Why You Should Try Wwoofing in France
/Wwofing Around the World
My First Experience
Last week, while gazing out at the Atlantic Ocean, my dad and I decided to do something completely out of the ordinary: wwoofing together in the Pyrenees. For the past week, the weather had been grey and rainy in the south of France, and we found ourselves yearning for a change of scenery. I had first heard of wwofing back when traveling in Australia last October and I had since kept the idea in the back of my mind. What better way to learn than through hands-on experience? As an environmentalist and filmmaker, I’ve had a growing interest in organic farming and now felt like the right time to put my enthusiasm into practice. Before telling you about my first woofing experience in the mountains, let’s start by defining wwoofing.
Wwofing France // WHAT IS WWOOFING
The term stands for worldwide opportunities on organic farms, and essentially, when you become a wwoofer, you sign up to help out and learn on an organic farm. There is absolutely no money exchanged between you and the host, but during your stay, you are fed and housed in exchange for four to five hours of work per day, except for weekends. This experience is the perfect opportunity for anyone wishing to learn more about organic farming, all the while also potentially exploring a new region.
The Greenhouse where salads grow
View of the mountains from the potato bed
Wwofing France // HOW TO BECOME A WWOOFER
First thing first, I think it’s important to stress that you do not need any prior experience in farming to become a wwoofer. All you need is some interest and motivation, enough money to make the journey out to the farm, and most importantly, an open mind. In order to become a wwoofer, you need to sign up for the national organization in the country you want. There is no international membership and you’ll need to open a new account for each country’s organization but an annual membership costs around $30 per country.
Wwofing France // WHY BECOME A WWOOFER
As you can imagine, this organization opens endless opportunities to travel the world. Over a hundred countries are partnered in this program and you can save thousands of dollars visiting them through wwoofing. You can also learn languages, new skills and make new friends! It really is a win-win for both you and the host. See the list of participating countries HERE.
view on the “CAT EARS” from our host’s home in the pyrenees
Wwofing France // WHAT TO PACK FOR WWOOFING
I always find packing lists helpful, so here is mine for wwoofing around the world. The first thing you’ll want in your pack is a good pair of rubber boots. Resistant, weatherproof and perfect for the mud, rubber boots may just become your new best friend out on the farm. Next up, I recommend you bring your own sleeping bag or bedding. Many farms don’t provide bedding for short term stays and I’m sure your hosts will appreciate the initiative regardless. Another essential is a hat because you’ll most likely be working out in the sun and rain for long hours. Don’t forget your sunscreen, a good pair of hiking boots and make sure to pack clothes you don’t mind getting dirty! Lastly, if you are particular about food or feel like you get hungry often, maybe consider bringing your own stash of snacks. The hosts will feed you—our host Philippe was a wonderful cook, but your hosts might not have food available at all hours so if you’re a notorious snacker, I’d say bring your own.
The entrance to the garden
Wwofing France // MY FIRST WWOOFING EXPERIENCE
Picking the farm was the hardest part of this adventure! There are hundreds of options here in France and many of them seemed appealing. There are different filtering options to narrow the search but we decided on picking a region of France neither of us had ever been to and wanted to visit, the Pyrenees. Our heart was set for the mountains and after making a top-four selection, we sent out our introduction messages. Truth be told our decision was very last minute and we were not even sure we would get an answer back with such short notice, yet we did the next day! Philippe was the first to answer.
His farm had caught our eye because of its unique location, lodged by the Spanish border, deep and high in a small village overlooking the towering mountains. His page promised a big vegetable garden, a barn to restore, and vegetarian food. We were sold. After exchanging dates and information, my dad and I started getting ready for the adventure. We arrived late in the afternoon on a rainy day and Philippe came out to greet us. The small village looked deserted.
picking flowers for the pie
On our hike to the cirque de la plagne
Mushrooms growing at high altitude
Part of my job as an environmental photographer consists of meeting new people every day and I really do love being thrown into the unknown, but this time felt different, I was nervous. I think I was worried to have hauled my father into something he wouldn’t enjoy. He loves working on renovation projects but farming has never been high up on his list, neither is living with strangers. Fortunately, my worries soon melted away as we sat around the dinner table with our host. Philippe is a dynamic and driven man in his sixties who, after leaving his parisian life behind, has settled in the Pyrenees for the past few years. He also happens to be an environmentalist activist as our conversation slowly drifted into the nuclear debate, it felt like everything was falling into place.
The five days we spent in the Pyrenees were inspiring and energizing. The weather was dreadful—rainy and cold, but somehow it did not affect us. The low hanging clouds nurtured a particular aesthetic and the rain tumbled gently on the panes. We alternated work in the barn and out in the vegetable garden, I planted cucumbers and salads, we weeded the herb beds and covered the potatoes. We ate the produce from the garden and harvested sureau to bake pies and stinging nettle for soup. One afternoon, we took leave from our work and went on a short hike from the village to the Cirque de la Plagne, an ancient crater now filled with rolling green hills and flowing waterfalls. We were even blessed with an appearance from the sun.
le cirque de la plagne
This first wwoofing experience was fantastic. I don’t know if we got lucky, or if the wwoofing community is predominantly filled with characters as stimulating and interesting as Philippe but all in all, this is an opportunity I recommend to all adventurous souls and is something I will definitely do again. I hope you enjoyed this article and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!
WATCH MY EXPLAINER VIDEO TO GET MORE INFORMATION
Today, I will be taking you along for a scenic 2 days hiking itinerary, amidst the Pyrenee’s most famous and beloved natural site, the Cirque de Gavarnie. Most famous for its sharp granite peaks and being home to the endangered brown bears, this mountain range transforms into a true hiker’s paradise in the summer! Wait until you see the photos!