The Gîte Podcast

Hello fellow gîters! We've all heard horror stories about people being refused a visa to work and live in France, but is it really that difficult?
I talk to Virginie La Baler from OUI Immigration, who has been working in this field for 16 years.
It's super interesting to hear about it from an expert!
https://oui-immigration.com/
https://www.giteguru.com/
https://lemasdordogne.com/

Hello fellow gîters! Sally and her daughter Bel invited me to Maison Rose in the Tarn and Garonne to discuss what it's really like to run a gîte in France when you live in the UK.
Their family has owned the property for 40 years, and is filled with art from family members (Sally is Winston Churchill's great niece) and with fabrics from Sally's career in interior design. 
As usual, we discuss revenue, costs, guests and everything inbetween!
https://www.maison-rose.com/
https://www.giteguru.com/https://lemasdordogne.com/

Hello fellow gîters! Annette from Rural Gîtes tells us about the different forms her property has taken over the past 22 years, and what the future holds. 

Hello fellow gîters! Today we talk to Helen and Kevin from Maison Palissy about running a gîte in retirement. They share insights into living in France, which they've done for years, and balancing the business, the guest experience and their own privacy. 
This discussion offers valuable advice for those navigating the hospitality industry and considering a moving to france journey.
https://www.maisonpalissy.com/
https://www.giteguru.com/https://lemasdordogne.com/

You want to move to France and open a gîte (holiday home), so you start property hunting - and you might be surprised by how difficult it can be, especially when searching online. 
I talk to Rose Caldwell, an estate agent working in Issigeac in the Dordogne, to find out why it can be such a struggle to find properties and what tips she has to make it easier. 
She also talks us through the process of buying a house, which protects the buyer when compared to other countries. 
I'm sure that this will help those of you wanting to buy in France - and if you're looking in the Dordogne, then get in touch with Rose!
Rose Caldwell - Agence Immobilière Valadié https://www.instagram.com/maisonsissigeac/Email: rose@valadie-immobilier.com
https://www.giteguru.com/https://lemasdordogne.com/

You hope for a smooth season for your gîte (holiday accommodation) in France, but what happens when one thing after another goes wrong? How do you cope with challenging guests, swarming bees, arguments with your insurance and difficult guests. 
Unfortunately, that's the reality Neil and David faced this year with their gîte Domaine de la Banne near Belvès in France. 
We talk about their revenue, occupancy, costs, trust, safety and working and living as a couple. 
https://www.labanne.fr/
https://www.giteguru.com/https://lemasdordogne.com/

A live Q&A session gets the juices flowing, not knowing what people are going to ask about gîtes (holiday homes) in France! 
We talk about being bullied by the big websites, the pitfalls of renovations, pool considerations and much more. So if you're an expat wanting to move to France, or you've already set up a small business here, there's lots of gîte information here to get your teeth into. 
Thanks to Ben from Ibanista for moderating the session. Ibanista helps you with your move to France, like with long-term rentals, utility setup, and currency transfers.
https://www.ibanista.com/
https://www.giteguru.com/https://lemasdordogne.com/

Tracy and David wanted to move to Spain and open a B&B, but instead they remained in the UK and bought a gîte in France! That was in 2005, and they have built up a successful gîte business and a boutique agency representing other gîtes. 
We discuss the changes that Tracy has seen in the past 21 years, from the dominance of the platforms, to guests' expectations changing. 
Wow factors feature, as well as the challenge of Covid. 
https://www.holidaycottagesandvillas.com/https://www.holidaycottagesandvillas.com/property/france/la-maison-montignac/
https://www.giteguru.com/https://lemasdordogne.com/

Natasha and Tony bought a large property in the Dordogne in 2024, the majority of which was just a shell. They opened 2 small gîtes whist renovating the rest, which they hope to open in 2026.
We talk about doing the renovations yourselves, getting discounts on building materials, their social life, who their guests are, and what they think of their new life in France - which you will be able to watch on TV next year!
I loved the fact that they were also so honest about the challenge living and working together in a new country, and what that has meant for their relationship.
https://latrilogiedor.com/
https://www.giteguru.com/
https://lemasdordogne.com/

Sven and Sandra bought a house in the Dordogne as a second home, but soon hit upon the idea of running it as a gîte when they're not there. But does it still feel like a home now?!
We talk about costs vs. investments, tv crews staying, joining the hunt, doing your own renovations, being the same target group as your guests, and how much money they made this year. 
Sven and Sandra has also given up their jobs to open more businesses connected to their gîte. 
https://maisonsaintblaise.com/https://sandmarkers.com/gite/
https://www.giteguru.com/https://lemasdordogne.com/