Our French countryside house sitting experience in Poupas

Many people around the world are part of the unique community of house sitters.

Sam and I heard about this phenomenal concept from Peter and Karen Pecksen. Their inspiring story was one of many important catalysts to our mid-life gap year. They retired and have been travelling the world for the last 5 years, house sitting and loving the life. Check out their link and be inspired!

House sitting in a nutshell

Imagine living locally, looking after other peoples’ houses and animals while they are gone for holiday or business. No cost to the home owners, no cost accommodations for you and a chance to help others at the same time?!? What could be better; this is house sitting!

While planning this adventure we hoped to try and spend at least half our time house sitting. We have found this type of alternative accommodation to be much, much more than just a cost wise solution for frugal travelers.

First house sitting experience

Our first house sitting experience was a five week stay in the French countryside. We could not have asked for a more pleasant experience.

Upon arrival at the acreage we were warmly greeted by our hosts, Mike and Gill. A roaring fire, supper, lovely conversation and a comfortable bed awaited. We were so fortunate to stay in a restored 18th century traditional French farm house. Ever the gracious hosts, they allowed us to come a couple days early to get the lay of the land and learn the regimes.

One morning before they left some of their friends came by to meet us. What a lovely gesture! It was then we met Jill and Jeremy, local English ex-pats living in the area. As well as Amy and Andrew, fellow travelers and house-sitters from England. Amy and Andrew are Van-life enthusiasts.

Dawn to dusk

For this sit our daily chores comprised of feeding the two horses in the morning and keeping the hay rack neat and tidy. There was also an outdoor cat to feed and water morning and night. Once a week we watered the plants. Beyond that, just like at home, we needed to keep the house clean and secure.

With this light work load we spent plenty of time visiting the surrounding towns and taking long walks in the stunning French countryside. Each night we were fortunate to settle into ‘the snug’ and spark up the log burner.

Quaint towns abound to explore

Once a week or so we took Sassy for a ride into Valence D’Agen, Saint Clar or Lavit for groceries and wine.

We attended an outdoor market in Lectoure one morning to see the local wares and discovered Armagnac. During our stay, a wee dram of this delightful beverage became a staple of our evenings in the ‘snug’.

Should you find yourself in the area of Gramont we highly recommend you go to the restaurant Le Petit Feuillant.

A few things to know:
– Make a reservation
– Order the 5+ course duck confit lunch
– Bring a hearty appetite
– Pace yourself, don’t eat breakfast
– Bring friends for eating support
– Be ready to have your mind blown!

Visit Auvillar along the ‘Chemin de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle’. This little town has signs as you enter saying it is one of the most beautiful villages in France and we couldn’t agree more. Charming tiny medieval lanes and community squares, a 16th century church and the circular grain market.

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Eglise St. Pierre in Auvillar is a stop on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. This church still has some walls which originate from the 11th century. Many roads lead to Santiago; we are hoping to get there in the spring. Check out the movie ‘The Way” if you get a chance. (Thanks Manolo!)

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The community of Poupas heartily embraced us

While at this location we were invited to the local Christmas gathering by the mayor of Poupas, Paschal Guérin. He personally greeted us at the door with an aperitif and promptly sat us down for snacks and conversation with the local families.

We were a bit concerned about attending this gathering with our limited French skills. The fact of the matter is that people are wonderful and helped us through. We were happy to have taken the plunge!

After all, this is what it is all about, meeting the locals, learning their way of life and relating to others in a real down to earth setting. This is where we met the man from the mountains and many other interesting folks, both locals and ex-pats, living in the area. People like deputy mayor Paul Kendall and writer James Irvine Robertson.

Learn a fun French sport

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We were invited to a lunch hosted by our fellow house-sitting friends Amy and Andrew. They prepared a typical table top Raclette grill meal. It was a delightful experience. Following lunch we played the passionate local pastime called Pétanque. Jill and Jeremy ran us all through the paces.

Feeling at home for Christmas

Christmas in the French countryside while house sitting was wonderful. On the Eve we were visited by a warm fog and huge moon! We spent the holiday afternoon on FaceTime with family members catching up. Sam and I snuggled in with a fire, wine and Armagnac. Our Christmas meal was duck confit with a local lentil recipe provided by our hosts…Yum!

For New Years Eve we were invited to a gathering at Jeremy and Jill’s residence. We rang in 2019 with amazing food, lively conversation and games that made you laugh so hard, you cried!

So much more than a different kind of accommodation…

We are loving the experience of house sitting so far. It is meeting wonderful people, living locally, taking time to just breath, enjoying other customs and languages; generally seeing a different way of living. All the while with a bit of animal companionship to round out the journey.

The countryside in this picturesque area of France has incredible light. The sounds of church bells in the distance and hunting dogs in the hills give a hint to the history of the Occitanie region. The dark night skies produce more stars than you’ve ever seen and the silence is true stillness to calm a busy mind. Poupas is a enchanting place to be.

Please give us your thoughts in the comments section of this blog and share our adventure with your social groups!

If you are interested in house sitting, get a hold of us by email and we will do our best to answer your questions. We can even help you get started if you like. Currently, we can get you a discount on a membership that would also give us extra months on ours.

Take care and keep on travelling,

Dan&Sam

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