We were welcomed by John and Josiane with a wonderful lunch for our second exchange. We absolutely love York, the area where their house is, Bishopsg...
Read More...Rod
Australia
Feb 19, 2024 - Mar 8, 2024
Became a member in: 2015
Renewal Date: 06/May/2026
John is a retired language teacher (French and German) and I am a retired admin officer.
We've had had 13 exchanges, all of them very successful (although following our last trip in New Zealand and Australia in November and December 2019 our guests have not been able to come to the UK as planned), in the south of France, Perth, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch, Melbourne, Adelaide, Busselton, and several in this country.
Here is what Theresa from New Zealand says about our hospitality exchange (she subsequently came back to York for a month in November while were were away!)
:
"Regarding Hospitality Given by John and Josiane Gower in Their Home in York, England In September 2016 I stayed in the home of John and Josiane Gower in York, England, for ten days. I had a truly wonderful time with John and Josiane who are lovely, warmhearted and generous people. I feel we have become good friends. Their home is situated in a little village-type area just outside the ancient Roman Walls of York. The main street of which is full of little interesting shops, pubs and cafes where you can relax with a meal or coffee, etc. It takes less than ten minutes to reach the Walls on foot. It is also easy to walk to the centre of York along the wall and even quicker to walk alongside the beautiful river. John and Josiane’s home is very comfortable and cosy and I felt very at-home and relaxed there. Not only did they give me lots of ideas and information concerning things to see and do during my visit, but Josiane took me dancing several times, which I enjoyed very much, to the extent that I am going to continue learning in New Zealand. York, itself is a wonderful place to spent a lot of time in, and in which to base yourself. Historically it is so incredibly interesting, and also it is very beautiful, and easy to explore – You will never run out of things to do and see, and learn about. Also, as a base it is excellent as there are so many sights to visit easily on day trips. If you look at a visitor’s map you will see for yourself. My ten days in York was just a taste. I very much hope to return and spend much more time there. I found John and Josiane so easy to deal with. Every verbal agreement we reached was always carried out and attended to without any confusion or arbitrary change of plans. Theresa Kermode "
Additional languages spoken
French
Affinities
Plants & Gardens,
Yoga / Meditation
Affiliations
Teachers / Education Professionals,
Retirees,
Seniors
Profession
Language teacher (Retired)
Rod
Australia
Linda Shear
Canada
Fiona
United Kingdom
We were welcomed by John and Josiane with a wonderful lunch for our second exchange. We absolutely love York, the area where their house is, Bishopsg...
Read More...We were welcomed by John and Josiane with a wonderful lunch for our second exchange. We absolutely love York, the area where their house is, Bishopsgate with small independant shops and restaurants, all walking distance, and we found a local pub, The Swan, with a small garden. We sat by Yorkminster under trees listening to live music, went on a boat trip and also 2 long walks we found in one of their guide books. We loved every minute of our holiday and would love to swap again.
Read Less...Nathalie
France
Richard
United Kingdom
Josiane and John's lovely house was just as described; an attractive town house of York stone in the midst of a very friendly street. The location w...
Read More...Josiane and John's lovely house was just as described; an attractive town house of York stone in the midst of a very friendly street. The location was ideal for our exchange, so close to the centre of York and near to the relaxing atmosphere of Rowntree Park. Both John and Josiane left some very useful advice on discovering the area and our only regret was that York's famous venues were all limited to a quarter capacity due to covid restrictions, hence tickets could be hard to get.We enjoyed their recommendation of restaurants and the local independent shops on Bishopthorpe Road which are unusual and vibtant. On our return, we found our house spotless and must thank them for their very efficient watering of our plants etc. We loved the week long exchange and highly recommend the area. Thank you, both!
Read Less...Stephen
United Kingdom
John and Josiane's comfortable home is a few minutes' walk to the city walls and really convenient for exploring the city. There are regular buses int...
Read More...John and Josiane's comfortable home is a few minutes' walk to the city walls and really convenient for exploring the city. There are regular buses into the city centre at the top of the road and two very good, traditional pubs nearby. Although it is in a residents' parking zone we had no problems with parking using the guest permits provided. Apart from exploring York, we had good days out walking in the Yorkshire Wolds and visiting the spectacular Castle Howard.
Read Less...Fiona
United Kingdom
John and Josiane’s house was in an excellent position to explore York, right near the walls and a wonderful street with unique shops, cafe’s, pubs and...
Read More...John and Josiane’s house was in an excellent position to explore York, right near the walls and a wonderful street with unique shops, cafe’s, pubs and restaurants, we ate there 3 times. It was lovely to have a home as a base with a wonderfully comfortable bed and great shower. We loved York so much we plan to swap again next year. Thank you.
Read Less...Catherine
United Kingdom
We had an excellent bank holiday in weekend. This is a very comfortable house and a lovely part of York, close to the river and Rowntree Park, all wit...
Read More...We had an excellent bank holiday in weekend. This is a very comfortable house and a lovely part of York, close to the river and Rowntree Park, all within less than 10 minutes of the old city.
Read Less...Christine
United Kingdom
Wonderful central location within walking distance of York’s many attractions. Spacious home with well equipped kitchen. Parking permit a bonus. We e...
Read More...Wonderful central location within walking distance of York’s many attractions. Spacious home with well equipped kitchen. Parking permit a bonus. We enjoyed a fabulous long weekend at Josiane and John’s home
Read Less...Dianne & Richard
Australia
Jeff & Gowan
New Zealand
Suzie
Australia
Alan & Margaret
Australia
We had to wait more than 2 years to complete our home exchange in York. John and Josiane welcomed us so warmly; it was good to see them again and catc...
Read More...We had to wait more than 2 years to complete our home exchange in York. John and Josiane welcomed us so warmly; it was good to see them again and catch up on all that had happened in the interim. Their home is ideally situated near a pretty local shopping strip. Within walking distance of their home we could explore the historic city of York. Surrounding areas of Yorkshire such as the dales, moors and seaside at Whitby or Scarborough can be reached by car, bus or train. Highly recommended!
Read Less...Michel & Odile
France
Nous avons pu passer quelques heures ensemble à notre arrivée chez eux, ils nous ont fait découvrir leur quartier et nous avons partagé un repas « mai...
Read More...Nous avons pu passer quelques heures ensemble à notre arrivée chez eux, ils nous ont fait découvrir leur quartier et nous avons partagé un repas « maison ». Le logement, typique maison anglaise, est confortable, calme, très bien situé, tout près d’un grand parc (que j’appelais « le parc aux pâquerettes » !) et de l’Ouse river. Le centre historique de York est très facile à rejoindre à pied. Nous n’avions pas prévu de voiture et ça n’a pas été un problème, tout est à proximité. Ce fut un plaisir de découvrir la ville de York et ses vieilles pierres. Nous avons particulièrement apprécié la visite de la cathédrale, celle du York castle museum et la promenade des remparts… Thank you very much Josiane et John !
Read Less...Ted & Lyn
Australia
Simultaneous Home Exchange
Smoking Not Allowed
Children Welcome
Use of Personal Car is not possible
Open to all dates | France |
Open to all dates | UK |
Description of the home we are offering for exchange
Three bedroom terraced house, in York; 5 mins walk to local shops, 15 mins to city centre, 15 mins to railway station (2 hours by train from London, 2 ½ hours from Edinburgh), 50 miles from the seaside
Type
House - 2 or more floors/ Main Residence
Amenities
Entertainment
Extras
Setting
Description of our neighbourhood and surrounding area
The house is in a peaceful residential neighbourhood within easy reach of local amenities and the city centre.
Outdoor Activities
Leisure
Cultural Activities
Transport Nearby
Neighbourhood Services
Our home exchange - places to go and things to do while staying in our home
York is a delightful city with Roman city walls and a wealth of tourist attractions
Place to visit in York: Castle Museum, Viking Museum, National Railway Museum (free), Art Gallery, York Minster, Chocolate Museum, Fairfax House, Treasurer’s House, Yorkshire Museum, to name but a few
In the area: Castle Howard, Harewood House, Fountains Abbey, Nunnington Hall, Beninbrough Hall…
Easy access to the Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire Dales
Our favourite restaurants
Cafés & bars
Special places to shop
Leisure and cultural activities
Walks or jogging paths
Health or fitness clubs
Interesting day trips
Our home exchange - here are our Preferences and House Rules
Children are welcome but our house is not equipped for children (ie no cot or any other baby equipment, no toys...)
Conditions
Use of Personal Car
Home Exchange Type
Became a member in: 2015
Renewal Date: 06/May/2026
John is a retired language teacher (French and German) and I am a retired admin officer.
We've had had 13 exchanges, all of them very successful (although following our last trip in New Zealand and Australia in November and December 2019 our guests have not been able to come to the UK as planned), in the south of France, Perth, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch, Melbourne, Adelaide, Busselton, and several in this country.
Here is what Theresa from New Zealand says about our hospitality exchange (she subsequently came back to York for a month in November while were were away!)
:
"Regarding Hospitality Given by John and Josiane Gower in Their Home in York, England In September 2016 I stayed in the home of John and Josiane Gower in York, England, for ten days. I had a truly wonderful time with John and Josiane who are lovely, warmhearted and generous people. I feel we have become good friends. Their home is situated in a little village-type area just outside the ancient Roman Walls of York. The main street of which is full of little interesting shops, pubs and cafes where you can relax with a meal or coffee, etc. It takes less than ten minutes to reach the Walls on foot. It is also easy to walk to the centre of York along the wall and even quicker to walk alongside the beautiful river. John and Josiane’s home is very comfortable and cosy and I felt very at-home and relaxed there. Not only did they give me lots of ideas and information concerning things to see and do during my visit, but Josiane took me dancing several times, which I enjoyed very much, to the extent that I am going to continue learning in New Zealand. York, itself is a wonderful place to spent a lot of time in, and in which to base yourself. Historically it is so incredibly interesting, and also it is very beautiful, and easy to explore – You will never run out of things to do and see, and learn about. Also, as a base it is excellent as there are so many sights to visit easily on day trips. If you look at a visitor’s map you will see for yourself. My ten days in York was just a taste. I very much hope to return and spend much more time there. I found John and Josiane so easy to deal with. Every verbal agreement we reached was always carried out and attended to without any confusion or arbitrary change of plans. Theresa Kermode "
Additional languages spoken
French
Affinities
Plants & Gardens,
Yoga / Meditation
Affiliations
Teachers / Education Professionals,
Retirees,
Seniors
Profession
Language teacher (Retired)
Rod
Australia
Linda Shear
Canada
Fiona
United Kingdom
We were welcomed by John and Josiane with a wonderful lunch for our second exchange. We absolutely love York, the area where their house is, Bishopsg...
Read More...We were welcomed by John and Josiane with a wonderful lunch for our second exchange. We absolutely love York, the area where their house is, Bishopsgate with small independant shops and restaurants, all walking distance, and we found a local pub, The Swan, with a small garden. We sat by Yorkminster under trees listening to live music, went on a boat trip and also 2 long walks we found in one of their guide books. We loved every minute of our holiday and would love to swap again.
Read Less...Nathalie
France
Richard
United Kingdom
Josiane and John's lovely house was just as described; an attractive town house of York stone in the midst of a very friendly street. The location w...
Read More...Josiane and John's lovely house was just as described; an attractive town house of York stone in the midst of a very friendly street. The location was ideal for our exchange, so close to the centre of York and near to the relaxing atmosphere of Rowntree Park. Both John and Josiane left some very useful advice on discovering the area and our only regret was that York's famous venues were all limited to a quarter capacity due to covid restrictions, hence tickets could be hard to get.We enjoyed their recommendation of restaurants and the local independent shops on Bishopthorpe Road which are unusual and vibtant. On our return, we found our house spotless and must thank them for their very efficient watering of our plants etc. We loved the week long exchange and highly recommend the area. Thank you, both!
Read Less...Stephen
United Kingdom
John and Josiane's comfortable home is a few minutes' walk to the city walls and really convenient for exploring the city. There are regular buses int...
Read More...John and Josiane's comfortable home is a few minutes' walk to the city walls and really convenient for exploring the city. There are regular buses into the city centre at the top of the road and two very good, traditional pubs nearby. Although it is in a residents' parking zone we had no problems with parking using the guest permits provided. Apart from exploring York, we had good days out walking in the Yorkshire Wolds and visiting the spectacular Castle Howard.
Read Less...Fiona
United Kingdom
John and Josiane’s house was in an excellent position to explore York, right near the walls and a wonderful street with unique shops, cafe’s, pubs and...
Read More...John and Josiane’s house was in an excellent position to explore York, right near the walls and a wonderful street with unique shops, cafe’s, pubs and restaurants, we ate there 3 times. It was lovely to have a home as a base with a wonderfully comfortable bed and great shower. We loved York so much we plan to swap again next year. Thank you.
Read Less...Catherine
United Kingdom
We had an excellent bank holiday in weekend. This is a very comfortable house and a lovely part of York, close to the river and Rowntree Park, all wit...
Read More...We had an excellent bank holiday in weekend. This is a very comfortable house and a lovely part of York, close to the river and Rowntree Park, all within less than 10 minutes of the old city.
Read Less...Christine
United Kingdom
Wonderful central location within walking distance of York’s many attractions. Spacious home with well equipped kitchen. Parking permit a bonus. We e...
Read More...Wonderful central location within walking distance of York’s many attractions. Spacious home with well equipped kitchen. Parking permit a bonus. We enjoyed a fabulous long weekend at Josiane and John’s home
Read Less...Dianne & Richard
Australia
Jeff & Gowan
New Zealand
Suzie
Australia
Alan & Margaret
Australia
We had to wait more than 2 years to complete our home exchange in York. John and Josiane welcomed us so warmly; it was good to see them again and catc...
Read More...We had to wait more than 2 years to complete our home exchange in York. John and Josiane welcomed us so warmly; it was good to see them again and catch up on all that had happened in the interim. Their home is ideally situated near a pretty local shopping strip. Within walking distance of their home we could explore the historic city of York. Surrounding areas of Yorkshire such as the dales, moors and seaside at Whitby or Scarborough can be reached by car, bus or train. Highly recommended!
Read Less...Michel & Odile
France
Nous avons pu passer quelques heures ensemble à notre arrivée chez eux, ils nous ont fait découvrir leur quartier et nous avons partagé un repas « mai...
Read More...Nous avons pu passer quelques heures ensemble à notre arrivée chez eux, ils nous ont fait découvrir leur quartier et nous avons partagé un repas « maison ». Le logement, typique maison anglaise, est confortable, calme, très bien situé, tout près d’un grand parc (que j’appelais « le parc aux pâquerettes » !) et de l’Ouse river. Le centre historique de York est très facile à rejoindre à pied. Nous n’avions pas prévu de voiture et ça n’a pas été un problème, tout est à proximité. Ce fut un plaisir de découvrir la ville de York et ses vieilles pierres. Nous avons particulièrement apprécié la visite de la cathédrale, celle du York castle museum et la promenade des remparts… Thank you very much Josiane et John !
Read Less...Ted & Lyn
Australia
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