Open a B&B to broaden your horizons

Gîte or chambre d'hôte?

A gîte is not a chambre d'hôte, and vice versa. They are two entities offering different services:

• a gîte (also called meublé de tourisme) is an apartment or house offered for seasonal rental for a variable period. The accommodation consists of bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom facilities. Residents can live in complete autonomy. It is fully equipped, with the exception of household linen, and the owner (who is not necessarily on site) does not provide meals.

• a chambre d'hôteis, as the name suggests, a room in the owner's home, but independent of the owner's residence, rented by the night. As with a hotel, bed linen is provided and breakfast is included.

Put everything on your side

Setting up and running a gîte is no easy task. In addition to good interpersonal skills, a solid sense of hospitality and a dose of organization, there are a number of other points to bear in mind before embarking on your adventure:

• define your project precisely and carry out a market study to find out the purchase price of the property you plan to convert into a gîte, and whether there are other equivalent structures nearby. If there are, find out about the demand for accommodation in the area to assess the feasibility and viability of your project;

• work out your budget (purchase of the property if you don't already own it, insurance, various taxes, cleaning and maintenance costs, water and electricity bills, etc.);

• pay close attention to the location of the gîte. The location should be attractive and tourist-friendly (close to the sea, a ski resort, a well-known tourist site...). Not too far from a town with amenities (shops, etc.);

• pay particular attention to the quality of the accommodation and make sure that your future tenants lack for nothing, that everything is clean and in perfect working order, and that nothing can jeopardize their safety.

Apply for the Gîtes de France® label

By applying for the Gîtes de France® label, you'll benefit from greater visibility and notoriety among your future guests, thanks in particular to:
? the strength of a network with 60 years' experience in the tourism industry. The label is a guarantee of commercial visibility that is competitive with other vacation rental methods;
? the guarantee for customers that they are renting a property that is rigorously and regularly monitored;
? the assurance of meeting the expectations of a clientele that is increasingly demanding and attentive to its quality of life during the vacations;
? the opportunity to benefit from personalized support to help you adapt your accommodation to changes in the market, follow training courses and obtain answers to all your questions, whether legal or tax-related.
As an independent label, Gîtes de France® has its own classification system, comprising 7 chapters (environment/situation/exterior, habitability(environment/situation/exterior, habitability, technical equipment, general equipment, furnishings and equipment per room, services, standing/decoration), defining a range of properties on 5 levels (from 1 to 5 "épis").

Minimum equipment to meet standards

For the comfort of your guests, the gîte must have at least :

• a furnished common room

• a kitchen or kitchenette in the common room, with at least one sink, a stove, a refrigerator, a table and chairs in proportion to the guest capacity, a cupboard and all necessary utensils

• a bathroom with at least one washbasin and one shower

• indoor toilet

• electricity, running drinking water (hot and cold) and a heating system

• one (or more) independent bedroom(s) equipped with a bed and furniture

• washing, drying and ironing facilities.

Play by the rules

Renting a gîte is a rental - a little special, admittedly, but a rental nonetheless - with certain obligations to be met:

• a written rental contract must be signed with each customer, describing the premises rented, the location of the gîte and the rental conditions;

• if ancillary services are provided (bicycle hire, etc.) and a charge is made for them, their price must be displayed;

• a declaration must be made to the town hall (there's just a Cerfa form to fill in). This form does not apply to owners who occasionally rent out their main residence (i.e. the property they occupy for at least 8 months of the year);

• compliance with disabled access standards is not mandatory, unless more than 15 people are accommodated.

In 2020 it's simpler

The French Finance Act for 2020 removes the obligation to register with the Trade and Companies Registry (RCS) in order to qualify as a "loueur en meublé professionnel". The professional nature of the furnished accommodation rental activity is assessed in the light of two other conditions: the annual revenue derived from this activity and its place in relation to the tax household's other income. The fact that registration with the RCS is not taken into account applies to income received or earned since January 1, 2020.

Have the essential qualities to open a gîte

Opening a gîte is a demanding and time-consuming business. You'll need to have a number of qualities, including

• a sense of welcome and hospitality, a love of exchanging and receiving, patience, diplomacy and friendliness (while remaining discreet and keeping your distance so as not to become intrusive)... If you like your peace and quiet and don't fit into these criteria, opening a gîte is not for you;

• know how to sell yourself. At a time when bookings come mainly from the Internet and social networks, it's important to communicate through these channels and to have a site that appeals, with photos and customer testimonials. You should also think about more traditional networks (tourist guides, tourist offices, works councils... not forgetting good old "word-of-mouth", which has already proved its worth);

• be available. Running a gîte means being present and operational almost full-time. Between phone calls to make reservations, arrivals and departures to manage, upkeep of the gîte, small and large repairs... your schedule will be very busy and will leave little room for your own free time. Unless you get help and delegate certain tasks to people you trust. In all cases, you need to know how to keep things separate, and keep your activities as compartmentalized as possible so that they don't encroach on your family and friends;

• be versatile, organized and rigorous. You'll be a switchboard operator, a cleaner, a gardener, a decorator, an accountant, a plumber, an electrician... you name it. In short, a true all-rounder. You'll need to have a keen sense of organization and be able to react quickly to make sure everything is perfect;

• be curious. Your hosts are bound to ask you what there is to see and do in the area. You'll need to play the role of tourist guide or tourist office, and be informed about monuments, markets, festivals, museums, children's activities, hiking trails... that may exist in the area. In fact, don't hesitate to provide your guests with documentation on the subject.

Marie-Christine MENOIRE