Dans le coeur de la Catalogne, entre la Méditerranée et le Mont Canigou, en pleine foret montagneuse se situe notre éco-lieu qui accueille de temps en temps des apprentis et volontaires pour ce qui est d'une participation dans la résilience face au "climate change" et à la banqueroute des gouvernements, via la préparation-fertilisation de la terre, la production de fruits, légumes et plantes médicinales, la "forest gardening", la cueillette des champignons et plantes sauvages, (selon les saisons), à quoi s'ajoutent les travaux consacrés à l'entretien écologique de la propriété. Cette année, le "focus" porte sur 400 fraisiers, un potager, une aire-terrain consacré à davantage de plantes médicinales, à la construction d'un système d'irrigation à partir de la rivière, du landscaping de montagne, l'amélioration de la piste qui va à la rivière, et à la restoration de la maison de yoga.
Les chambres d'accueil sont chauffées soit via un poel à bois et-ou un radiateur électrique et les douches peuvent etre chaudes et l'eau potable vient d'une source pure. Il y a deux maisons pour l'accueil.
Les forets qui entourent la propriété (voir la photo centrale) sont denses et biodiversifiées, riches en faunes, plantes médicinales, champignons, oxygène, essences volatiles aromatiques et en air pur. Ces forets sont très propices au "forest bathing" (ou "shinrin-yoku", voir l'article sur le homepage du site). En été quand il peut faire chaud, la descente vers la rivière est rafraîchissante !
La propriété est en pleine montagne (700 mètres d'altitude), isolée, à 5 kilomètres du village le plus proche. Les woofeurs peuvent prendre un bus au village moyennant un euro et visiter toute la région, y compris les galleries d'art, les marchés, les centres thermaux et les plages méditerranéennes catalanes. Les trajets sont subventionnés par la Région.
Le climat méditerranéen de la région ainsi que le micro-climat de l'éco-lieu favorisent des journées ensoleillées toute l'année (plus de 300 jours de soleil par an). Concomitamment, les pluies sont normalement régulières, ce qui favorise un environnement verdoyant et une bonne "gravity irrigation".
A proximité d'une rivière sauvage (dans laquelle il est possible de se baigner), l'éco-lieu est proche de l'Espagne et du mont Canigou (plus de 3,000 mètres d'hauteur).
ENGLISH FOR FOREIGN WWOOF VISITORS
Situated in the sunny mountainous Eastern Pyrénées (700 meters up) next to Spain and 65 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, and adjacent to a soothing wild river, this health farm focuses on organic agriculture-permaculture, medicinal herbal gardening, sustainable development, environmental protection, (including from forest fires, which are rare), health optimisation, retreats and workshops.
In terms of WWOOF activities, these can range from agricultural laboring, botanical gardening, wild herbs foraging and forest mushroom picking to organic-certified raw cacao bars production, (but not this year), food preparation, wood and log work and ecology-oriented property maintenance. This year, the agricultural focus is on optimizing a strawberry patch, finishing an irrigation system from the river and general restoration (as the property was uninhabited for 8 years).
WWOOF activities are equitably balanced between the normal WWOOF work load and leisure-free time. The Center provides a calm tv-junkfood-cigarette free meditative and empowering environment as well as an access to a wild mountain river and a 11th century mountain tower complex that oversees Spain and the Mediterranean Sea (ie, a two hours hike, altitude is around 1000 meters high).
The food is mostly organic, plant-based and health-longevity promoting. Vegan (plant-based) is the norm. For vegetarians, local organic raw sheep and goat cheese are available. The kitchen in the central house is fully equipped with mixers, dehydrators, juicers and more. During leisure time, woofers can indulge in forests and botanical promenades, hiking and green tourism. Mountain bikes are available. Woofers can either hike or bike to Spain.
In this homestead eco-lieu, there are two houses (working on three) that can accommodate guests and wwoofers. The central house has an activity room where art expression, reading and games (including chess) can be practiced in the midst of a fireplace. The second Yoga house also has a large activity room where there is a piano, guitars, djembes, yoga mats and more. When possible, this second house needs some additional TLC in terms of restoration.
A ping-pong table, trampolines, saunas and a fully equipped gym are also accessible (i.e., stationary bikes, a handstand machine (Inverted machine or "table d'inversion), a rowing machine, full body weight machine and more). We encourage daily workouts, if only because strong healthy and resilient bodies promote quality agriculture productivity, health, longevity and good spirits.
This health farm is based on a holistic approach of agriculture and living, which includes, but is not limited to regenerative farming techniques, nutrient-dense, organically-strong plants and fruits production, clean irrigation, eco-construction, the health sciences , art (including Chinese bamboo ink painting), a positive-respectful-mindful-proactive-health-ecology oriented attitude and forest dwelling. Early primates, emerging around 55–66 million years ago after the dinosaur extinction, were predominantly arboreal (tree-dwelling) in forested environments. Miocene primates like the early apes (hominoids) were mainly frugivores (fruit-eaters) with varied adaptations: Soft fruits, young leaves, flowers, and some insects or bark dominated, with some shifting to harder objects, folivory (leaves), or seasonal woodland foods. Early Miocene apes lived in evergreen rainforests or gallery forests along rivers just like we do. :) According to the up-to-now evidence, these wild arboreal primates had low if any diseases and good longevity for their species, as inferred from fossils showing minimal if any tooth damage and other elements. Hence, one of our projects for later on is to build tree houses.
In terms of future tasks (most likely for 2026), motivated wwoofers and volunteers may be able to participate in additional edible landscaping, forest gardening, the planting of a robust diversity of perennials and nitrogen-fixers, building a wooden bamboo stair path to the river, finishing an irrigation system from the river, maintaining the growing bamboo mini-forest (20 years ago, a few bamboos were planted and today there are hundreds which can be used for material eco-construction), building a greenhouse, bee honey production (there are lots of wild bees in the area and so far, the "frolon asiatique" (asian wasp) has not been invasive), mushroom and spirilina home production, additional food preservation and storage via different techniques including freeze drying (expensive tho, so need to wait to get this machine), building a yurt, additional energy production systems and small log and strawbale cabins. yourts and more (but need more finances and help for this project to flourish).
We follow the Wwoof recommendation of Wwoof participation which is around half a day of participation during the five days of the week. See Wwoof principles via http://docs.wwoof.fr/documents/charte-wwoofing.pdf. "La participation recommandée est d'une demi-journée par jour". Weekends are free. Arrangements can be made to choose two other free days. Having one's own health liability coverage (responsabilité civile) (Cf principle 11) is required.
French and English spoken. Internet is available.
Depending on the Season and year, our agricultural products range from small fruits, ( especially strawberries), medicinal herbs and mushrooms to chocolate truffles, all of which have been certified by the national certification organism "Ecocert". This year, we are focusing on gardening, fruit trees, small fruits shrubs and the strawberry field.
For more information, see: https://mediterraneanfarming.com
HIKING AND BIKING
Many guests who come here are interested in mountain hikes. In the Prats-de-Mollo / La Preste area you have a dense network of day-hikes plus several long-distance routes that work well for ultra-marathon style advantures. For multi-day / ultramarathon traverses across the Pyrenees there is the GR7: one of the “Grand G” lines, (GR = grande randonnée) which is part of the long north–south route that touches the eastern Pyrenees. In addition, Mont Canigou and the Pic de Costabonne are two major summits accessible from Prats-de-Mollo for serious mountain days. As for bike hikes, there is a long green foot and bike path from Arles sur Tech that goes all the way to Mediterranean beaches of Argeles sur mer. See this link for more options and details. https://centredebienetreholistique.com/?page_id=9477 (scroll all the way down).
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Forestry
Wild foraging
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Traditional crafts
Green Building
Renewable energy production
Food justice / sovereignty
Methods or systems
Holistic management
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Nonprofit / Community
Certified organic
5
Hectares
|
12.4
Acres
