France, Jan. 27 -- Their experiment is La Menardiere, a shared living project in the village of Berat, 40km from Toulouse.
On a Saturday lunchtime, six of the 12 current members gather around a large oak table in the kitchen. They've all helped prepare the meal. A fire crackles in the hearth.
Over roast chicken, pumpkin and a glass or two of red wine, the conversation turns to the subject that brought them together - the desire to avoid a nursing home.
"It's like a prison for old people," says 66-year-old Sylvie Vetter, who moved in a year ago.
Genevieve Ducurty, who spent years working as a nurse in care homes, nods in agreement. "There isn't enough time or money, you can no longer take care of people properly."
Their comments echo re...