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Let's renovate Puech Mignon

Laguépie, France

In partnership with

Once upon a time, in the year 972, the Church of Our Lady of Puech Mignon was built! Listed as a French Historical Monument, it has gone through many challenges during its long life: destruction, a reconstruction dating back to the Middle Ages, and another fire in the 19th century. Since then, volunteers from the association "Le Temps de Puech Mignon" have been taking care of its restoration and regular maintenance. However, there is still a lot to be done: while the church itself has now been restored, the surrounding areas urgently need intervention to ensure their preservation. So, take part in this international workcamp with Citrus, where you will also discover its values and ways of working as a popular education association promoting togetherness, sharing, and diversity.
Accompanied by our staff team, you will live in the heart of the village of Laguépie (of which Puech Mignon is a part) and share everyday life with our international volunteers present on site.


Description of the Work

Dive into the heart of the village of Laguépie and the historic site of Puech Mignon, around the Church of Our Lady, to take part in a workcamp dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of local heritage. Guided by the Citrus staff team and the volunteers from the association "Le Temps de Puech Mignon", you will carry out several concrete and varied tasks:
• Rebuilding an old dry-stone wall in the presbytery garden
• Laying stone paving in front of the former presbytery kitchen to improve and secure access
• Restoring and safeguarding a small tower attached to the site
• Clearing and cleaning the surrounding areas
These activities will be done in small groups, allowing everyone to learn new skills while contributing to a useful and meaningful project. At the same time, as on all Citrus workcamps, you will take part in community life. In turn, you will be responsible for the "kitchen workcamp," preparing balanced seasonal meals for the whole group in a spirit of sharing. This work camp will be a unique opportunity to meet young people from all over the world, exchange cultures, have strong human experience, and help preserve local heritage.
Join Citrus for an adventure combining history, nature, and togetherness!


Accommodation & Food

You will stay on the Citrus association site in large collective tents (8 to 12 people) equipped with wooden floors and beds. You will have access to dry toilets and solar showers entirely built by young volunteers during previous workcamps. A washing machine is available for reasonable and organized use. There is no Wi-Fi connection. You will take part daily in the maintenance of the site and in meal preparation. Choices will be made collectively to ensure a balanced diet based on your tastes, dietary needs, and local seasonal products. Cooking is an integral part of the workcamp, just like construction activities.


Location & Leisure

Laguépie is in the green and hilly area of Quercy-Rouergue, near the Aveyron Gorges, about 100 km northeast of Toulouse, between Albi and Villefranche-de-Rouergue.

Leisure activities: Afternoons will be dedicated to various leisure and discovery activities in the region. You will be able to go hiking, canoeing, visit beautiful medieval villages or historic towns, and enjoy swimming directly in the Viaur River in Laguépie. With the support of the staff team, you will also be active in proposing and organizing activities: debates about your favorite movie, learning a local dance from your region, discussions about current issues, karaoke nights, international quizzes — your ideas are welcome! There will also be the famous international meal, open to everyone, where you will prepare typical dishes from your country or region — a great way to make people travel through food and share intercultural experiences.


Appointment

We will pick you up at Laguépie train station after 2 PM. You can easily take a train from Toulouse Matabiau station, which will take you directly to Laguépie in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.


Host Organization

Solidarites Jeunesses works alongside a number of partner organisations world-wide, exchanging volunteers and organising international solidarity projects. The association has been the French branch of Youth Action for Peace till 2009, a movement created after the First World War in order to reconcile people of different nationalities through a better mutual understanding. National Solidarites Jeunesses is a national youth organisation, recognised by the French Ministry of Youth and Sport. Our national headquarters are situated in Paris. We organise short and longer-term international youth volunteer workcamps and voluntary services, projects with people from disadvantaged areas, training sessions, and international solidarity projects. We also manage rural residential and community centres. Regional Solidaites Jeunesses is composed of 7 regional delegations: Ile-de-France, Franche-Comt�, Languedoc-Roussillon, PACA, Auvergne, Poitou-Charentes and Midi-Pyrenees. Moreover it cooperates with partners in the regions of Bretagne, Lorraine and with La Crois�e des Regards in the region PACA. Workcamps The international workcamp is a very important part in the action undertaken by Solidarites Jeunesses. It is prepared a long time in advance in the different regional offices and the National Secretariat. The international workcamp, open to volunteers of any age, is seen as a tool of local and personal development, tolerance and understanding between the different participants. Furthermore, we lay emphasis on the inclusion of people coming from disadvantaged areas. The workcamps promote the active participation of the local population.