Bienvenue a (the South of) France!
For those of you interested in wandering through old Europe, look no further than La Sabranenque. Situated in Saint Victor la Coste, one of the most beautiful towns in Southern France, volunteer guests have the opportunity to soak up the local culture while participating in the region's preservation.
The Mediterranean architecture in Saint Victor la Coste, and the Provence region, is evocative of centuries past: hilltop ruins, streets of stonework, fields and pasturing inviting you for a long ramble. However, the architecture is slowly crumbling into ruins - and as the techniques to build it have long been extinct, new technology is impossible. The only way to preserve and restore the buildings is by doing it the old-fashioned way; by hand.
La Sabranenque offers several opportunities from spring through early fall to take part in the rebuilding, mostly through stone masonry skills learned on the job. What is perfect is that there is a definite chance to see your own contributions, instant gratification for us Americans! Volunteers spend the morning chipping at old stonework, with free afternoons to amble the villages nearby. In each summer session, a free afternoon trip is included.
In May and October, they offer specialized one week programs called "Volunteer and Visit" and "Volunteer and Hike." In the Visit program, you spend every other afternoon off in the South of France, from Orange to Avignon. The Hike program lauds the nearby villages and mountains through "leisurely walks." Quite honestly, I am not sure why they use "Hike" and "leisurely walks" to mean the same thing, so I cannot tell you whether you will be surprised negatively or not!
Most Important Info!! All meals are provided by the La Sabranenque chef with fresh produce from the South of France, while you sleep in delightful old school stone cottages. Pricing on the site is not included, but as of 2005 it was $690 for a two week session --- did I repeat that everything is included? All meals and housing...combine inflation and the dismal economy with the right deals this would hardly cost more than a grand. Bon voyage!
*Note: photos are from my own trip to the Provence region, although not from Saint Victor la Coste
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