Virsoleil is growing their team in 2025, and are welcoming applications for exciting new positions!
This internship program offers daily one-on-one instruction and guidance in regenerative design, applied permaculture principles, water harvesting, soil building practices, and construction skills.
Internship period
April to May 2025.
About Virsoleil
Managed by Teryl and Claudia Chapel, Virsoleil is a 500 year old polyculture farm located in Dordogne region of Southwest France – one of the most visited places on earth because of its culture, food and natural beauty. Virsoleil joined the ERC movement in 2019 and since then, the founders have been busy working on the land to create a diversity of different habitats, gardens and agroforestry systems. Virsoleil also runs The Center for Regenerative Living, an education center, teaching people about regenerative design, ecosystem restoration, reconnecting with nature, and acquiring skills to build resilient future.
Virsoleil’s plans
Virsoleil is in year 5 of restoring the farm. This year they will build the foundations for their sustainable economic model which includes hosting ERC experiences, local courses in soil building and natural beekeeping, wellbeing retreats, personal restorative retreats, and developing products from their lavender and medicinal herbs. There are too many projects for the two founders to accomplish alone. Virsoleil offers a unique opportunity to learn from their experience while enjoying life in a beautiful and tranquil environment. They have welcomed over 60 people to date.
Virsoleil’s focus is to continue installing their food forest, planting fruit trees, maintaining lavender and truffle trees, and continue to expand their infrastructure to better accommodate ERC camps and educational group activities. Virsoleil will be installing their group kitchen in the barn, completing a second greenhouse and tractor shed, building a tiny house to expand housing, adding bio-islands in the pond, expand water harvesting and storage capacity, installing an apiary, and much more.
About you
You are dedicated to contributing to a regenerative future, solutions oriented, more interested in quality of life than acquiring things. You want to learn as much as possible about how to run a regenerative farm. however this is not a prerequisite. You have a strong desire to enjoy a meaningful experience in a quiet rural farm setting and work in harmony with nature. You have explored their website, www.virsoleil.org and Virsoleil YouTube channel, learned about them, and are excited to contribute your energy, physical labour, and knowledge to Virsoleil while continuing to learn and grow. Gardening and restoration experience helpful but not required.
What Virsoleil offers
Virsoleil and The Center for Regenerative Living is a member of the Ecosystems Restoration Community located in “La Dordogne”, one of the most visited places in the world because of the culture, food, and natural beauty. Virsoleil offers much more than a typical “work away” experience.
Virsoleil offers hands on daily learning through participation in these activities:
- Assisting in garden food forest design and planting
- Assisting with stone barn renovation and greenhouse construction
- Assisting in preparing for and providing host support for events
- Assisting with apiary and natural bee-keeping
- Assisting with harvesting lavender, distillation, and bottling and labeling of essential oil and hydrosol.
- Assisting with caring for their Scottish Highland cattle and rotational grazing
- Assisting with chickens
- Composting and soil building
Volunteers have access to lodging in a shared dormitory or parking for your camper van, shared kitchen, eco toilet, solar shower, natural swimming pool.
What Virsoleil asks from you
This programme is a higher level of commitment for you and us therefore they ask a financial contribution of €100 and 30 hours a week to Virsoleil (with instruction and mentoring included in the 30 hours) to help cover food and utilities.
Please note: Virsoleil is unfortunately not able to assist with visa applications, and short or long visitor visas (if required) must be self obtained.
Ready to apply? A truly exciting and fulfilling experience awaits…
If you are inspired by this opportunity and feel you are the right person, Virsoleil looks forward to speaking with you. Please visit their website www.virsoleil.org and Virsoleil YouTube channel. If you are still inspired send us an email telling us about yourself why you are excited to contribute to Virsoleil and what you hope to gain personally, along with your CV, any questions, and references. Virsoleil will review your application and schedule a video conference.
