Winter petsit in the beautiful Cévennes national Park

About this assignment

We are a retired couple with a country house in a small village in the Cévennes mountains near Florac, a beautiful tourist area and my home village in the south of France. Wayne is from New-Zealand. We lived in London for about 30 years and have a son and daughter. We need house/pet sitter/s for our cat and 3 hens from about 17th December till about 5th January 2025. We have used house sitters for many years, in most cases delightful people whom we have kept in touch with over the years, and have become house sitters ourselves.
We only have one guest bedroom with a double bed, so this housesit is for a "solo" sitter or a couple. We cannot accommodate families (and our pets are terrified of children).

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

Pets : Sensible people and experienced sitters know that house/pet sits are not just feeding the cat (a machine can do that) but also caring for their health, comfort and safety.
Our cat Jules may need extra feed and some love and attention. He needs to be left in or out regularly. Occasionnally, he is on chemotherapy (a pill every other day) for a nose tumour.

The 3 hens are pets, not farm products. Their food and water distributors, laying nest and litter need daily checking, cleaning or topping up, eggs collected. This only takes a few minutes a day, morning or afternoon. They are very vulnerable to predators and their safety (and occasionally rescuing) from foxes, dogs, weasels, birds of prey etc is essential. Gates and fences should be checked and secured. The pet sitter should be fit enough and prepared to deal with emergencies, handle them if necessary (for example catch them or leading them back if they stray in the neighbourhood).
Pet injuries from passing cars are unlikely in this quiet hamlet.
The local vet is only 10 minutes away and we would pay the bill when we come back. Pet care only requires about half an hour twice a day at most.
House sitting : keeping the house clean and tidy, with some basic maintenance. The daily routine is fairly simple and house sitters have plenty of time to do their own things. Our Welcome Guide details all the routine and is available beforehand on request. We do expect our sitters to read it carefully and ask any questions as needed.

Garden and potager: In summer, watering will be necessary almost every day unless it rains. In winter, indoors (orchids) or hibernating plants (lemon trees) will need watering once a week. From April to late October, the grass needs cutting about every 2 weeks with the strimmer or lawnmower.
Some more gardening will be greatly appreciated if the house sitter enjoys gardening.
We prefer the house sitters to have their own car for sightseeing, shopping, airport drives, possible visits to vet etc. We want our house sitters to enjoy visiting our beautiful area, so a couple of days absence for a short sightseeing tour can be arranged by previous agreement.
We would appreciate it if the housesitter can drive us to or from the airport (2 hours each way, petrol paid).

What are the good features of the property and location

Our house is a modernised 17th c Cévenole farmhouse with a flower garden and a vegetable garden. There are beautiful views over the nearby mountains. The house is furnished with family furniture and souvenirs, and equipped with all the basic facilities (including central heating, dishwasher, reliable broadband Internet, free reliable WIFI etc.) : kitchen area/dining room, TV/DVD, office, 2 bathrooms, utility room.
This would be a wonderful opportunity for someone wishing to visit this superb and little known part of France. We are in the Parc National des Cévennes, now a Unesco World Heritage site, and there are beautiful walks from our front door. The daily routine is not very demanding and gives our sitter/s plenty of time to visit the area.

This is a tourist area, full of life in summer though many shops/restaurants/hotels are closed in winter. The life style, our rugged lanes and terrain will suit nature lovers who are fit and active. Lozère is a paradise for sports lovers. We ourselves enjoy swimming every day in the nearby River (Tarnon) from June to September.
If our sitters wish to take part in the local activities, we will introduce them to the right people and friends and neighbours.
The ability to speak French would be helpful, but is not essential.

The pretty town of Florac, headquarter of the Cévennes National Park, is 5 km from our hamlet of Le Mazel with supermarkets and many shops. Fresh eggs, seasonal salads, fruit and vegetables from our garden would usually be available to our sitter/s.
The local food is excellent, with some influence from the Auvergne in the north, and Provence and Spain in the south.
Our neighbours are very friendly and helpful. The weather is usually rather dry.

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

Do you like cats and chickens and have some experience of looking after them ?
Do you have a car ?
Do you enjoy rural life and outdoors activities in a quiet hamlet, and are reasonably fit and active ?
A bit of French speaking is optional but a plus.
Gardening skills would also be a plus.

Can I bring my own pets?

No, sorry.

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