Renovating a Gite in Brittany

As part of running a gite business we get quite a few people asking how it all works, as well as a few email enquires from Google hits on this site. So here is a page of links to useful gite
information sites, and property hunting, life in france and some relevant laws (rules and regulations).

Remember, you can read web pages, buy books, talk to endless people, and dream, but there is nothing like just getting on and doing it. Running gîtes, or chambre d’hôtes, looks idyllic whilst you are on holiday, or sat at home watching yet another TV programme about living the dream, is very hard work, very stressful, and gets even tougher if there is a language and cultural change as well. It is rewarding, but you almost certainly will never become rich, and you may become poor (but happy?).

• What Is A Gite – Basic info
• Creating a Gite – Translation of a French document
• Buy a gite complex – Avoid renovation ?
• French Property & Life Advice – General property buying and living in France information
• French Property Law and Gite Regulations – Good reference material on French Law
• Gites de France – Information on gites
• Cle Vacances – French rental organisation
• Other Countries – Advice on moving to France
• Life in France – Useful French info
• Google is your friend – Just keep searching
• Don’t Move to France – An alternative viewpoint
• Taxing Gites – Article on the tax implications of letting gites
• Gite feasibility – Useful document on creating a gite/chambre d’hote, with example costs, potential income, customer demand, availability of grants etc. in Aveyron, South of France between Languedoc and the Pyrenees.
• Gite Guru – Marketing tips for gite owners

Forums related to France with discussions on Gites, B&B and holidays. The nearer to the top of the list the more often I read them.

• Living France – Useful forum
• Total France – More forums on France
• Lay My Hat – Advice for Rental owners from Rental owners.
• AngloInfo – Life in France, information for people living in France or moving to France.
• British Expats – British Expats French Forum.
• France Pub – France Pub
• France.com – Forums about France from an American perspective
• About France – General France information

These links are provided “as-is” and I have NO connection with anyof the companies or people running the external websites above.

This page always needs more links, so suggestions welcome.