Im thinking of giving up the gites.

[Nimportequoi]

Oh goodness me, if you provide what people want, there is still plenty of potential for gites. I easily get 7 months holiday bookings a year, but I make an effort to provide facilities that Uk guests expect. There is no way I'd get the same income by doing long term lets. It isn't a question at all of waiting for the phone to ring, Quillan. There are other people apart from you who manage successful businesses in France, we just don't boast about it all the time.

[Quillan]

Well its a bit different down south. People who are up north, a few hours drive from the links to the UK, will predominantly get Brits and aim more for the UK market where as we don't get so many making the 12 hour drive down so its flying for around 90% of the Brits coming down here. Quite expensive if you have a family of 5 or more which is why the big Gites owned by Brits, aimed at Brits, didn't do very well last year. I think you are doing very well to get 7 months of bookings every year, good for you, well done and of course not boasting at all. [;-)]

[Swissie]

What happened in the end?

[dave21478]

they turned up late afternoon on xmas day and that was that.

the lumberjacks have had the large gite on long-term let from november and will take it till at least the end of april.

nothing else happening really - life is still a mostly downwards rollercoaster.

i dont use this forum much any more.

[suein56]

[quote user="dave21478"]i dont use this forum much any more.[/quote]

Perhaps you will have more to relate when things 'warm up' in May.

Sue

[dave21478]

i doubt it. i find the forum has become quite unpleasant due to the same few boorish members deliberately trolling for arguments with their smug superiority oozing out of everything they write.

[domainedesblanchescolombes]

You have just summed up my every fear and I havent even started yet! My first 'gite' season begins on 11th May and I know that everything that you have spoken about will be running through my mind!

I feel that I may be about to turn into the grumpy old woman to your grumpy old man and i'm not even old either!

Can't wait for the ride to begin!

[Swissie]

There are some really nice and friendly people here - I'd suggest you ignore those who get up your nose- it is very easy.

Domainedes...  I wish you all the very best for the season about to start - please tell us how you get on. Bonne chance  Swissie

Your place looks beautiful - would you accept a dog (that sleeps on its own clean bed and with owners who clear up and are responsible- off season)?

[DavyH]

or clean up after themselves?

[domainedesblanchescolombes]

Dogs more than welcome (much more agreeable than some of the children I have come across!)

[Quillan]

Yes I could have been a bit more helpful, just wasn't thinking.

I have found over the years that with the exception of 'Power Shower' which I buy elsewhere that Lidl cleaning products (bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner and kitchen cleaner) are excellent and their spray on stain remover works very well for most marks on sheets. We also use something which is called 'Back to White' in English but I can't remember the name if French about every 6 months on the whites which makes them look like new, you get it most big supermarkets and you add it to a wash.

[Théière]

Usual thing, pilgrimage to Bethlehem gold, frankincense and Myrrh son of God etc etc. [:D]

 

[water rat]

Exactly the same happened here when the 2  entirely unlovable daughters of a belgian family folded up their linen on the day of departure. After they'd gone I found sunny delight -like stains over everything. They spent their days curing boredom by tormenting our 2 patient dogs who unfortunately didn't bite. Now ,when families enquire ,I point out all the dangerous water courses and drops we have. I've spent too many worrying moments with toddlers while their parents are relaxing. So far I seem to be putting them off.

[Gemonimo]

One chambre d'hôte I stayed in had a list of house rules, one of which was 'please do not use the pool at the same time as my husband'[:-))]

[dave21478]

I have not updated this thread in a very long time so thought I would put down a few words....

2010 was a poor season for the gites really. Bookings were not as high as expected and things were quiet generally. My heart was really not in it either, as I had other projects on the go - namely the restaurant. Most of my time was spent elsewhere, and having to be here every Saturday doing the usual was really starting to grate. I have a habit of becoming bored with things after 3 - 4 years...jobs, accomodation....friends even - I just loose interest in things and drift away to something else. This year saw me completely loose interest in the gites. The changeover work, the welcome speech, the same answers to the same questions, the shopping for supplies, the garden - I just couldn't be bothered with it all.

The low bookings were not due to my attitude though, as this season saw me giving up handling the bookings altogether and letting the site owner do it all himself. Other gites in the area reported a quiet season too, not helped by a fairly poor summer.

Things were good while they lasted. Over the previous few years bookings went up from a handful for the high season to lots of bookings thoughout the year. The garden started to mature and a few sensible modifications to the drainage has done away with most of the soggy patches after wet weather. The range of available games and outdoor activities was increased a lot and literally hundreds of families passed their holidays here and the vast, vast majority were extremely happy with the experience, with many coming back in following holiday periods.

But, enough is enough and I explained things to the owner. He took it well enough and we started looking for my replacement, who has been found - A French couple slightly younger than me. They have inherited a farm nearby and plan on staying here, running the gites as well as the farm. I have a few doubts about them, but it is not my problem. For me, I have another project nearby which will keep me busy until the resto opens again at the end of May. The next week or so will be spent packing my stuff and at the end of the month, I hand over the keys and walk away from it all, feeling a lot lighter, I would imagine.

Thanks for reading,

Dave.

[AnOther]

Well it's about time you made your bl00dy mind up, you've been wittering on about it for at least 3 1/2 years [:D][:D][:D]

Best of luck in your future endeavours and thanks for a few laughs with your posts.

[Cendrillon]

Well Dave, another chapter completed and maybe one for the book that I am sure you'll write one day.

I know many of us have enjoyed reading your gites thread  so as the saying goes "thanks for sharing" and I wish you all the best for your next venture.[:)]

[Rabbie]

Just read all this thread. Very amusing. It has however persuaded me that having a gite is not such a good idea

[NuBeginnings]

I must say that I have enjoyed reading this thread.

Love the trial and tribulations, I especially enjoyed the post regarding the Merc that got stuck in the mud after you warned them !

I would have levied a towing out fee ;-)

Please keep posting.