOUSING UPDATE

NEW JOINING OPTIONS making it possible for anyone to join


Following a great deal of research and planning arising from the many expressions of interest and visits we have had, we are now able to offer membership on the following basis:

                purchase a share outright

                           OR

                purchase a share ‘in kind’ with equipment/materials/work

Those who join ‘in kind’ will form part of the community building & agriculture team - they

will be able to earn a living from the start and the joining cost can be spread out over a

comfortable period of time. 

PLEASE NOTE:  We will be able to offer 'in kind' joining agreements up to a maximum of 5 families in

the initial stage. 

 NEW!  Where can you build your home during the founding stage?

I do not yet have the change of use for the land for the wider proposed building areas.  (The original date for this permission was May of this year but French administration is such that it could take some months longer, we hope no longer than the end of the summre.)  So I am inviting the first members to join, if they wish, with a view to building their houses in the field behind the chateau (which is already in our ‘constructible zone’). Later, there will be the opportunity, if you so choose, to sell existing homes and build in other areas of the property as desired.  Watch this video to see the proposed building area which is featured at the start of the video. There is a barn which will create 140 square metres of beautiful space and can be divided to make two homes if required.  Further homes will be added to extend this building and might form a further 3 homes in a terrace style each with their own gardens and direct access to the pool area.

This is the field where we will build the first homes - to the right of the camera.

This is the barn for conversion...

The view facing south over the forest from the barn and adjacent land.....

The barn with internal space of 140 sq.m. enabling it to make two very nice 70 sq.m. homes or one large home. It is south facing with beautiful views.  We would extend it on the left to make a small terrace with further homes. This construction would lend itself well to strawbale with timber frame. 

2.  NEW!  CO-HOUSING JOINING MEETINGS  27th February & 27th April, 2012

CLICK HERE to BOOK

Right now, I am inviting all those who are seriously considering joining to come to either one of these meetings.  If you feel you are committed to the vision of creating this community and would like to form part of the core committee to help steer and guide the start up process, then please attend, ideally in person or, as a last resort, via Skype conference that we will set up.  Some of you, if possible, would be able to join before the summer and you may live here, at least part time, in order to work with me on the many practical aspects of what we have to do.

Further details…

At these meetings, we will be looking at the options for joining, and the configuration of the community in legal terms as well as operationally.  There will be the opportunity to discuss the key elements which are necessary for a community to function smoothly as well as the calendar for its development.  Those who would like to make the decision to join will be able to submit a formal application(which should be approved quite quickly).   

The emphasis will be on practical aspects as well as sharing ideas and having fun.  We should also get out and do some physical activities and there will be plenty of preparation to do in the garden!  Please bring your spades/forks and any other useful tools you can carry.

Regarding the cost of staying at the chateau:

Please let me know what arrangement you can afford.  We are hoping to have a yurt or two by then so we may be able to offer cheap accommodation there, dormitory style – we will know about this soon so please check if you are interested in this option.  Regarding food, we will buy and cook communally.

List of participants confirmed as of today for the Eco Chateau 27th February meeting:


Janet Tolan (co-housing – able to contribute teaching & management skills & funds)


Minaxi Panchal (co-housing - able to contribute legal, management & administrative skills & funds)


Benjamin Frankly (volunteer – able to contribute web & marketing skills, goat keeping, milking & cheesemaking & funds)


Eric Fastre (volunteer – able to contribute yurts, practical DIY skills...has too many skills to list e.g. Entrepreneur, business, marketing etc etc)


Luke Noyce (co-housing interest – able to contribute plumbing, poetry, DIY, eco-building and more!)

Getting Here:

The travel date from the UK for the first meeting is Monday 27th February and there will most likely be lift shares to the chateau.  If you would like to fly, please see all the options on my Chateau Adventure website (http://www.chateau-adventure.com/gettingthere.htm), then you can either hire a car or catch the train to Brive la Gaillarde where you can catch the local bus to St Privat from the train station or hire a car from Brive.  The minimum stay is 3 nights but some people will be staying for 2 weeks or longer – you may stay as long as you wish (depending on the outcome, forever, in fact! Ha ha!).

Contact Us:

Please email as soon as possible to book a place at one of the meetings.   Click here to download the Co-housing Expression of Interest Form if you have not already completed one. 

Back to top

 3. NEW!   VOLUNTEERING from March. (updated 1st February)


We are looking for a few great volunteers from the end of February to June.  We are inviting:

• a gardener to start planting food
• DIY-skilled person to do general maintenance and repairs around the place 
• Other practical people e.g. administration, management, marketing, IT 

We are planning to offer free basic accommodation to some volunteers (as many as we can afford) in exchange for 5 hours work a day (pay for your own food).  Or you may pay for your accommodation at volunteer rates and work 3 hours per day.  We are really looking forward to hearing from you!  Further information and the volunteer form is on this page.

 

Back to top