Would you like to stay at this B&B in France for free?

Budget travellers can pay nothing to stay at bed and breakfasts around the world during Barter Week in exchange for manual, creative or teaching activities

This week sees the international launch of Barter Week, a sustainable tourism event which is offering a free stay at bed and breakfasts worldwide in exchange for goods or services.

It is a parallel event to the successful Italian Barter Week which is now in its 10th year. Around 500 B&Bs have signed up to take part in the week, which runs from 19 November to 25 November, including six in France.

La Maison Blanche Aux Volets Bleus in Brittany, is a culinary guesthouse which is supporting Barter Week. Anouck and Joris Delanghe have been running their table d’hôtes culinaire since 2005.

Based in Crédin, they offer accommodation for singles, couples, families and groups of friends looking to take part in cooking workshops or simply holiday in the area.

During Barter Week the couple are hoping to share culinary skills, particularly learning how to make pizza on their recently-built wood oven. The large garden at La Maison Blanche Aux Volets Bleus always needs a helping hand and they would also like to translate their website into Spanish and Italian. In return for their assistance, their guests would receive a free stay.

Anouck says: “We’re participating in Barter Week because it gives us the opportunity to learn from ‘real’ people.

“For example, new cooking skills or learning other languages. Also jobs to get the land done that is surrounding the property, in a fun way.

“Barter Week is at a good time as well, it is after the busy season and before the Christmas holidays.”

La Maison Blanche Aux Volets Bleus is situated in the heart of Brittany, surrounded by farms. It is 45km from Vannes and the Gulf of Morbihan.

As well as cooking workshops, which include buying ingredients from the local market and lunch at an oyster farm, the couple also organise mushroom walks and have written several cookbooks.

Every day they draw up a four-course gastronomic menu with seasonal ingredients and dinner is served at a sociable long guest table.

“Bretagne is such a great place for food and nature,” Anouck adds.

“The products and ingredients we find here are amazingly fresh and pure.”

For more information about Barter Week, visit www.barterweek.com

Other bed and breakfasts in France taking part include L’ancien Presbytere in Le Dorat; Domaine du Grenier in Yffiniac; Le Fauverney Lodge in Fauverney and Domaine de Moulin Mer in Logonna-Daoulas. Some accept barter all year round.

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