Lotman

From a personal point of view I have no idea whether 28, 32, 35 or over 40 weeks of holiday bookings is a record or not.And to be honest I don't even care! By the sounds of things based on the comments on other threads about the bookings sofar this year I think these people can think yourselves lucky!!..It would appear that by the departments those who appear to be renting Gites over that many weeks are all in the very North of France and closest to the British ferry crossings.Their secret ! I would'nt have a clue, except that those who make these claims not surprisingly don't publish their websites on their personal details.Thus it is difficult to read the blurb and what they are offering and of course what they are charging per week. Read into that what you may! I cannot comment on other parts of France but here in our part of the Southwest things are a lot different. I had mentioned on another thread of a British couple who we know who have been marketing their Gite since the new year and yet without a single booking!...This part of the woods we must rely on bookings flying in from the UK mainly and those who are prepared to drive the distance.One point I would say the "Gites" that i know of in this area are not grotty cottages with 30 year old cookers and second hand furniture....be they French, Dutch,British or American they are top notch and would qualify as Grand designs with few exceptions. As for "Is this a record", seriously who really cares!!....I have found some very interesting information on this forum and most of those who contribute are well informed and have helpful advise...but do people really want to know if someone has booked 5 weeks or 52 weeks for their cottage? I don't think so it's to much like "blowing your own trumpet". Still there's nothing more stranger than folk!  

[quote user="Quillan"] So unless anyone has any further information that they want to pass on about where she can stay with her dog(s) I guess we can call it quits on the rest of it and as has been proposed earlier retire to the terrace and have a G&T or whatever else your 'poison' is and chill. [/quote] Sounds fair to me!..nothing further to add all has been said...Enjoy your stay in France Kristine, no offence intended.

[quote user="Christine Animal"] "I think you are better off staying with your chums in Southern Spain or put your dog in a kennel the next time you head into France!" How sad that France and those who live here can now be represented by people like that.  Maybe he should keep off that pink stuff. Errr...with repect  to the madam called "Christine Animal" If people who write such crass comments aimed at children just because a B&B owner(s) makes a point of view about allowing dogs to stay, then it is they who should be ashamed. I don't represent anyone other than an opinion just like yourself. We won't allow dogs at our B&B farm for the protection of sheep and ponies and other livestock no matter how well trained the owners claimed their dogs to be...let alone the muck that dogs tend to roll in when out in the fields is totally unexceptable to other non dog guest to suffer....there are those Gites/B&B's that take dogs that's there choice but it's not one for us or I suspect the majority. Oh by the way don't touch the pink stuff...whatever that is!.....But I do enjoy a good brandy after reading some of the threads on this forum!!         [/quote]

" and been told just what british children can do, we also see how badly behaved the little darlings are in the local restaurants.Give me a dog anyday ! No, I don't dislike children, just find most these days are'nt kept in line,I think they would proberbly be better off on a lead and sleeping in the bread oven.!" Just been cruising through the forum subject threads and to be honest cannot believe what was written above!!....Are you serious ?...I assume you don't have children and by your tone you would prefer the company of dogs!!....I really think that suggesting that a child should be treated in this manner you suggest is uncalled for even if it's meant as a joke.I really think there is something very odd about people who love their pets more than another human beings.....for the record we don't allow pets much for the same reasons mentioned on other threads..We have livestock and surprise,surprise a bitch westie who we don't want touched by some old mut! French attitude to dogs excellent....hardly, most French owners just let their dogs do what they want usally on other peoples land...I'm talking personal experience here!!....I think you are better off staying with your chums in Southern Spain or put your dog in a kennel the next time you head into France!    

Sorry to sound negative but there are a awful lot of keen Carp fisherman doing just what you propose to do in Northern France...I am myself a keen Carp fisherman and regularly attend private fisheries and fishing the Lot River (46).Actually looked at buying a 1 acre carp lake on the Dordogne/Limoges border at one stage.Look at any of the main Fishing mags back in Britain and you will see loads of Carp fishing holidays being advertised even as far down into Spain.I wish you well if you go ahead.You will need to know fishery management and stocking rates etc...I have a french friend who breeds Carp(Common and mirror) along with Grass carp and others breeds and manages two lakes and it's very hard work for very modest returns....

I'm going to be controversial about this, so you can all shout at once. Although I'm not an owner of gites/chambres d'hote, I have been a customer many times and also have quite a bit of experience in the travel industry. As an example, we're coming down early June to do some work on our house, but thought that it might be nice to have a week's actual holiday afterwards. Money's tight (isn't it always?) but we thought that in the quiet season we might have a chance of picking up a bargain, particularly at short notice and only being two people. Our budget was £250 and I started off looking at Holiday Rentals. When I searched for availability there were over 200 properties available; when I put in a price cap of £250 that went down to 20. This is with only about 3 weeks to go. That sounds to me like there are going to be a lot of empty properties that week! We eventually booked with someone who was selling through Ebay and got a half price bargain at £140. Don't think it's Controversial but a word of caution on Bargin deals! The saying "you get what you pay for" holds good.Looking at a Holiday rental with a 250 GBP limit is cheap even for June.In fact from our experience June normally is a good month of the year and therefore we charge a mid-season room rate, likewise with our Gite.Much for the reasons mentioned by others on this thread, quieter, not so hot, less traffic etc etc. I suspect that the reason that there were so many properties available at over the 250 budget is that most are owned by British residents living and working in the UK and therefore rentals are a bonus and not seen as part of an income,hence the higher rates. I don't know about the merits of holiday lets on Ebay but you certainly got a bargin in 140 GBP for a weeks holiday...I hope the accomodation is to your liking as from personal experience we found a "Bargin" deal when we were searching for property here in France.Very cheap...but as I mentioned "you get what you pay for" this property had a large crack on the wall floor to ceiling, bedroom door that only shut when locked, WC that you couldn't sit straight on!....window that was difficult to open and bathroom door that would only shut if you didn't stand at the wash basin.To top off  generally unclean!!....Oh nearly forgot no proper parking and in the middle of no where!! None of which we could have known about or reading the advert....surprisingly we never went back!....Hope your bargin is ok. The point I'm making is that price is not the sole factor.Gites/B&B's cannot be viewed in the same light as cheap Air fares.Like most B&B/Gite owners we tweak our prices and marketing....discounts for long stays...special discounts for anniversaries or discount packages on minimum stays of four nights or more etc...everyone has there own ideas but at the end of the day we're here to do business.I noticed that you have a home here in France!....rather curious as to weather you intend to let the property...Bargin prices maybe??

As we run a Chambre d"Hote in the Lot, like most others who run CdH in  France maintaining booking calendars on all advertised websites would nearly be a full time occupation...bearing in mine that most bookings are usually 3/4 nights and seldom beyond a week.Most websites that we advertise on (around 18 in all) don't seem to cater for CdH calendar bookings.The majority seem  geared up for weekly lets for Gites/Holiday homes, Just booking out 2 nights out of a week would normally mean taking the whole week out on many of the website booking calendars.Can't comment on Visit France as we don't use them.Understand your predicament as we have found the same problem on other advertising sites. I suspect most owners of rental property whether they live in France or Britain just can't be bothered or simply forget!....when people block out dates this could mean that family and friends are over or that they themselves are away, not necessary that they are having a good season or just kidding themselves! We keep a few advertising site calendars up to date but that is because we get reminders!....have to say that we do recommend those looking to book a room to e-mail or telephone us for updates on room availability and it seems to work!  If  your concerned about who's getting what on the bookings spare a thought on a British couple who have a Gite in the next valley to us and have yet to secure a single booking this year to my knowledge!

Simple answer...contact Holday Rentals are ask them for an explanation!.....failing that ditch them asap!.....Whether there are bogus enquiries or not, there are scores of Websites out there who want your money and know that the Internet is by far the largest mass media for advertising. Don't know about Holiday rentals but there are a few of these outfits that are based in someones Living room and promoting your Gite/Holiday home is a part time money spinner. Check them out before you sign up....see if they feature on the first page listings on the major search engines....check their Business address and check the number of listings being advertised and locations they cover.And finally check with others who they find helpful and bring in bookings.If they offer "free" listings can mean keeping your advertising budget down but by no means you will get bookings either. Bottom line is "If they ain't working change them".... Thought of the day.....If  June bookings are down....Blame the World Cup!!!!...    

Sounds a familiar story where best to advertise.....as a Chambre d'Hote we have two stand alone websites, a further website on the delights on Southwest France which is linked to our main website and advertise in 18 other sites both here in France,Britain and Good ole U.S.A....really need to see what sites top the first page on the major search engines...Google..Yahoo etc..you will then see a pattern emerge on these "hits" and these are usally the advertising sites pulling in the enquires...but be warned your style, website, content, pictures and prices need to be fine tuned to get people to make contact.These days you have to work hard to get a booking if anyone tells you different they really don't have a clue and best to ignore them!  Other threads past have mentioned Frenchconnections.co.uk.....have to say that we too have not had a single enquiry as this was are first year to advertise with them....we won't be renewing our advert for 2007....just a personal view!    

I would also say you are right (robotpierre) about Brits and others buying Holiday homes and using for holiday rental in recent years....In our area of the Lot (46) the Brits and Dutch have a growing slice of the local Housing market and use these properties as holiday rentals for at least six months of the year.Holiday lets are seen as good investment and in our area property is expected to rise for the next few years,whatever happens in the rest of France. Not surprising then that with a growing Holiday home rental market expanding then the slice of cake for those with Gites/Chambre d'Hotes will see a decline in bookings etc.Hence the need to be on top of the game and fine tune marketing and offer better USP's then the competition down the road. As for Brits Buying and renting out these homes who can blame them when they see their Pensions down the drain!...Thanks Tony ! 

Concur with "mikejan" the age of last minute bookings are here...so is the range of cheap airfares which give people a far wider choice in locations throughout Europe.Don't agree that there are too many people doing Gites/Chambre d'Hote...in our area there are few hotels and a growing tourist market. I think it's not about price cuting but being good at networking, excellent PR and wide range of advertising. Those who fail to market themselves and  not offer par excellence will go to the wall..... We have had a steady start to the year but like "Smily" found April rather quiet....whether the CPU protest put off brits coming over or the fact that more people than ever are in serious debt in Blair's Britain could count for an uncertain summer.  

Hi Are you the same person as "John Arnold Stewert" on www.Ourinns.org ....as at the bottom of the website page? I have looked at the site and found page errors on each of the regions of France. Are you aware of the problem or is there no one advertising!!

Hello Icebird Not sure that you still intend at looking at starting a B&B in France but one thing is for sure do your groundwork before you jump in the deep end! We run a Chambre d"hote in a 150 year old former Lot Farmhouse with nearly sixteen acres of pasture and woods.In fact we are a Smallholding.Since we brought off English who had been in residence some 16 years little had been done in recent years to improve and restore the character of the House and Barns.To date we have spent well over 60,000 euro's much on improvements over a nine month period and will spend another 20,000 until it is the way we want it! All this on a 400.000 euro farmhouse which is paid for. In addition in our area the purchaser pays the Agents commission in our case some 20,000 euros and by the time you take into account the Notaires fees and the French Government's cut that was another 21,500 euro's. French tradesman very in profession and if you can get them to turn up on the day agreed you will be doing well!...nothing new there...Frankly you have to argue the toss on many quotes....but then I'm half french myself!...otherwise our experience is you pay through the nose.I don't know about the "Black" trade that is rife but if you are by yourself you better be good at plumbing, carpentry, stonemason etc and a general jack of all trades!! Negative comments...perhaps...but honest, far to many British/Dutch/Americans come here to France and think they can do what they like to properties and think Gites or Chambre d'Hote an easy option and rich pickings....it is not...it is very expensive and hard work....and that is with two of us working 24/7 sometimes 16 hours a day when working on rooms and guest with evening meals etc!....Run a B&B in France by yourself....best of luck you will need it!!   

Well you are not alone!....we run a Chambre d'Hote near the Lot Valley and over the past few months have been receiving a regular number of scams through our e-mail. Some have come through the normal booking enquiries that we run online adverts and has prompted us to write and complain.Unfortunately if these criminals and that's what they are, have your e-mail address it is very hard to block them. We have through our website administration created a filter that will cut down these scam makers but nothing is perfect! We do have two address that you can report scams too.One the IC3 the other the Internet crime section of the F.B.I that has the latest list of scam attempts.Like yourself we have had a group of guest via spoof address in Holland asking to pay in U.S.$ and with over payment being sent to us and we in turn being asked to send the difference to a Western Union transfer account....others have been from Canada...Lottery winnings...Ohio...Security deposit account...Spain...Lottery winnings...Italy...."Please help my family"....California....Nigerian Princess needs to transfer funds back home...so on and so on....all deleted.Many are easy spotted as they have very poor spelling or odd names often back to front such as "Clark Peter" etc. Perhaps the worse are from someone claiming to be Morgan Chase Bank asking account security detail checks and requesting account info and likewise with Paypal !!....both e-mails do read and look convincing but are known scams....so be warned...don't give any acount details away over the internet unless you are 100% sure they are genuine. Would be interested to hear from any other forum members, particulary in business if they too have experienced these types of scam.