chezlasab

Thank you all, I am busy printing off all the replies. One thing concerns me, ckenway says we must register, ok, fine. But if we have to pay the social charges, that will pretty well take care of the income we get from the 2 rooms, over 8 months of the year, before we deduct expenses for advertising! We're not quite pensionable age, do have some income from husband's past business life, but it needs a boost until investment incomes rise some more! But if we have to pay out so much in social charges, then we might as well not bother. Shame, as I ran a little B&B in England as well, and really love the social side of meeting mostly lovely people. Thanks again all, for your time and trouble in trying to help me. BB

Hi Further to the B&B threads, I have now printed off loads to read and study quietly and and still confused by what has come out. 1. Only 2 bedrooms to let - yes I need to register, no I don'T! Which, please? 2. If yes, I have form P2CMB - Declaration de Modification, Personne Physique from the Chambers des Metiers, plus Attestation, Declaration de Non Condamnation & Bulletin de Participation. Is this what I need to complete to apply to register the little business? 3. Who and what is Recette Locales Des Douanes. Is it part of the Impots? 4. What do we have to pay for impots - we had large outgoings for setting up and advertising, therefore not going to make much profit. There has been mention of anything from 43 euros to 2,500 euros! 5. Mensuel payments - this is tax taken monthly, is that right? 6. Micro-bic - is this the right tax regime, and do I read it right that we can claim up to 70% allowances against profit? 7. Read under a reply from Miki that under a certain number of bedrooms, you don't have to register. That is what I understood last year? Someone else says you must register by law, however many rooms you have. Who is correct? 8. Do I presume that 'petite' and 'grand' is a classification depending on how many letting bedrooms you have? All help and replies will be studied carefully, with thanks. BB

Hi Depends where you are - we are in 79, between Parthenay and Bressuire - north Deux-Sevres. If this is any use, email on [email protected] We already run this type of service for a couple of other people. BB

I have not been on the forum for a couple of months, but on today and read with interest the threads about opening a B&B. I would say it is not much use asking the magazines to run an article, because it seems to me that each Departement has different requirements, and therefore the article would be difficult to put together. We had a successful first year, English, French, Dutch and Spanish visitors, which was wonderful. We are still, one year on, trying to sort out where to register. We have been approved by a B&B Association recognised by the French Office de Tourism, so you don't have to tie yourselves to Gites de France for 10 years. Clevacances, well in our Departement they are not much cop, mostly French gites. At a recent meeting with the local Tourism Office we were told there is 'a new law in France which requires everyone not registered with Gites de France to complete an official form (yes, another form!!!) and apply to the Prefecture of the Department who will come out and visit you, measure up your rooms, inspect your kitchen - you must have 2 if you are going to do table d'hote (I thought the idea of that was to eat with the family!) and then, if they decide not to licence you - for 5 years for a fee - and someone inconsiderately dies on you and you have the Sapeur Pompiers and the Gendarmes and they ask to see your licence and you haven't one from the Prefecture, you can be put in prison - this chap is really likeable!! So, it seems to me to depend on the Department - and does anyone know about this new law, because the site of the Chambres des Metiers/Commerce seems not to have heard of it?!! Be interested in comments, input etc. NB - I would hesitate to recommend a newly published book on the subject, because they can only write as per their circumstances, not how it is with every departement in France. Perhaps one B&B from each departement in France should write a book!!

I think the 'swapping recipes' thread here is an excellent idea as we are all trying to maximise our profit on relatively inexpensive but attractive meals for our guests. We are overflowing with mirabelles at the moment - any suggestions for a sweet besides 'tarte'? BB

Can any fishing expert tell me the position with regard to fishing on local lakes. I drive around and see village lakes, and fishermen. Some seem to just turn up and fish and perhaps someone else comes round and collects a fee. Others just seem to fish without paying anything, and then again I have learned about the licence for fishing in the whole department, which means one of us and one guest. We don't fish, but I'd like to know the position for any of our guests who want to fish. Anyone know the answers? Me

Hi Be interested to know where you found your French guests from? And have you had any Dutch? It's our first season here too, although we ran B&B in England, and would like to attract more Continentals. We've had a good summer but, like you, we'd like to attract short break guests in the Autumn. When you say you let the house as a gite, do you mean you let your house, and moved into somewhere else whilst you let? It's an idea I've had too, but wonder what to do about all the personal clothes etc. A bientot B

Are these questions genuine, or just a wind up? If genuine, have you had experience in the B&B and Guest House business before? If so, you would know how to handle these situations. B

Bon Soir Well, really, who would try out recipes they have never done before, on paying guests!!! These people are paying you to provide a decent meal. I trust you gave them a rebate. That is not going to do the reputation of the rest of us B&B people a lot of good! Repeat after me ' I could do better' 10 times a day! B