The right way to Turn out to be a Home-sitter in France

On this article, I’ll be outlining the perfect methods to develop into a house-sitter in France. Alongside my husband, Rob, I’ve been touring the world constantly for 2 years. I frequently use home and pet-sitting websites to boost our experiences and maintain our lodging prices down.

There are a number of glorious web sites out there for home and pet-sitting. Figuring out the perfect ones and find out how to use them effectively will assist you safe house-sitting jobs in France and the remainder of the world. I’ll be outlining all my experiences, good and dangerous, on this article.

I’ve accomplished over thirty housesits; starting from taking care of a small ranch in Tucson, Arizona, to caring for beach-loving canines in Santa Theresa, Costa Rica. I house-sat and pet-sat three totally different instances in France over 2 and a half months. This included taking care of 2 lovable canines, 2 cute cats, and a menagerie of birds, simply outdoors of Toulouse, France.

Since I began home and pet-sitting, I’ve not solely obtained free lodging worldwide, however I’ve discovered quite a bit and have some good tricks to cross on. Home sitting is a good way to fulfill new folks and uncover totally different elements of a rustic that you simply won’t in any other case get to see. Let’s get began.

The right way to Turn out to be a Home Sitter in France

There are a number of nice web sites out there for any burgeoning home and pet sitters. Discovering the appropriate one for you is the primary necessary step to take. Completely different websites have totally different professionals and cons, so learn on to search out out extra.

1. Trusted Housesitters

Trustedhousesitters.com is my go-to web site and the one I’ve used greater than another. Their app and website-based platforms are simple to make use of and there’s all the time a ton of listings out there. I simply checked, and presently, there are 6,530 listings accepting purposes for housesits around the globe…a lot of that are luxurious home sitting gigs.

My favourite facet of Trusted Housesitters is the power to avoid wasting your searches. For instance, once I was in search of choices in France, I set my dates, my location (nation or metropolis/space), and different search standards. Should you don’t get any hits instantly, it can save you a search and be alerted when one matches the invoice.

Fundamental yearly membership begins at $95 and permits for limitless purposes and housesits. Larger-tier memberships embrace totally different advantages corresponding to insurance coverage, vet chats, premium customer support, and a search and alert perform. The highest membership is $190 a 12 months. Goats On The Highway readers obtain 20% off utilizing this hyperlink and promo code GOATS20.

2. Home Carers

Housecarers.com is an easy-to-use website-only home and pet-sitting web site. Though the variety of listings can’t compete with Trusted Housesitters, it’s a nice thought to maintain your choices open and to construct your profile. Most individuals itemizing their property solely use one web site, so the appropriate posting for you possibly can be ready on one other platform.

Housecarers.com doesn’t but have an app facility, so you must head to the webpage to maintain up to the mark. Members obtain e mail notifications and alerts for attainable housesits and when speaking with a number. The performance of the searches is nice and could be well-tailored to go well with varied preferences, areas, dates, pets, and so on.

Housecarers.com is an inexpensive introduction to the world of housesitting. They’ve a free membership that lets you peruse all their listings in full. To use, you’ll must develop into a fully-fledged paying member which at round $50/12 months is a superb deal.

Should you’re considering of turning into a house-sitter in France, Housecarers.com could be a great place to begin to get a really feel of what a housesitting web site presents and the way it all works.

☞ SEE ALSO: The right way to Put together For Your Home and Pet Sitting Job

3. Workaway

Workaway.data is probably higher often known as a volunteer/cultural alternate web site than it’s for housesitting, nevertheless it shouldn’t be ignored. I’ve used it to search out placements all around the world the place meals and lodging are exchanged for 4-5 hours of labor a day. Nonetheless, it has since develop into a useful device of mine for home and pet sitting.

One in every of their predominant search choices is house-sitting and at a fast look, there are over 500 listings in search of sitters around the globe, together with many individuals in search of a house-sitter in France. Their web site and app are simple to make use of, listings are all the time properly offered with loads of particulars, and communication with hosts is often fairly environment friendly.

Membership prices round $50/12 months or $30pp/12 months when a pair indicators up with a joint membership. I’ve made some terrific connections, long-term buddies, and world contacts through Workaway. I extremely suggest it as a string to your house-sitting bow. See Additionally:

4. Thoughts My Home

Mindmyhouse.com is among the longest-serving on-line platforms for house-sitting. It started in 2005 and has a terrific open ethos that advantages everybody concerned. They’re additionally one of many least expensive round at simply $29/12 months.

I really like Thoughts My Home for the close-knit really feel of the corporate. In case you have a problem, you’ll seemingly converse on to one of many homeowners of the corporate. They play an energetic position within the day-to-day. The ‘About Our Members’ part of their web site is a superb function. It reveals what number of hosts and sitters are presently energetic and the place they’re. Proper now, customers are at round 12,500 folks.

In my view, Thoughts My Home would possibly simply be the appropriate choice to get you began in case you’re missing somewhat confidence in embarking on your home and pet-sitting profession in France.

5. Nomador

Nomador.com is a superb web site in case you’re trying to develop into a pet sitter or home sitter in France. Though they do have listings around the globe, there are a ton in Europe. Their web site is similar to Trusted Housesitters, priced equally, and equally as simple to make use of.

An excellent membership possibility with Nomador is their 3-month short-term fundamental package deal. It permits new customers to dip their toes in and see if the housesitting sport is for them. Added advantages corresponding to insurance coverage, premium customer support, and early entry to new listings include greater membership costs. The highest-end package deal is round $190/12 months.

Regardless of not having an app, Nomador is a superb possibility for newcomers to accommodate and pet sitting. See Additionally: Inquiries to Ask a Residence and Pet Proprietor Earlier than Accepting a Job

Private Expertise Housesitting in France

My husband and I pet-sat in France for simply over two months. It was wonderful! Even in mid-November, it’s heat sufficient to drink a beer outdoors within the south of the nation. Whether or not you’re in a small city out within the countryside or one of many huge cities, it’s such a lovely vacation spot with one thing for everybody.

Home-sits in France typically embrace a pet, or pets, to take care of. In rural areas, a component of gardening and watering often comes into the equation too. Simply housesitting listings (no pets) do come up, however for probably the most half, a pet or pets are sometimes all the time a part of the cut price. Every time I’ve been a house-sitter in France, the hosts have included a automobile too (extra on this later).

I sorted 2 lovely largely outside cats in Bergerac, the place my greatest activity was sustaining the swimming pool! Then I moved additional north to Limoges and took care of a pleasant little Jack Russel terrier known as Alfie. My closing cease was simply outdoors Toulouse, within the tiny however pretty village of Cologne – 2 cats, 2 canines, and let me depend… 23 birds!

☞ SEE ALSO: 15 Professionals and Cons of Home and Pet Sitting

Greatest Areas to Home Sit in France

As I’m initially from the UK, I’ve visited France many instances up to now. There are many nice areas to go to from small cities within the countryside to large cities. Listed below are just a few of my high locations to think about house-sitting in France:

1. Paris

Essentially the most iconic, and maybe the obvious, place to get pleasure from house-sitting in France is the French capital, Paris. It’s a very great metropolis filled with artwork and tradition that bubbles with life and environment — there are countless issues to see and do in Paris. World-class eating places, cool bars, and cafes that set the usual for espresso tradition worldwide are round each nook.

Home-sitting in a giant metropolis like Paris will imply extra of an city setting and the expertise can be akin to a metropolis break moderately than a rural retreat. Smaller metropolis homes and flats appear to dominate most of the listings I see on the housesitting websites for Paris. This in fact comes with the additional benefit of getting on a regular basis facilities in your doorstep.

I haven’t but been to Paris for a housesit, however have visited many instances for brief weekend breaks. It could be an incredible place to base your self as a house-sitter in France.

Location: Paris is positioned in direction of the North of France, round 2.5 hours from the coast and three hours from neighboring Belgium. Discover it right here.

2. Bergerac

My first expertise as a house-sitter in France was really in Bergerac and it’s the proper place to kick issues off. The gorgeous and historic city dates again to the Center Ages and has many well-preserved medieval buildings. It sits on the gorgeous Dordogne River and is a fashionable vacation spot for vacationers.

An excellent profit to house-sitting in Bergerac is that lots of people converse English. That is because of the quantity of British vacationers and expats that stay within the area. I ordered a spherical of drinks in my finest dangerous French, and the waitress responded in a thick London accent, “We could discuss in English as an alternative?”.

There are a great deal of cute cities located close by corresponding to Pereguex and Riberac, and Bordeaux is simply over an hour away. Good transport hyperlinks make getting out and about simple. It’s often fairly low cost too. I used BlaBlaCar a number of instances, which is a superb ride-sharing app unique to Europe and really low cost.

Location: Bergerac is positioned in direction of the southeast of France, round an hour east of Bordeaux and 6 hours south of Paris. Discover it right here on the map.

3. Toulouse

I house-sat and pet-sat simply outdoors Toulouse for a couple of month. My location was fairly a small city simply outdoors of town nevertheless it was very easy to get to central Toulouse. Fortunately, the hosts left their automobile behind to be used throughout our keep. There’s an categorical practice into Toulouse that I traveled on quite a bit, which at sure instances of the day prices round $1.

Toulouse is called ‘The Pink Metropolis’. That is because of the variety of terracotta brick buildings that give it a heat and rosy glow. The Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Website, runs by Toulouse, with many nice spots for leisurely strolls, boat rides, or just enjoyable.

Toulouse has a bustling vibe, with vigorous markets, cafes, and a thriving restaurant and nightlife scene. A visit to the Convent des Jacobins is an incredible expertise. Drinks beside the Garonne River and Pont Neuf are additionally a should. Home-sitting on this area can be supreme for anybody in search of quiet retreats on the outskirts, barely outdoors of a extra fast-paced metropolis expertise.

Location: Toulouse is positioned within the southern a part of France, round 105 miles (170 km) from the border of Andorra and 155 miles (250 km) from Spain. Paris is round 420 miles (678 km) to the north.

4. Montpellier

Montpellier was the primary metropolis I visited in France and it presents a novel expertise for anybody contemplating turning into a house-sitter in France. One in every of my favourite issues about being a short lived native isn’t just visiting however actually residing someplace. Think about waking up in a centuries-old residence with slim medieval streets simply outdoors the doorstep – that’s Montpellier!

An excellent perk of housesitting in Montpellier is indulging within the many culinary treats. Recent produce is offered every day at native markets and there are a number of excellent eating places and cafes all around the metropolis. Montpellier can also be identified for its vigorous environment due partly to it being residence to certainly one of Europe’s oldest universities.

Past town, housesitting within the Montpellier space might even embrace seashore stays alongside the Mediterranean coast or extra rural houses surrounded by the pure fantastic thing about the area. Situating your self right here would provide the freedom to discover the seashores, spend time in nature, and embrace a vibrant metropolis as a house-sitter in France.

Location: Montpellier is positioned on the Mediterranean coast within the south of France. It’s round 2.5 hours east of Toulouse, 3.5 hours west of Good, and 280 miles (450 km) to the Italian border. Click on right here to search out Montpellier on the map.

5. Limoges

Limoges was a brand new metropolis for me. I knew it was a fairly centrally positioned, huge metropolis, with a college, and that it had good direct practice hyperlinks to my subsequent already-confirmed placement in Toulouse.

I’m glad I opted to go to Limoges. It’s a metropolis steeped in historical past and it exudes an old-world allure, with its cobblestone streets and half-timbered homes. Though my house-sit was a reasonably trendy house, house-sitting alternatives right here may very well be for centuries-old houses. What an expertise that may be!

There are some nice museums, a powerful cathedral, and a few fascinating historic websites that can delight fellow historical past buffs like me. As a college city, there are many cool bars and nice locations to eat to go well with each price range, and there’s all the time tons happening. My husband and I spent his birthday in Limoges and it was an excellent day of meals, drink, and cultural sightseeing.

Location: Limoges is positioned pretty centrally in France, edging in direction of the south. It’s round 4 hours south of Paris and three hours north of Toulouse. Discover it right here on the map.

Is France Protected?

I discovered France to be a secure place to go to, and it’s thought of a secure vacation spot for vacationers. Like several nation, it’s necessary to stay vigilant, particularly in crowded vacationer areas the place petty theft can happen. Train frequent sense, corresponding to keeping track of private belongings and staying conscious of your environment.

French authorities take safety severely, and main vacationer websites are sometimes well-monitored. As a house-sitter in France, do your finest to remain knowledgeable about any advisory warnings, and in case of any emergency, dial 112 the European emergency quantity. Having an insurance coverage coverage to cowl issues corresponding to private harm, lack of belongings, and theft is all the time extremely advisable.

If it’s your first time as a house-sitter in France and you intend to drive, it’s all the time a good suggestion to familiarize your self with native driving rules forward of time. Don’t be taught issues the exhausting method, particularly in case you’re renting a automobile or utilizing the homeowners’ automobile. Even skilled drivers will profit from a fast read-through of one other nation’s driving customs.

Professionals and Cons of Being a Home Sitter in France

There are professionals and cons to staying wherever. Listed below are just a few of the important thing factors which have cropped up throughout my time as a house-sitter in France:

Professionals of Dwelling in France

• High quality of Life: France constantly ranks excessive for high quality of life. It has a powerful healthcare system, glorious public providers, and a great deal with work-life stability.
• Culinary Paradise: Famend for its gastronomy, France has a various and beautiful tradition with meals that’s deeply ingrained in its tradition and historical past. As a house-sitter in France, you’ll be spoilt for selection!
• Public Transportation: Environment friendly and intensive public transportation networks make commuting and journey inside France handy and eco-friendly.
• Cultural Richness: France’s wealthy artwork, literature, and structure historical past is unparalleled.
• Scenic Landscapes: From the picturesque countryside to the gorgeous Mediterranean coast, France is residence to many breathtaking landscapes.
• Unbelievable Wine: France is well-known for making a number of the finest wine on this planet. Good bottles of wine can be found in supermarkets for as little as $2.

Cons of Dwelling in France

• Paperwork: France is understood for bureaucratic processes that may typically be advanced and time-consuming.
• Language Barrier: The language barrier could be difficult for a house-sitter in France who isn’t fluent in French. Although many French folks converse English, many additionally don’t.
• Strikes and Protests: France has a historical past of strikes and protests, which might sometimes disrupt public providers and transportation.
• Price of Dwelling: The price of residing in sure areas, particularly in main cities like Paris, could be comparatively excessive in comparison with different international locations.
• Climate Variability: Whereas France typically has a nice local weather, climate situations can fluctuate, and a few areas expertise excessive temperatures and climate occasions.
• Significantly Rural Areas: Should you like having facilities in your doorstep 24/7, a few of France’s extra rural areas will not be for you as they lack on a regular basis conveniences. Many small cities and villages require a drive into greater cities for providers.
• Weekend Hunters: Looking with weapons or packs of canines is a well-liked pastime in lots of areas of France particularly on weekends. Should you’re pet-sitting or planning to develop into a house-sitter in France take additional precautions and search recommendation out of your hosts about the place to go and when.

Suggestions for Home Sitting in France

With a lot to think about earlier than taking up a list, I’ve put collectively just a few of my high suggestions for house-sitting in France:

• Know your location: France has some very rural areas and housesits could also be method out within the countryside unsupported by public transportation. Be totally conscious of the precise space you’re heading to and the way simple it’s to get to grocery shops, cafes, and so on.
• Ask a couple of automobile: If the folks you’re housesitting for are leaving the nation they could be leaving their automobile behind. Most often, the insurance coverage in France covers anybody with a sound license to drive a correctly insured automobile – good for a house-sitter in France!
• Be taught the market schedule: Weekly markets are nonetheless a very fashionable factor in France, it’s how numerous locals get most of their produce. You’ll discover all the things from garments and quick meals to recent and inexpensive groceries at a city market.
• Carry some money: Most locations, even the markets, settle for card funds however not all. Should you’re staying outdoors of a giant metropolis discovering a cashpoint that doesn’t cost a hefty charge generally is a actual ache. Seize an inexpensive money float when you possibly can.
• Put together for spotty WiFi: Most hosts can be clear and upfront in regards to the WiFi state of affairs. We’ve had just a few connection points in rural France so I like to recommend having a pay-as-you-go SIM for knowledge as a backup.
• Plan your procuring: Many supermarkets, even the actually huge ones will shut round midday on Sundays. So plan your procuring accordingly.
• Put together to make fires: I discovered that many rural homes in France have been heated virtually completely by a fire. Hosts ought to all the time depart you ample provides of wooden and present you find out how to function them, however constructing good fires is a necessity out within the French countryside.

Home Sitting in France: FAQs

Listed below are some solutions to probably the most generally requested questions on house-sitting in France:

In Conclusion

I hope this text has helped with some concepts on find out how to develop into a housesitter in France. It actually is a superb nation and one which I really feel everybody ought to expertise in some unspecified time in the future of their lives.

Home and pet sitting gives an incredible alternative to journey extra cost-effectively. For me, it additionally heightens the expertise of each journey. I’ve made some lifelong buddies alongside the way in which, with each the folks I’ve sat for and their buddies and neighbors.

I rave about home and pet-sitting to anybody who will hear. It’s one thing that’s modified my life and has opened up so many home windows of alternative for journey that I by no means thought attainable.

Good luck!