Hello, I've just joined

Living in the Charente Maritime I’m a bit biased but I think it offers everything, we’re 45 minutes from the nearest beach, the motorway is 15 minutes away, La Rochelle airport less than an hour with Poitiers and Bordeaux airports one and half hours away plus the weather is second only to the Med.

I agree it is a lovely area, and one we would like to be in. It depends if the right property is available at the right price :slightly_smiling_face: We loved the rolling countryside around Cognac, Riberac and Nanteuil en vallee. The world is our oyster or maybe escargot!

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I live quite close to Nanteuil en Valee but quite a long way from either Cognac or Riberac. I spend a lot of time in the Charente Maritime. If I was looking to set up a business aimed at the holiday market I would have to agree with Tim and look in department 17, as close to the coast as possible. Cognac would be my second choice and Nanteuil a distant last.

Charente-Maritime seems to be a lucky place… :star_struck::sunglasses:

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Yep, Nanteuil is pretty desperate, but there are worse places believe it or not !

You’ve missed my point. Nanteuil is lovely; pretty yes, desperate no, but there is not enough in the local area to encourage hoards of tourists to fill your gites week after week from Easter to October. It’s interesting to compare the different passengers who tend to arrive at Poitiers airport and at La Rochelle/Ré. At Poitiers the majority of holidaymakers are collected by family or friends and whisked off to private homes with a minimum of luggage. At La Rochelle a significant number of the arrivals arrive with hold baggage and leave the airport in taxis heading for rented accommodation. The Atlantic coast is a genuine holiday destination, the western extreme of the Charente Limousine is not.

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Got your point David, I lived near to Nanteuil in the '80s and it’s definitely not touristy material any more than the rest of the central/eastern Charente . The Brits and Dutch saved many of the communes from extinction. It’s a poor area (economically) of France, I didn’t realise how poor until I travelled more extensively through the country. Problem is, I can’t see how the tourist board can hype the area up as there is so little do to do and see unless you are looking for a relaxing stay in a pretty area for example.

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There’s actually talk of the two Charentes become a single department, not sure what’s in it for the Charente Maritime.

I appreciate your comments. I suppose because we like the countryside we didnt think being further inland would be a problem. We don’t want so far in that it creates colder, longer winters. We are also hoping to appeal to the older holiday maker, not targetting families too much if possible. So people that like nature, walks, cycling, pretty villages etc. We want stunning views in a peaceful location, but still easily accessible, up to an hour from airports, for people that want that break away from it all. Are you saying there is no demand for this in those areas?

Stella… why not scour the rental sites, including AirBnB anything … looking through the eyes of a would-be client (who has your taste…)… and see what accommodation on offer and where… and at what price… :upside_down_face::relaxed:

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The problem is Stella most older holiday makers tend to rent away from the peak months of July and August when it’s quieter and cheaper so you income will be less.

Good idea Stella, will do!

Ah, ok Timothy, I understand now!

I know we are not reinventing the wheel, we just hope to find the right way of letting gites for us and work out our customer market. Finding the right niche I suppose.

We will take our time to make sure we find the right property in the right location. We don’t want to be moving around all the time.

Has anyone noticed any particular areas (location, or type of holiday) of growth and where the customers are coming from? Or conversely, places that have become so quiet, with lack of facilities?

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Have to agree with you there Tim, being one of those older folks ( although I still do have all my own teeth, for the moment) we always take our holidays out of season. The reason being no children screaming around, more reasonable prices, less people generally and more choice :slight_smile:

There may be a demand for accommodation in quiet, pretty locations but it’s much less likely to be the sort of demand that will keep you booked up and earning money in the same way that being somewhere that tens of thousands of families want to go will. A friend of mine has a Chambres d’Hotes not far from Nanteuil it generates enough income to pay for enough wood pellets to heat her house in the winter. It certainly wouldn’t provide a living.