How many more ?

[Miki]

Hi All,

I put this posting as an answer to someone in the Legal thread but thought it would be interesting to know what others in the B&B business thought, after what seems to have been a year of mass influx of new people into the B&B or gte business.

I really do have to say that in the last year or so, we have known at least 20 couples come through our place, all of whom wishing to do B&B or gites(we must make it look easy to do and, all we have to do is just open the satchel and let the guests throw the money in, if only!)and I am now seriously wondering just how many more B&B places France can take?

In our area I know of at least 10 new B&B's in the last year and when the new local brochure comes out I expect to find loads more !.

No problems at the moment in high season but, there are not enough guests out of season to go around. I say this in the hope that new people will see, that you will need to take a fair amount of euros, if it is to be your sole source of income.

Five bedrooms (maybe 4 if they are of excellent quality to allow you to increase the nightly price) must be the aim and all ensuite as well, if you are to take sufficient income to survive.

Some members have asked whether or not the market is getting saturated and, I have to say that I am now starting to firmly believe that at the present rate of new Brits opening up B&B's, Gtes etc in certain areas, that the day may come and in the not too distant future.

Miki

[Quillan]

The agent we bought our house through now tells people the market is saturated for Gites in this area, I have also heard (but no proof) of other agencies in other areas saying the same thing.

Q

[Maggiemortimer]

For several years we've taken a few days off when at our house in the Mayenne, and visited different areas, often staying in B&Bs. It is difficult to generalise but our impression is that those owned by British proprietors are far superior to the others. We've recently stayed with Coco, will_the_conqueror, and Marushka, not as B&Bers, but as friends, and the accommodation was superb in each case. If this is the standard that is offered, I would have thought that the French owners will be the ones who have to look to their laurels. We used to find some of the French accommodation fun, because it was so quirky. Now, perhaps because of advancing age(!), we like to have a comfortable bed, and an en-suite bathroom, our days of candlewick bedspreads and swing-out bidets are well past.
I do get the impression that the gite market is nearing saturation, and perhaps the B&B situation will go the same way, but I still feel that if the accommodation is of a sufficiently high quality it will attract bookings and repeat trade.
Maggie

[Deby]

No Going Back has alot to answer for. Whilst I enjoy the programme I really wish the programme makers would highlight that setting up business is very different in France or any other foreign country. They cover the obvious language and cultural issues but what about the legal and finance subjects which form part of the equation? Channel4 need to be rapped on this one!
Deby

[Vinrouge]

What is it with this Forum. I have never experienced such a negative group of people in my entire life. What exactly did you all move to France for. (To escape the British way of life). Well it seems to me that you are all importing the british mentality to France. I know that it is not all a bed of roses and that people make mistakes. But isn't that up to them to make the mistakes, after all it is their lives.
I always detect an air of desperation that people feel that no-one else should be allowed in to there part of France. Well it is a very large country and whatever the thoughts I don't honestly believe that saturation will come. Perhaps there are an awful lot of English moving over to run B&B or Gite busineses, but in a free market economy isn't competition healthy. Oooops perhaps I have just hit on the crux of the comments.

[Gastines]

Thought I'd throw my five eggs in as well. We have been lucky enough to buy a house on route to a noted village of charm.Fortunately, most of the village houses are quite small,the result being we get people from the locality asking us to put up visitors. Further to queries bought up before. Last year we visited the Mairie and said is it OK if we do B&B?.Yes, No problem.Do we need to register with anyone or do anything else.? Only declare income on your tax return.Do we need anything in writing?No.So far we have been to the Hotel DEs Impots,Still waiting. One visit,one e-mail,three phone calls to the Chambre De Commerce, Still waiting. We believe we don't have to register, because of the number of rooms,3 x 2 & 1 X 1, but we are trying to get something in writing to that effect.Even trying to do it right is frustrating but we want to get it right.One further point regarding business 95% of our guests are from mainland Europe, only a few English, and so far all we've had are compliments.Regards.

[ckenway]

Received our Perspectives Magazine yesterday which is given to all households in Aude. There are two very good articles on Tourism in it some of which seems to back up what you are saying.

Sixty six percent of accommodation in Aude is in Gites and Chambres DHote with three percent in Camping and only two percent in Hotels the rest is mad up of activity centres with their own accommodation.

There are some 19M nights available over a year but only 345,000 people come to the area. Campsites during peek season are running at between 30 and 40% capacity. Gites and Chambres DHotes are running at an average of 13.5 weeks per annum.

A tough stance is going to be taken by the Department of Tourism and the Conseil General due to the fact that many Campsites, Gites and Chambres DHote fall well below International standards. Grants will be available for some whilst others where it is no longer economical to renovate will be forced to close.

The Conseil General in joint with the Department of Tourism will be investing heavily in advertising for the area both at home and abroad.

The above is a resume of the article in Perspective No. 119 Feb 2004

Of course the above information is worked on the basis of registered Campsites, Gites and Chambres DHote. So for all those that are thinking of coming here to start a Gite or B&B business think hard before doing so. The area is generally over subscribed and things are going to get tough.

Chris