Gite registration problem at mairie

WHEN I planned to set up a gite, I researched what was needed and it was built and equipped to meet Gites de France guidelines for a two-person gite.
However, I was told the rentals group felt that my rural Dordogne hamlet was not “pretty” enough to attract their label.
Then, after reading in The Connexion that I should register my meublé de tourisme with the mairie, I completed the form. Now the mairie has called me in saying my gite was not a meublé de tourisme.
What is the definition of a meublé de tourisme and why has my registration been disallowed? M.J.T

WHATEVER reason you were given for the registration being rejected, it is doubtful that it was because you do not have a meublé de tourisme, as you seem to fit all the criteria.

The law of December 28, 1976 states that meublés de tourisme are “furnished villas, flats or studios for the exclusive use of the tenant, offered for rent to tourists by the day, week or month”.

The property has to meet minimum standards of comfort and should be free of noise and smell nuisances.

Since December 27, 2009, it has been the law under Décret n°2009-1652 relating to the Code de Tourisme that anyone who is running a gite or other tourist property as a meublé de tourisme must declare this at the mairie of the commune in which the property is situated.

The declaration should state the identity and address of the owner, the address of the meublé de tourisme, the number of rooms and beds, along with the planned periods it is available to rent.

You should be able to get form Cerfa n°14004*01 from your mairie or by searching for this name online and downloading it from a government information site.

There is no indication in the above law that the mairie can refuse to acknowledge your declaration, even if it does not believe the property to be a meublé de tourisme.

Mairies can benefit from the registration, as it can impose a taxe de séjour of perhaps €0.50 and €1 a night on visitors to pay for local amenities.

In any case, you should apply to the accommodation classification authority suggested by your tourist office and they will inspect (there may be a cost), set your classification and give you the documentation.

Next, apply to the prefecture for official state classification, which ranges from one to five stars. You can apply for this online using form Cerfa n°11819*02. You must also include the report and Grille de Contrôle you were given by
the classification authority.

Failure to register your meublé de tourisme with the mairie is a third-class crime and is liable to a fine of €68.