ST VINCENT DE BARRES          Rhone Alpes          July 10 - July 30, 2005

Program for rehabilitation of the historical sites in St Vincent de Barres
Volunteer project: It has been with the will to safeguard and develop its inheritance that the town has committed itself in a huge programme of rehabilitation of its site.
Guided by a local mason, you will rebuild a rampart made of basaltic stones and one of the wall of the communal garden. According to the progres of the project, you may also build stairs made of stone.
Camp language: French and English
Possible free time activities:
- Visit of Cruas (guided visit of the abbey, the old borough, night market),
- Numerous hikes and swimming at the local camping,
- Visit of the towns of Privas, the sites of interest of the Rhone valley (Rochemaure: spectacle of sound and light, Montelimar, Viviers), visit of numerous picturesque villages (Coux, Ajoux, Lyas...),
- Participation in village's festivities,
- Excursion to the Gorges of Ardeche and canoe-kayak,
- Sport activities (horse-riding, ping pong, football),
- Meeting with other workcamps.
Accommodation: In a communal building.
Location: Located in Ardeche, at 10 km from Privas, St Vincent de Barres is a small village of 500 inhabitants. Perched on a rock piton, it is an isolated site but of high quality as it is a medieval village which has numerous vestiges of fortifications, narrow lanes, and arched passages. Nearest towns are Montelimar (20 km), Privas (20 km) and Valence (50 km).
Nearest train station: Valence-Ville
Age range: 18 - 30 years old

   CHOMERAC          Rhone Alpes          July 10 - July 30, 2005

Renovation of lanes in an old village
Volunteer project: The opportunity to restore lanes damaged by the time thanks to international workcamps lures the municipality which has developped, for several years, outstanding cultural actions and finds that it is a new occasion to develop enriching exchanges.
The international volunteers will participate in the cleaning and in the renovation of lanes of the old village: removing of plaster and cleaning of joints, replacement of missing stones and rejointment. According to the progres of the project, maybe the group will restore the paving of a lane. You will also participate in the organisation of the in-open-air cinema festival which takes place every Tuesday in the evening, by supporting other volunteers to put and dismount the material.
Camp language: French and English
Possible free time activities:
- Discover of Cruas (guided visit of the abbey, the old village, night market...);
- Numerous hikes around the village and in the Natural Park of the Monts d'Ardeche;
- Visit of the town of Privas, of the valley of the Rhone (Rochemaure, Montelimar, Viviers...);
- Canoe in gorges of the Ardeche. Spectacle of sound and light at the castle of Rochemaure.
- Meeting with other workcamps during some excursions to discover the region.
Accommodation: Lodging in the changing room of the football grounds.
Location: Chomerac is located in the center of a basin which is encircled by Barres on the east, the volcanic Coiron on the south and west, and limestone hills on the north. This diversity makes it the paradise for the geologists, paleonthologists and archeologists. The richness of the landscapes is due to this geological diversity and makes this region particularly attractive. Chomerac is situated 17 km from Privas and 20 km from Montelimar.
Nearest train station: Valence-Ville
Age range: 18 - 30 years old

   LES BORDES SUR ARIZE          July 10 - July 30, 2005

Restoration of a stone wall, surrounding a village church
Volunteer project: Bordes sur Arizes is a small village which wants to work on its patrimony in order to preserve its beauty and value as long as possible. The international workcamp is, for the village, a great opportunity to get into action.
Volunteers will be helped by a local employee. They will execute the rebuilding of a wall of stone and brick around the village church.
Accommodation: The accomodation will be in the village school.
Location: Altitude 270 m. Les Bords is a small rural village crossed by a river which offers beautiful country landscape. This area, with its spaces of agriculture and cattle farming, offers many visits. You can see the Cave of Mas d'Asil and its subterranean river, there are many places for swimming or for making hiking trips. The village of Bordes sur Arize is located 30 km north west of Foix and 7 km south of the village of Mas d'Azil. An excrusion in the region will be organized by the hosting association.
Nearest train station: Foix. The Foix train station is located 80 km south of Toulouse (approximately 1h30 by train).
Nearest airport: Toulouse Blagnac
Age range: 18 - 30 years old

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   CHAUSSAN          Rhone Alpes          July 17 - August 6, 2005

Restoration of the walls of a village square
Volunteer project: In 2004, the municipality hosted an international workcamp to restore the frontage of a former coal warehouse in which it has planned to establish its future technical premises at the ground floor and the youth premises as well as the local library on the first floor. The municipality, which is sensitive to intercultural exchanges has devoted itself a lot in the welcome of its first group. The experience was really enriching for everybody, and the whole of the communal actors wish to renew this action in 2005.
Guided by a local employee, you will participate in the restoration of walls of the village square including staking, rejointment, while respecting the traditonal aspect of the frontage made of apparent stones.
Camp language: French and English
Possible free time activities:
- Visit of the Lyonnais Mounts, an animal park in Courziaux,
- Excursion to Lyon, visit of the house of jobs at St Symphorien,
- Sports activities: rides, hikes, horse-riding, swimming pool of Mornant,
- Visit of Saint Etienne (the museum of the Mine and of the fine arts),
- Discover of the Roman aqueduct, of the towns of St Galmier (Badoit spring), Mornant, St Symphorien dur Coise or Riverie.
Accommodation: In the village school.
Location: Located 28 km far from Saint Etienne and 40 km from Lyon, Chaussan belongs to the region Coteaux du Lyonnais. Thanks to the great development of the region, the population has increased. It is mainly a rural town, which has succeeded in preserving and diversifying its agricultural productions: red fruits, apples and pears, dairy products.
Nearest train station: Lyon Part Dieu
Nearest airport: Lyon
Age range: 18 - 30 years old

Saint-Etienne     The warm and welcoming city of Saint-Etienne is the gateway to south-eastern France. The history of the "green city" is built around four poles of excellence that are as many landmarks for men and women eager to build on their know-how. This once mining town and capital of the industrial revolution seems to draw its creativeness from the land itself, thriving on an incredible capacity for adaptation and renovation.
The second urban centre in Rhône Alpes, Saint-Etienne is an important bastion of the region's economic network and a key passage west to the Auvergne region and the Atlantic coast. Equipped with all modern forms of transportation (T.G.V., motorways, airport, heliport…) Saint-Etienne continues to improve and reinforce access to and within the city, without which prospects for further development would be limited.
Formed by the junction of two valleys and the Forez plain, Saint-Etienne's hilly location renders a rolling urban landscape with many viewpoints. This remarkable site also reinforces the identity of each and every neighbourhood that "live" on the seven hills of Saint-Etienne.
Saint-Etienne is a city of art and history. The heritage until recently only known to its inhabitants has now been officially recognised by a label. It is only justice to give due to one of the richest collections of French XIXth century architecture with a statuary envied by many.
Capital of the Forez historical province, Saint-Etienne has been able to maintain an unusually comfortable lifestyle for such a large city because of its exceptional surroundings including the nearby Pilat mountains regional park or the largest inland marina in Europe at Saint Victor sur Loire. The people of Saint-Etienne have preserved this blossoming environment both outside and inside the city, for example via the numerous markets that display their goods in the city's streets and the squares, or the friendliness of the inhabitants characterised by a spirit of solidarity and complicity, or the network of pedestrian streets that offers a variety of circuits to visit. In the heart of the city, the prestigious exteriors of public buildings, townhouses and other monuments are reminders that many great architects such as Léon Lamaizière produced some of their finest work here in Saint-Etienne. The decor does indeed reflect the spirit of this city that prefers hard working talent and discretion to pomp and ceremony.
The Mining Museum and the Museum of Craftsmanship and Industry are the guardians of Saint-Etienne's tradition of know-how and excellence. They preserve collections of inestimable worth that the city has chosen to cherish and display for the public.

   ST JULIEN EN ST ALBAN          Rhone Alpes          July 17 - August 6, 2005

Restoring an access path to the ruins of the  St Alban castle
Volunteer project: After two workcamps which were very successful, the town wishes to renew the welcome of volunteers for this summer. Anxious to make young volunteers participate in an interesting and useful project for the whole population, the municipality has chosen the laying out of a communal way which leads to the ruins of the St Alban castle.
Guided by two local employees, you will have to rehabilitate an access path to the castle: stabilization of the ground, softening of the slope, with the installation of wood-log stairs, clearing of the accesses of the way.
Camp language: French and English
Possible free time activities:
- Discover the region with visits of the towns of Privas (its night market), of Valence and of Montelimar; visit of the paleonthology museum (fossils) on La Voulte; discover of many picturesque villages (Coux, Pranles, Ajoux, St Vincent de Barres, Chomerac...);
- sports activities (hikes, rides, swimming in river); share meals, evenings, and sport with the inhabitants; municipal swimming pool; visit of caves; sporting tournaments with locals;
- excursion in the Ardeche gorges;
- meeting with other workcamps.
Accommodation: Lodging in the village hall.
Location: St Julien en St Alban is located 4 km to the east of the Rhone valley and 25 km from Valence. It lies in a wide valley at 125 m of altitude, along the Ouveze gorges which opens to the Portes du Bas-Vivarais. The village has two historic sites: the castle of St Alban's ruins and its small Roman church, which testify of its past.
Nearest train station: Valence-Ville
Age range: 18 - 30 years old

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   ISSOIRE          Auvergne          July 17 - August 6, 2005

Restoring dove-cots in Issoire
Volunteer project: The municipality of Issoire has hosted workcamps for many years (since 1978). Volunteers worked on the program for improvement of urban cleanliness, namely on the construction of sani-canins (small spaces for the natural needs of dogs in the town). This project is finished now, but the municipality wishes the volunteers this year to restore two dove-cots including removing of plaster, inside and outside cleaning. This will involve work on scaffoldings.
Camp language: French and English
Possible free time activities:
- In Issoire: the Centre of Roman art, St-Austremoine Roman church, museums,
- In the surroundings: fortified village of Mareugheol, Cistercian abbey of Megemont, castle of Villeneuve-Lembron,
- Discovery of the natural heritage: visit of the caves of Perrier, the valley of the Saints (Auvergne Colorado): red clay stone pyramid, sources of salted water,
- Excursion in the Volcano park and town of Clermont-Ferrand,
- Horse riding around Issoire, swimming pool in Issoire, canoe down river Allier, pedestrian excursions in the Natural Regional Park of Livradois-Forez.
Accommodation: Lodging under tents, near the changing rooms of the football grounds, kitchen nearby. Lodging is isolated from the town; transport by minibus to the working place.
Location: Issoire is a town of 13 000 inhabitants, located at 35 km south of Clermont-Ferrand, in the valley of Limagne, on the edge of two Natural Parks: the Auvergne Volcano Park (30 km from St Nectaire) and the of Livradois Forez Park. River Allier runs through Issoire and has many canoe riders during summer. Nearest city is Clermont-Ferrand.
Nearest train station: Issoire
Age range: 18 - 30 years old