Police shut down 'illegal' hotel

Medieval château was being run as a hotel without the required permits or safety checks

Published Friday 17 February 2017 - 10:58 Modified Friday 17 February 2017 - 10:58

THE DUTCH owner of a medieval French château in Ardèche has been charged with illegally operating it as a hotel, police have said.

He is accused of offering 35 rooms to holidaymakers in Château La Tour, near the village of Saint-Pierreville, without the necessary permits or safety checks.

The rooms were advertised on the popular French online classified ads site Le Bon Coin.

Police said about 100 tourists were staying at the château and its 13-berth campsite when it was raided and closed down last week.

The unnamed expat had hired about a dozen staff, who were apparently working “off the books”.

Photo: Gendarmerie Nationale / Twitter

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