France 2025-26

Bringing Down the Curtain

Hello there and welcome.  If by chance you have found your way to our site in search of house sitters, we have sad news for you.  Due to our advancing years and the fact that we have got two lovely house sits on a regular basis close to home, we have decided to bring our adventures to an end.  

It has been the most wonderful fourteen years during which we have house sat as far afield as Tasmania.  We have spent long periods of time in beautiful regions of France where we have had the chance to explore the countryside around us and enjoy the company of a delightful selection of animals.  We have also come to know some wonderful people (and a couple of whom who were not quite so wonderful!) but it is all part of the rich tapestry of life.

We now have our own home and from our terrace, we can enjoy views of the Cevennes in one direction and the first of the Provence hills in the other.  

We are so grateful to those who trusted us to take care of their homes and beloved pets and we wish you all happy travelling.

Caring for your Property, Pets and Plants ...

French / English Spoken!

Scroll down for Availability Calendar 

Jean (John) and Kate Fagalde

email: cmfagalde@gmail.com

Cell: France (0033) 06 45 90 63 05

houseandpets.net

We are Jean and Kate Fagalde, a retired French/English couple. We are experienced house-sitters,  non smokers, unencumbered by property, children or pets and we are based in the Languedoc Roussillon area of southern France.

We offer our services as medium to long-term house-sitters/property guardians and our availability can be seen on the calendar below. We are prepared to undertake short term sits providing we have availability and are happy to discuss details further.

John is French and while he and Kate farmed in South Africa for several years, he became used to turning his hand to any practical problems.  With his knowledge and understanding of French paperwork, he can sort out any problems and deal with tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians should the need arise.

Kate is English and is a writer, a capable cook, and enjoys meeting new people. With their love of animals, you can be assured that your pets will receive plenty of affectionate attention in addition to their daily meals and exercise.

We have both lived in various parts of Africa for thirty years, lived and worked in England for three years, Florida for five years,  France for 16 years (during much of which we have been house-sitters) and have spent a year house sitting and visiting family in Australia. We operated our own self-catering establishment which was listed with the South African Tourism Board while managing our 1000 hectare farm in the Free State region. We are self-sufficient and will ensure that your home is kept clean and safe and your pets and plants are well cared for.

We have several regular clients and have been returning to care for their respective homes and pets frequently over the past six years.

We are animal lovers and prefer country living.  We have our own vehicle in France and both have clean French driving licences and up to date International Driving Licences.  We are both French citizens and are fully up to date with our vacinations against Covid.

Our one request is that we have an internet connection for our laptops, and access to English tv is always welcome but not essential.

We are fully covered for all our medical requirements and we carry insurance which covers us in case of injury. We also have Third Party Insurance/Responsabilite civil (France)

note: In the event of a cancellation, our calendar will be updated immediately. It is always worth contacting us by email if you have dates in mind and we may be able to help you. If you wish to book ahead, we are happy to "pencil you in" but would ask for a firm reservation 60 days prior to your requested dates.