Maureen
Ireland
Aug 15, 2023 - Aug 24, 2023
Became a member in: 2023
Renewal Date: 04/Apr/2024
We're a mature Irish-German couple in our early sixties, quite active and interested in culture, music, theatre, museums and the outdoors. We exchanged a number of times through a different website when our children were younger and had great experiences. Now we're back and hoping for more interesting adventures through house exchanges.
We're both working in the educational sector. Our two grown-up sons do not live with us any more but sometimes one or both of them together with a girl-friend might come along for part of our trips. Most of the time it is just the two of us, though.
We both love traditional Irish music. Liam used to teach Irish and is very interested in keeping it up, so the West of Ireland is often on our wishlist. Apart from German and English I speak French and a bit of Italian (very rusty at this stage).
Additional languages spoken
Irish, English, French
Affinities
Plants & Gardens,
Cycling / Mountain Biking,
Bridge,
Hiking,
Foodies,
The Arts,
Yoga / Meditation,
Music Lovers
MoreLessAffiliations
University Professors,
Teachers / Education Professionals,
Retirees,
Seniors,
Homemakers,
Caregivers,
Medical & Healthcare Professionals,
Civil Service Professionals,
Technology Professionals,
Artists / Entertainment Industry,
Science / Research,
NGO workers,
Communty Service Volunteers
MoreLessProfession
Teacher, school principal
Maureen
Ireland
Non-simultaneous Home Exchange
Simultaneous Home Exchange
Weekend Home Exchange
Sabbatical Home Exchange
Hospitality Exchange Offered
Hospitality Exchange Wanted
Homesit Offered
Smoking Not Allowed
Children Welcome
Use of Personal Car is possible
Aug 5, 2024 - Aug 31, 2024 | Montreal, QC, Canada | Québec, QC, Canada | Halifax, NS, Canada |
Aug 5, 2024 - Aug 25, 2024 | Bretagne, France | Bordeaux, France | Cornwall, UK |
Open to all dates | Open to all destinations |
Description of the home we are offering for exchange
Our house, built in the 1960s, was extended and modernized when we bought it, including a number of energy-saving features. However, we left the original cosy feel of the house (Kachelofen) and the large garden with apple and cherry trees and a shed untouched. Sitting out on the patio, under the trees or in the shelter of the barbecue "hut" or playing table-tennis on the spacious patio is a delight in the summer.
Our home has a large modern wooden kitchen (microwave, electric cooker and stove, dishwasher etc.) with dining area, a separate dining-room and a living-room. In our open-plan library it is particularly cosy in the evenings and in the winter when the wood-fired oven is on.
On the first floor you find a bedroom with a double bed, two bedrooms with a single bed each and a fourth bedroom (balcony room) with a double bed. There are two bathrooms (one with a jacuzzi) on this floor. The attic has been converted into a living area and features another large bedroom with a double bed and an ensuite shower unit,a fully equipped kitchen with dining area and a loft. This area can accomodate guests or we retreat to it when we host a larger family in the main part of the house.
The downstairs (cellar) area features a sauna, a washing-room with a washing-machine, a second freezer and fridge as well as a drive-in garage.
There is a good public transport system in place (bus service in the town and overland, good train connections to Nuremberg and Würzburg). For trips into the countryside a car can be quite useful but isn't essential.
Type
House - 2 or more floors/ Main Residence
Amenities
Entertainment
Extras
Setting
Description of our neighbourhood and surrounding area
Our house is situated at about 3km from the centre of Coburg town (population fo 40,000) in a rural setting. The bus stop to town is only two minutes from the house. However, if you like to go for walks or cycling you just go out the door: fields and forest offer a wide range of options. You can walk down to the local fishfarm and buy smoked trout or to the historic Veste (castle) where Luther spent half a year. Or you simply explore the forest near us and meet deer and rabbit out the back door. Children can avail of our extensive garden with lots of fruit trees or a large playground just down the road (about 300 metres away).
Our neighbours are mainly mature couples or families with grown-up children, some of them with a farming background originally. Everybody is very welcoming and helpful, but leaves you alone if you want to do your own thing.
If you want to explore the area further there are interesting historical places in town and around - after all Queen Victoria's husband Albert was born and spent his youth in Coburg! There is a theatre, classical concerts and in particular in summer there are open-air festivals for all age groups. A golf course can be found about 15 minutes away, tennis courts and fitness centres as well as an indoor and outdoor swimming-pool in town. If the sauna in our house is not to your liking you can go to the thermal baths at Bad Staffelstein or Bad Rodach, both places about 20 minutes away.
About an hour's drive away you can find interesting towns and cities like Bamberg, Bayreuth (Wagner-festival), Nuremberg or Erfurt. All those cities can also easily be reached by train. For walkers and lovers of the outdoors there are areas like the Frankenwald, Fränkische Schweiz (with interesting caves and lovely old-style villages), the Thuringian Forest or Fichtelgebirge for walks, biking, climbing, horse-riding or canoing, all within easy range. You won't run out of things to do!
If the weather is less welcoming, museums and archives offer an insight into local as well as world history (Coburg being connected to most European dynasties from England, Belgium, Russia, Bulgaria to places as far as Brazil). But there is also something for children as Neustadt bei Coburg has a strong tradition of toy production. Hope you enjoy everything!
Outdoor Activities
Leisure
Cultural Activities
Transport Nearby
Neighbourhood Services
Our home exchange - places to go and things to do while staying in our home
Historical buildings in town: Veste, Ehrenburg, Rosenau, Callenberg. Lots of walks (brochures will be left for you in the house). Wednesday and Saturday markets in town. Lots of small, very attractive towns in the area with original buildings (Fachwerk) and loads of character (Bad Staffelstein, Ummerstadt, Bad Rodach, Bamberg).
Our favourite restaurants
Cafés & bars
Special places to shop
Leisure and cultural activities
Interesting day trips
Our home exchange - here are our Preferences and House Rules
We would like to find our house in a clean and orderly state just the way you want us to leave your house. Absolutely no smoking in the house, please.
Conditions
Use of Personal Car
Home Exchange Type
Became a member in: 2023
Renewal Date: 04/Apr/2024
We're a mature Irish-German couple in our early sixties, quite active and interested in culture, music, theatre, museums and the outdoors. We exchanged a number of times through a different website when our children were younger and had great experiences. Now we're back and hoping for more interesting adventures through house exchanges.
We're both working in the educational sector. Our two grown-up sons do not live with us any more but sometimes one or both of them together with a girl-friend might come along for part of our trips. Most of the time it is just the two of us, though.
We both love traditional Irish music. Liam used to teach Irish and is very interested in keeping it up, so the West of Ireland is often on our wishlist. Apart from German and English I speak French and a bit of Italian (very rusty at this stage).
Additional languages spoken
Irish, English, French
Affinities
Plants & Gardens,
Cycling / Mountain Biking,
Bridge,
Hiking,
Foodies,
The Arts,
Yoga / Meditation,
Music Lovers
MoreLessAffiliations
University Professors,
Teachers / Education Professionals,
Retirees,
Seniors,
Homemakers,
Caregivers,
Medical & Healthcare Professionals,
Civil Service Professionals,
Technology Professionals,
Artists / Entertainment Industry,
Science / Research,
NGO workers,
Communty Service Volunteers
MoreLessProfession
Teacher, school principal
Maureen
Ireland
Over 70 years of home exchange experience
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