- Minimum stay:
2 months
- Location :
Han-sur-Lesse
- Website - http:
//www.grotte-dehan.be/en
- Local Organization:
The little village of Han-sur-Lesse, at the gateway to the Ardennes and one hour by road from Brussels, is home to one of the most famous caves on our continent, the Cave of Han. The Cave of Han is exceptional in terms of the beauty of its concretions and the immensity of its chambers and fashioned by the river Lesse that flows through it from one side to the other. It has welcomed more than 20 million visitors for over 250 years.
On the hill that overhangs the Cave and in the valley abandoned by the Lesse extends a 250-hectare park of unspoiled nature that accommodates the Wildlife Reserve, where you can contemplate the fauna of our regions in their natural environment.
Over 100,000 years ago the Lesse, a river flowing within the confines of the Ardennes, left its natural valley and forced its way into the limestone massif known as the Massif de Boine. It resurfaced 2 km further along, having crossed the massif from side to side. By crossing the massif, it contributed to the formation of an extraordinary network of underground caves, the Caves of Han. This phenomenon of the disappearance and re-emergence of a river is unique in Western Europe. The network of caves that has been discovered under the massif is of exceptional beauty. With their three stars in the Michelin Guide, the Caves of Han have been visited for 150 years and have already attracted over 20 million visitors. The site of the Massif de Boine and of the “chavée”, the ancient abandoned valley of the Lesse, has been laid out as a nature reserve for the wild animals of our lands: wolves, lynx, bears, bison, red deer, fallow deer, wild boar, ibex. This 250-hectare site of unspoiled nature allows you to contemplate these animals roaming free or semi-free in a natural setting of exceptional beauty. Since the Neolithic age, the Han site has been known and venerated and the place of the re-emergence of the Lesse became a cult and pilgrimage site. Very many archaeological objects have been discovered at the bottom of the Lesse and on its banks, probably thrown in as offerings. An interactive exhibition, the PrehistoHan, will help you relive the “prehistory” of the Caves of Han. In the "Han of Yesteryear" museum, you will relive the daily rural life of the inhabitants of Han of a hundred years ago.
- Work:
The walking route in the Wildlife Reserve is about 2,5 kilometers long and allows the visitors to cross the upper part of the Reserve. During this walk, panoramas, lookouts and hides give him an opportunity to get as close as possible to nature and the animals. There can be around 500 persons a day on this route, the safari bus will drop them off at the peak of the Massif de Boine and pick them up again at Tivoli, at the end of the walk, to complete the tour by bus in the plain where the animals roam semi-free.
- The tasks of the volunteer are:
- To watch over the path, while walking and observing the visitors in order to guide and help them.
- To prevent the visitors from leaving the path and venturing in other parts of the Reserve (there is a danger due to wild animals).
- To ensure that the visitors do not damage equipment or harm the animals and that they do not adopt dangerous behaviour (like to pass their hand through the enclosures), as well as that they do not disturb the path (noise, litter, etc.).
- - To be in charge of activities and give information along the path:
to inform the visitors on practical questions (distances, timetable of the safari-bus, localization of the toilets, rain shelters etc.) and to provide further information concerning the animals and the nature to the visitors who wish it (a basic training in that field will be given to the volunteer at his/her arrival).
- - To ensure the maintenance of the path:
every evening, to empty the garbage cans and the dry toilets; to collect waste; to ensure some maintenance work (ex : painting of furniture).
- Certain days, to organize the picking-up of the visitors by the safari-bus at the end of the path (while being in contact with the central service and the drivers of the safari-bus by phone).
- When there are less visitor the volunteer can carry out other tasks from time to time, for example some maintenance work in the Reserve or to create pedagogic tools.
- Occasionally, participating in the preparation and animation of different events which take place in the Domain.
- Working hours:
The working hours are between 10.00 to 18.00 with a break for lunch. The volunteer will work 5 days a week, which will generally include Saturday and Sunday.
- Supervision:
The volunteer will be supervised by a mentor, Brigitte Malou, and will be part of the team of workers and volunteers, experienced people as well as many students working in the Domain during holidays.
- Volunteer profile:
- To like animating people, want to speak with other people, being sociable and able to provide information.
- To be able to show authority towards the visitors when necessary.
- To love nature and animals, as well as walking and being outside.
- Working language:
It is necessary to have a good level in French. The volunteers needs to understand and to be understood by the people on the walking route to answer their questions and to guide them. It is also welcomed to know other languages such as English, German or Dutch.
- Accommodation:
The volunteer will be hosted in a touristic inn just in front of the caves reception. S/he will sleep in a 4 or 6 beds bedroom with all the facilities.
- Food:
All the meals of the volunteers will be provided, s/he will eat at the inn restaurant for the breakfast and the dinner and s/he will eat in the domain for the lunch.
- Transport:
Someone will drive him/her every day from the reception of the caves to the site of the project and s/he will also be provided a bike for his/her own transport on the walking path.
- NB:
There is no hosting fee to be paid and no pocket money is provided.
- Application deadline:
S/He needs to confirm his trip seven days before departure by sending a confirmation form to the sending association (VAP in the UK). That form will be communicated to the SVI, and allow us to organize the arrival with our partner.
- Arrival in Belgium:
- Brussels airport > train to Brussels > train to Jemelle > bus to Han.
- Charleroi airport (Brussels South airport) > bus to Charleroi train station > train to Jemelle > train to Han.
