Part of what first caught my eye about LaLande was the suggestion that it was an artistic commune and the volunteers were a part of that. That's what the Manor and Maker grifters are talking about. What precisely they have to teach people like the ancient masonry restorers, or the surrounding farmers who grew up with the Naidaillacs in possession, the chapel restorer, or the goat cheese guy, I'd really like to know.
I do believe worker owned cooperatives are the wave of the future.
I wish I knew more about the way the feudal chateaux worked, we don't want that slavery to return. But imagine Dan and Annelise at the head of such an enterprise. Imagine if LaLande was run as a place to teach artisanal trades -- half paying guests, half non paying. You could learn to restore masonry, cut and fit beams and tiles, electricity and plumbing for old buildings plus eco friendly French drains, rainwater cisterns, solar panelling, wind energy, small farm animal husbandry, forest management, heritage botany and birds/bugs/etc., mill restoration or solar powered milling projects and heritage organic farming. Taught by the locals en Francais. That would be cool. See you there, mama. I'll be the one wrassling the sheep, getting some goats for cheese making, shearing sheep and researching old Le Berry wool knitting patterns and broderie/lace making for workshops with very rich American broads who pay $100 a skein for trophy wool. And an equal number of local artistic textile students, gratis. Toile de Jouy, mon cul. See, my French is getting better already.
I have no doubt as
@FrenchGirl123 says France is full of well-restored chateaux owned and run by the French, giving back to their village and not just serf jobs. I need to look into that and find out what's happening.
Thanks for your initial thoughts, inspiring.