Neither the farm nor chambre d’hôtes was part of our plan… Granted, my husband, who is English, and I both studied agriculture. We met at university in the UK – I was on a year abroad as part of my agronomy degree in France. After we graduated we worked for a while on a farm in the UK and then moved to Zambia.
We loved Africa and the plan, on returning to France three years later, was to purchase a buy-to-let, which would give us the security to move abroad again. To that end we looked at property in the Morvan (Burgundy) as I had family links to the area.
Domaine de Drémont was bigger than we envisaged - certainly the ‘garden’! An entire working farm! But despite our relative lack of farming experience we fell in love with it and decided to have a go.
Ghislaine and her husband originally rented half of the property, before buying it all outrightDomaine de Dremont
At first we only rented it. The house itself was split in two and we only had one side. We bought the whole thing two years later, in 2008, and suddenly found we had more living space than we needed. That’s when the B&B idea came.
The early days were hard – getting the farm established, two small children, welcoming guests…Plus, neither of us had experience in hospitality so it was a sharp learning curve.
Having said that, we both grew up in families that loved entertaining – there were always lots of friends and extended family staying over – so I suppose we were used to the idea of welcoming people into our homes.
Fortunately no major work was required to get the rooms ready. The décor was old-fashioned but tasteful, with solid, well-made features and furniture. We added locks to doors, a toilet to one of the bathrooms, but not much else.
The décor didn't need updatingDomaine de Dremont
Our typical guests are a retired couple of French, Dutch or Belgian nationality. Their average stay is 2.5 days, during which they do a mixture of cultural and outdoor pursuits. On the first day they might visit Vézelay or Château de Bazoches, from where the military engineer Vauban drew up the plans for France’s fortifications.
On the second day they might go hiking – we’re surrounded by beautiful trails. And on the third day they’re usually tempted further afield, such as to Guédelon to see the medieval castle being built using only period techniques and materials.
The division of labour is more heavily weighted to the farm than the B&B. The farm is still our main source of revenue (including subsidies) – but also our main cost. At the moment, for example, we’re spending a lot of time on 1,250 newly planted walnut trees, for which we’re unlikely to see much return on investment before 2030.
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Some months are harder than others to juggle the demands of both the farm and B&B. June is incredibly busy with haymaking – just before peak tourist demand in July and August. Over winter we tend to scale back the B&B and have a break.
Running a farm means the couple don't get to take many holidaysDomaine de Dremont
Farmers notoriously don’t get many holidays so it would be easy to assume we might begrudge having vacationers around. The reverse is true. Farming can be hugely isolating so we both genuinely enjoy the company of guests.
You can travel the world vicariously through them. It’s also a good opportunity to use different languages [Ghislaine is fluent in French, English and German]. Yes, farming doesn’t offer much flexibility in terms of getting away, but running a B&B is also a real constraint, so in that respect the two strands are complementary.
They say in TV you should never work with children or animals. Well, it can be tricky in the B&B business too!
Our kids and livestock bring challenges when it comes to hosting guests, but mostly it’s been fine. We tell people not to enter certain fields, and remind them of this in the welcome literature in their bedrooms.
Many guests offer to help out on the farm, and that can be fun for everyone. When it comes to moving cows, an extra presence in the right position can also be incredibly useful. And we’ll never forget the guest who fixed our tractor for free!
My advice to other prospective B&B owners with pets is to a) choose a sociable breed and b) be reassured that animals quickly adapt to having guests around. On our farm, it also helps that the dogs are not allowed inside, so there’s always an animal-free zone if people are nervous around them.
The Airbnb phenomenon has caused a dip in bookings in recent years, which we largely attribute to changes in guest expectations. People want more independence rather than the traditional B&B experience of a host and breakfast in a shared dining room.
Many travellers are looking to seek out authentic experiences, such as on the farmDomaine de Dremont
Then there’s the added competition – there are so many holiday lets in the area now! Most people are not running their Airbnb as a full-time ‘business’ so aren’t necessarily looking to turn a profit. Their rooms are often much cheaper for this reason. It means that despite rising utility and food costs, we’re very restricted as to how much we can raise our prices.
That said, there is also a growing trend for travellers to seek out authentic experiences. We can capitalise on that with our farm and local insights.
Walnuts – and the chance to wallow in a jacuzzi – are the next big projects. The former will be a good buffer for the farm if, as people keep telling us, food culture is slowly moving away from meat. The jacuzzi, which we’re creating by converting part of the old lavoir (wash house), will offer value to the B&B. From this summer, guests can - quite literally - soak up those valley views in style.
Find out more: dremont.wordpress.com
Accommodation at a glance
Name: Domaine de Drémont
Location: Working farm in Anthien, Nièvre
Accommodation type: Three B&B rooms, one self-contained apartment
Price range: From €75 (based on a four-night stay)
Minimum stay: Two nights (three nights on holidays/long weekends; four nights in July-August)
What’s included: Hearty farm-to-table breakfast, fishing and swimming in the pond, ping-pong, barbecue, option to rent electric mountain bikes
Main booking platforms: Personal website, Booking, Airbnb, GreenGo, MaisonNature
Perfect for: rural retreats in unspoilt Burgundian countryside, a working farm experience, hiking, young families
Don’t miss: the local apple juice and home-made bread and jams at breakfast; calving season for those adorable bovine babies; a trip to historic Vézelay (16km); a dip in the lakes of the Morvan Regional Natural Park; the chilling stories behind the statues on the hill; that promised jacuzzi…
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