limousin - what do you think?

[jim the drummer]

Has anybody any thoughts regarding Limousin as a prospective region to set up a gite/chambres d'hotes business? I know it's becoming a cliche but humour me I appreciate that there is wide diversity of landscape within the region and we will be careful to chose a property that has visual appeal and a good situation. Has anyone any experience of how popular this area is as a tourist destination and is there an over supply of accommodation with relation to visitor numbers?  Also where can I find raw data regarding visitor numbers and occupancy rates for this or any other region in france.

thanks for your time and help,

Jim

[Blackadder<IMG src="http:forums.livingfrance.comimagesline.gif"><BR>Blackadder<BR>Keighley and Creuse]

Sorry to put a dampener on plans but a venture like this now needs a massive amount of prior investigation....as you are obviously doing but also a load of luck.

We have an old barn in the region and there are loads of Gites/hotels/chambre d'hotes around.

I still think there is a market for somewhere 'special' but market research is the key. For example doing a well priced b and b catering for motorcyclists, advertising in the British/French/German Motorcycle press....having a few routes mapped out, a pool being just about essential, a big garage/barn with secure storage/pressure washer and a few tools to hand......get my drift?

The little extras mean that you'd get word of mouth bookings and people coming back year on year. The region is fantastic for loads of pursuits....walking/cycling/mountain biking/ 4 x 4 off roading, motorcycling....I know these things are perhaps 'bloke based' but as both a cyclist and motorcyclist the extra special stuff would make a differance. There is a lot of money being spent by people on holidays and over the past few years with the advent of the internet, people are organising their own and want more than laying on a beach etc.

Ask all your family/friends/neighbours what they would look for in a b and b or hotel/gite and perhaps do a 'questionaire'?You will have some idea of what folk want. Summers are hot in the region and a pool will help you with custom (all IMHO)

Its a fantastic area and there is massive room for future investment for the right pursuits.

Best of luck...perhaps ask people on here for starters......

[jim the drummer]

Thanks Blackadder, we were intending to follow the "value added" route offering speciality breaks and trying to maximise on the natural appeal of the region, more or less along the lines you suggest. 

[Lachouette]

We have chambre d'hôtes in the Limousin and during the 'high' season are sent questionnaires about our room occupancy by the regional tourist office.  In return, we get the stats back in the form of a newsletter every couple of months.

We attended a local tourist office AGM last May and heard that the average room occupancy in either these parts (Pays de Monts et Barrages) and/or the Haute Vienne (sorry, can't remember which) is only an average of 90 nights a year.

Jan

[Fantine<br><br><br><br>Susie]

Tonights episode of A Place In The Sun is from the Limousin region, if you're interested.

[lizzy h]

hello there,

I run a bed and breakfast in the HAUTE VIENNE  area,

we have run it for about a year and have done really well, we are in an area with not alot of b and bs and on a tourist trail, however most of the people are house hunters, we get tourists in the summer months I agree with the last poster, you do need a pool, so we got one built, as alot of people turned us down last year cos we had no pool, I also think you need alot of inital investment to get the place up to scratch for the market, a website also helps immensly and you def cannot survive on only the bandb income, the winter months you need another income ,as the market is just to unreliable to rely on it alone.

i hope it works out for you

liz x

www.holidaybandb-limousin.com

 

[jim the drummer]

We saw the Place in the Sun prog, it certainly showed the region in a good light.  We will only have the funds from the sale of our UK house and I am concerned that with the interest being generated we will be priced out before we have a chance to find somewhere.  Regarding additional income, I hold an HGV licence and people seem to think I play the drums pretty well ( 30 years pro & semi pro) has any body any thoughts if this will do the trick in the area.  e.g is there a live music scene and are there any hauliers I might pick up some casual work from

[lizzy h]

to Jim the drummer, You can only try,

what have you got to lose?

We all came here with lots of fears,  and we all did it, and I can say its for the better, whether it has worked out, or whether it has been a disaster for some of us, but in the end of the day we did it and theres only us to blame if it went wrong, because at the end of the day we made the chioce, and you should also , because we did and nothing at the time would put us off!

 

At the end of the day its a good adventure, but make sure if theres kids involved they recieve a good education and a better life cos thats whats important!

cheers

liz x

[jim the drummer]

Hi Lizzy,  thanks for that, yes there are kids involved, (boys, 5 & 12) and one of the reasons for doing this is to give them a broader european perspective and a better education in a society that is not swamped by corporate america.  Being somewhere stunningly rural would be nice too.  On the b&b / Gîtes front we perhaps have an advantage over some of the hordes of wannabes, I have in the not too recent past owned and run a successful music pub with accommodation and food and I am looking forward to creating a welcoming ambiance for our guests. Its still scary though. But then it wouldn't be half as much fun if it wasn't.

[GRT17]

Re. limousin:

Just a few comments:

Do look at the area in the winter.

Summer tourists there will be but do tourists visit the area in the off season?

Apart from the large towns like Lomoges I think there is high unemployment and this could be why properties in the area are still relatively cheap.

Re. "Place in the Sun"

The views were spectacular on a sunny day. I agree they did well on price BUT those properites they purchased will take a long time to renovate so no income for a quite a while from the B&B. The artists house they planned to live in had no sanitation and no electricity. Costs and comfort spring to mind.

Anyway, good luck and I hope it will work for you.

Gill

[Kent]

[quote]Re. limousin: Just a few comments: Do look at the area in the winter. Summer tourists there will be but do tourists visit the area in the off season? Apart from the large towns like Lomoges I thin...[/quote]

I have to agree with your comments Gill. I also wondered how he intended to run a B&B without staying on site - I thought his guests might find that a little odd!

[Blackadder<IMG src="http:forums.livingfrance.comimagesline.gif"><BR>Blackadder<BR>Keighley and Creuse]

Jim, just a thought.....'cut price basic work breaks' how about that as a winter push for your accom?? If there are loads of people buying and renovating, what they (my family included, we rented a gite close to the barn last Oct half term) need is cheap, warm accom with a shower, breakfast and a nice evening meal...maybe sandwiches made so the guests can go off at 9 to do work on their properties, come back at 6 to a hot shower/bath and a nice meal??? Just a thought.

You're obviously wise enough to know that if prices riase by 10% a year and you can save at the equivalent rate of say 5% a year...the figures don't tally (a fact that seems to escape some people who are 'going to spend a nother year saving up'!!!!)

Dependant on where you're property is, it could be close enough to either Mont Dore or Super Besse ski areas. These are great small very french resorts overlooked by the Brits but that could be accessible and (cheaper than the alps) a viable 'all in package' incl db and b and transport to and from the slopes???

Willing you on to succeed here.

Dave

[GRT17]

If you've not already done so, do read the replies to "Moving to the Limousin" on the Central France forum. Those who know it well seem to give some very sound comments.

all the best

Gill