Permaculture teachers in Brittany, France
“People often say that I’m curious about too many things at once… But can you really forbid a man from harbouring a desire to know and embrace everything that surrounds him?”
Our story
We’re Glen and Karen Noon, permaculture teachers who have been living and teaching in the beautiful Brittany region of northern France since 2017. When we moved to our rural smallholding, we set out to renovate our home and gradually restore the land around us, shaping a way of life that feels more connected, resilient, and in tune with the countryside.
With a strong commitment to ecological living, we’re developing our land as a working permaculture demonstration site and learning space. It’s a place where people can see regenerative gardening in action, explore resilient system design, learn about integrated animal systems, and understand how thoughtful land management can support both people and nature.
Over time, our vision has grown into creating a smallholding that combines permaculture education, climate-resilient food production, and practical nature stewardship. We warmly welcome learners, visitors, and anyone curious about more sustainable ways of living. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, hands-on skills, or simply a deeper connection with nature, we hope you’ll feel at home here in Brittany with us.
Meet Karen
I’m a passionate permaculture teacher and designer, and my journey into sustainable living began after I completed a Permaculture Design Course in 2011, following a previous career in Finance and IT.
Since then, I’ve focused my work on ecological small farm management, climate-smart planting, and holistic land stewardship. My practical experience includes organic vegetable growing, herbalism, and making natural products such as salves, creams, and soaps from herbs grown here on site. I also love preserving food through fermentation, as well as making jams and chutneys.
I’m particularly committed to social permaculture and have co-founded a community association that shares skills and encourages mutual support and connection.
Alongside teaching permaculture and mentoring Diploma students, I’ve designed eco-education projects, corporate gardens, and community gardens across the Middle East, the UK, and France. My work is centred on helping people reconnect with nature and develop practical, resilient, and thriving systems in their own lives and communities.
Qualifications
Diploma in Applied Permaculture
Assessment Level Tutor Training
PTLLS
Permaculture Teacher training
with Designed Visions
Permaculture Design Course
with Aranya
RegenAG courses
with Darren Doherty
Holistic Management
with Kirk Gadzia
Small Scale Mushroom Production
with Gourmet Mushroom Academy
Common questions about Karen’s credentials
Is Karen Noon Permaculture Association UK certified?
What is an EuPN Assured Teacher?
Where did Karen Noon study permaculture?
Meet Glen
I bring a rich and varied background to Afrinoon Permaculture, with experience spanning engineering, project management, and hands-on practical problem-solving. My 22-year career in the Royal Navy, followed by freelance IT and project management work in the airline industry, has shaped a methodical, resilient, and solutions-focused approach to everything I do.
Today, I channel that experience into sustainable woodland management, beekeeping, infrastructure building, and milling timber directly from our land. I’m also developing forest garden systems and raising pigs, which help naturally work the soil while providing nourishing food for our family and local community.
I’m a qualified paraglider and drone pilot, and I enjoy combining my interest in flight with modern technology. I use drones for land surveys, orthomosaic mapping, and aerial analysis, bringing a practical, precise, and creative perspective to the development of our smallholding.
Qualifications
RHS course in Forestry and Arboriculture
Pizza oven build
Sustainability Centre
Coppicing
Ben Law
Round timber build
Ben Law
Charcoal
Ben Law
Woodland Management
Centre for Alternative Technology
Traditional Timber Building
Traditional Austrian Scything
Bright Permaculture Trust
Traditional Hedge laying
Sustainability Centre
Orchard Management and Pruning
Brighton Permaculture Trust
Forest Gardening
Martin Crawford
The smallholding in Priziac
At Afrinoon Permaculture, we run a diverse, thriving smallholding in Brittany, home to chickens, ducks, pigs, sheep, goats, bees, and dogs. Our vegetable gardens, polytunnels, and orchards are designed using low-energy, regenerative growing methods, producing abundant harvests while supporting healthy ecosystems.
Our animals are an integral part of the system: pigs cultivate and enrich the soil, sheep manage rotational grazing, and all are raised with ethical care and welfare in mind.
Visitors to Afrinoon can explore practical permaculture techniques, sustainable food production, and regenerative land management in action. Through hands-on observation, teaching, and ongoing experimentation, we demonstrate how a thoughtfully designed smallholding can nurture both people and the environment.
“A wonderful place, filled with interesting characters and stories, and a great introduction to the principles of permaculture. Really gave me hope that there IS a future for the planet, and for humanity.”
Come and experience permaculture in action.
Get in touch if you're interested in our permaculture courses, onsite accommodation, or events. We're here to assist you however we can and would be happy to help.
Priziac, Brittany, France+33 7 88 11 35 05·karen@afrinoonpermaculture.org