Gites de France Grants

[Latron]

Does anyone have any experience of getting grants from Gites de France to do up properties to then let out as gites.

Can you actually do this? How much is the grant worth? Would we be better off funding the renovations ourselves so we won't be tied to GdF for years ahead? Advice please!

Latron

[Patmobile]

Yes, we did it and received a total of 12,000€. 8,000€ for a large gite (6+ persons) and 4,000€ for a 4 person one.

It took some time, and it was important not to start any actual work on site until the application had been submitted, and permission sought and given for work to commence, pending a decision. So, first advice, get your dossier together and apply, but do nothing on site at all.

If you are considering applying for a grant, get the useful booklet from Gite de France which details all the ways in which a gite needs to comply in order to be classified by GdF. You need to study this carefully at the planning stage to make sure you don't make mistakes that could rule you out, or be expensive to change later. For instance, bedrooms for 2 people need to be 9sq.m. minimum, WC's need to be separated from bathrooms, living areas must meet or exceed minimum space requirements for the number of people expected to be accommodated, showers must be tiled, not plastic prefab units.

If you get these things wrong, you might do all the work of applying, waiting in hope, building the gite, and then find it won't be accepted - therefore no grant will be paid - unless you make expensive modificaions.

Once you've been offered and accepted the grant you are required to join, and remain members of GdF for 10 years, otherwise all or part of the grant may be re-payable, depending on how long you do stay in.

I really enjoyed creating our gites and felt a great sense of achievement when I successfully jumped through every hoop and got the cheque. Apart from that, being a member of GdF keeps you in touch with other members, and with news about tourism initiatives, etc.

I forgot to mention, check with your local branch of GdF to make sure that grants are available in your area first, and what sort of properties they want to encourage. For instance, in our area you can get a grant on a country property, especially if it's in certain regions they want to develop, but not if it's by the seaside or within 10 kilometers or so of the coast.

There's much more, but those are your first steps, and I would be happy to offer any advice you might need if you decide to go ahead.

Good Luck, whatever,

Patrick

[Latron]

Thanks for that comprehensive reply. maybe I'll get in touch for more advice in the future!

latron