Running a gîte in France: why being on site matters for success

To the Editor,

I wonder if Didi Hawkins (I’m an estate agent and these are five errors that newcomers make) has ever run a gîte.

Her otherwise good advice in the article falls short on the subject of ‘gîte dreams’. Her suggestion is to keep the gîte at some distance from the house so guests do not bother the host with their problems. This will not lead to a successful business or repeat visits!

All you need to do is lay down some rules. For 20 years, I ran a small gîte very successfully, and one of the major selling points (apart from the swimming pool) was that we were on site in case of problems, which could then be addressed immediately.

Guests were free to "appear in the garden" as early as they liked (but hardly anyone did). The pool was available from 10:00 onwards, after the daily clean. 

We informed them that we would swim between 17:00 and 19:00 so, if they preferred a quiet swim, to please avoid that time.

We never had any problems, and a high percentage of our clients were repeat bookings, some coming back year after year.

A neighbour let out their house during the summer months and stayed with friends. 

Guests were unable to have their problems (water, faulty items, etc.) resolved for at least a few days. The result was that, after a few years, the bookings dried up completely.

U.C., Dordogne

Do you run a gîte in France, or have you stayed in one? Share your experiences with us at letters@connexionfrance.com