Large, private, quiet house in the French Countryside

About this assignment

I love people and can get along with all walks of life. My husband and I speak several languages so you don't even have to be a native English speaker. You just need a love of cats and a sense of responsibility for other's property. We live in a very rural area so a car is necessary. There is no nearby public transport here and it's 7 km to the village with a small supermarket, bakeries, etc. There are nice things to see and do within driving distance. We are usually flexible on dates. We don't book accommodation until we have a house sitter. Currently we are looking for someone for a few weeks so we can have a get-away in mid or late April, but dates are flexible. We will do our best to accommodate your schedule.

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

Loving and feeding our 6 cats, one of which needs daily insulin shots. Don't be put off by this, it's very easy to do and the cat is very gentle and easy to handle. Being that 3 are older cats, they need to be watched to make sure they are eating enough each day and to see if any of their habits change and if they need to go to the veterinarian. Currently all of their blood tests are very good. Also feeding and letting our 3 chickens in and out each day and keeping an eye on them with regard to predators, general tidying when you leave. In general, our house sitting needs are ongoing and we are flexible on dates. Drop us a line if you happen to be passing through for a few days. We can often take a break spontaneously.

What are the good features of the property and location

We have a large house with a guest bedroom and an office and a pool table on over 8000 sq. meters of land. It is centrally heated and has character and charm, but nothing fancy, it's rustic and simple. We have a 2-person jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. We have satellite and thus English-language television with all the UK Freesat channels, Sky, Eurosport, etc. and radio stations. We also have other channels from Australia and Western and Central Europe, such as the Netherlands, Germany, Italy etc. We also have a washer and dryer, so you're not dependent on the weather if you want to do your laundry, and we have a dishwasher which I actually couldn't be without! We have fiber optics, so high-speed internet. Far from neighbors and city life, it's the perfect, quiet escape while still having things to do within driving distance. There's loads of walking trails and quiet roads to bike on if you enjoy that. And I'll make you dinner, I'm quite a good cook ;)

What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment

We have some flexibility on dates, we won't book accommodation until we are certain we have a house sitter. If you promise to be here, please don't cancel because accommodations and flights are expensive and we will lose money if we can't go. Some previous house sitters that were here stayed for one night and then left in the morning and abandoned our animals and house and we had to turn around and come right back home. It was stressful and we lost a lot of money. No smoking inside the house please, but outside is fine. The nearest airport is Limoges which is 90 minutes away so also please keep that in mind with regards to getting here. Driving is probably the best option, or renting a car at the airport if you need to fly. If there's a medical emergency with the cats you need to have a car to get them to the vet quickly. But currently all of them are in stable health. We cannot lend you our car because you will not be covered by our insurance. Please do not write to us if you charge for services.

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

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