Like many others I expect, we’ve come back from a week in France thinking ‘That B&B lark looks OK, surely we can do it’.

Usually we’ve gone off the idea after a couple of days at home, but this year we’re still really thinking about it.

Anyone done it ?

How did it go ?

Thanks

I’ll let you know in 1 year time.
Moving in April. And a B and B is one of the plans.

Whether it’s in France or the Uk, there will be a number of factors required to make it a success. Obviously location and competition are a couple of important ones. You need to know there is a decent market for it, where you want to buy.

And legislation.

Very different from Gites, hotels etc…

Do you like early starts, every day?

Running a b&b needs to be a sideline business unless you have bottomless pockets to begin with.
I haven’t ever considered myself, just to say that here down south it does seem that the english owned b&bs seem to exist purely to lodge English couples looking for a place to buy and set up…. their own b&b. 😉

Downsides…..you’d be running a B and B. You’d be living in France!

Don’t expect to buy N+1 bikes on the strength of it! Depending on where you are and what accommodation you have you’ll either just about keep the lights on and pay your social charges & tax or make a moderate living. We are just embarking on the odyssey, moving in on the 10th October, we’ll have a 1 bed gite which, on current numbers will keep the lights on and pay the rates etc. The rest of our income will come from other work, savings and pension – we aren’t expecting to retire anytime soon! The French love paperwork, seemingly for its own sake and the need to register with multiple organisations is mind boggling – we are in the midst of it. Having said that, we have wanted to do this for a long time and ultimately, the worst that can happen is we return to the UK skint and embarrassed. If you have dependent children think long and hard – its a big leap – (we don’t). HTH

Different circumstances for us as I already own a big property with a lot of potential to develop some outbuildings.
The town hosts lots of cultural and sports events, some of them 10k people.

French employment laws. A friend who lives in France was ranting at me a few weeks ago about setting up a business and having to pay tax in advance – not sure of the veracity of that, he loves a rant about French business practices.

Cchris2lou, moving back to Millau?

I imagine cashflow would be an issue too. Depending on location you may only have clients for the summer so you need to make enough/have alternative income to last you over the winter.

Yes, moving back after 20 years in Kent.

I will be looking for a full time job but in a very lucky position not to have to worry about accommodation.

And there is a round of the EWS next year.

And there is a round of the EWS next year.

I know 🙂 hoping to be involved one way or another. It’s going to be a great pre-summer holidays weekend

There’s a little uncertainty as you might have to leave the country in 2 years time

Yes me too.

I’m sure they will ask for helpers.

they leave their letters in very odd places

cchris2lou – Member
Yes me too.
I’m sure they will ask for helpers.

this link might be of interest to you

Cool thanks .

I will rejoin the local mtb scene when I go back.
Someone at the local club might even remember me and some friends own bike shops in Millau and Rodez.

@jerseychaz

Thanks. We’ll be in your slipstream ! Only want to keep the lights on for 10 years until the pension kicks in. Then keep going until we drop but at least £150 a week better off. That’s assuming that the whole Brexit thing doesn’t mean I’m escorted out at gunpoint…

As Eu citizens, you currently don’t need a Carte de séjour, but as things move on it may be of benefit to apply for one early
Once they get the wheelbarrow of marbles that is article 50 rolling, you’ll be better with one when handling any official paperasse. Personally, I’m seriously considering naturalisation.

I’m more worried about the pension situation if Brexit happens. I m doing all the paperwork to get my wife and kids registered with French consulate to get un livret de famille.

Do you have to have been married in France for a livret de famille ?

No, but you have to be French and/or have children born in France.
We don’t have one

Running a b+b is bloody hard work with antisocial hours and keeps you fully occupied in the holiday season according to my mate’s sis and her partner who have one in Scotland

Running a b+b is bloody hard work with antisocial hours and keeps you fully occupied in the holiday season

My folks ran a hotel for a few years* so I know how hard that is, I’m hoping something smaller scale might be manageable.

*my mother subsequently maintained that ‘Fawlty Towers’ was a documentary…

The livret de famille should make it easier for the paperwork.

And discount for trains, etc..

I have been working in catering and hospitality for the past 20 years so I know what to expect.

We’ve used quite a few Chambre d’Hôte and small owner run hotels all round the country, the standard is generally quite high (especially for the price) and its not uncommon to be able to book an evening meal. I suppose one angle OP might be to pick a spot popular with Brits and leverage that for bookings. Obvious question is how is your French ? Will be essential for French clients and dealing with the bureaucracy. I suppose the other comment is it’s a decent lifestyle business if you don’t need the money. Holiday lets are fairly common too, oldsr country houses with oitbuildings which have been converted into summer lets, again decent pocket money rather than a living I would say.

As for Brexit I personally foresee zero problems for Brits relocating to France spending money on property amd paying local taxes. They need that.

Anyway good luck, keep us posted. We love Spekie’s thread

Thanks, jambalaya. Could you point me to ‘Spekie’s thread’ ? Struggling to find it.

Mrs fj has a French degree and has worked in France, and my mum was French so although v rusty we’ve got some language…

Spekie’s thread here

We often stay in places from this website, upper/middle price but nice and often in interesting/historic buildings Sawdays

Statement of the obvious but France is a huge and diverse country so picking a location will be facscinating.

OP you may be able to find this programme online or via something like kodi, my wife (French) loves it, its a sort of reality tv show with B&B exchange, a bit of light hearted entertainment rather than hugely informative 🙂

They do have links to the various contestants properties and so e video clips you may be able to see

Bienvenue Chez Nous

Thanks for all that, jambalaya. Setting up a Sawdays type place is the aim, having stayed in a few and seeing what works (and none of them have been perfect).

e.g. we stayed in a old watermill last weekend, the guy was all enthusiastic about the history, I was more interested in the number of acroprops holding it up !

Cool, good luck and keep us in touch

If I was you I would start watching ‘Bienvenue Chez Nous’ to get lots of different viewpoints on what a B and B/ gite: table d’hote should be in France.

On Channel M6 and available on tvreplay.fr

So thats a froggy version channel 4’s offering…..

Thanks, mugsys, for the tvreplay link. That’s tonight sorted.

I think we were chez nous in the chalet in Morzine when it was peeing down. That contributed to the ‘we could do better than that’ feeling.

Spekie’s thread is a horror show but I’m hoping to get something that needs little more than redecoration and a stud wall and extra bathroom or two. (As does everyone else I expect).

What’s air bnb done to the actual bnb trade?

Revived it in many places…….

AirBnB has really hurt smaller cheaper hotels, so badly in Nice they have a bylaw which has shut it down. French are starting to go after AirBnB / owners also for unpaid tourist taxes. Also AirBnB is focused on cities and classic B&B is more “out of town” imo

Barcelona city council have heavy fines (€6000 by all accounts) for air bnb renters that dont register and pay the tourist taxes. It’s not a french thing