Hi…In 2005 I acquired a medieval chateau in the Averyon region and opened it as a touristic site. It has been fun and successful. In the last 16 years I was lucky to have two wonderful women working in the admissions building. Both English-speaking French…both pure gold. Now, after 7 years the second one just resigned, so I am reaching out to this community to ask if you may know someone who may be looking for full time employment…4 or 5 days a week, beginning in March. Here is the ad I created, and I thank you so much in advance for any help.
Guest Relations Manager
Chateau Belcastel in the Averyon region is seeking a full-time Guest Relations Manager to start in the 2020 season, March through November. French & English speaking person required with experience in tourism or customer service and some computer savvy.
Responsibilities are:
Booking and giving guided tours
Working a shift in the admissions building and giving brief presentations to visitors.
Selling group tours, admissions tickets and souvenirs in the gift shop.
Handling bookings and breakfasts for guests in the singular tower suite.
Assisting with managing interns who reside in the residence during high season.
Verbally translating French into English, etc. and vice versa.
Assisting with day-to-day operations required for a public touristic site, including opening and closing.
Assisting the project manager and owner/event co-ordinator with with secretarial support and act as liaison, (booking workers & helping with Vernissages, etc.)
Assisting with promotion through press list and social media.
Adhering to professional policies that support team efforts and smooth operations.
Upholding every aspect of the company customer service and security protocol.
I think the visiting team have pulled up stumps, packed their bats, pads, gloves whites and ball-boxes, and caught the bus back to Averyon in a huff.
Pity we made all those egg and cress sandwiches for the tea-break. So we win by an innings, 'cos the visitors declared without scoring after only one ball of Williamson J’s first over. What a corker!
Chateau Belcastel has an accredited internship program which welcomes 3 to 4 University or post-graduate students every summer to reside in the private tower of the chateau for a minimum of ten weeks. Arrival and departure dates are flexible around high season- mid July through mid August, when interns are required to be available, as they are needed the most… They can arrive as early as mid June and stay through mid September.
Interns work five days a week during public hours to welcome visitors, give tours and help to run all aspects of running a tourist site that promotes art and culture. They will be part of an experienced team of professionals and assist with hosting events like gallery receptions, book signings, private functions and concerts. They will have many opportunities to improve verbal and written translation skills, and interact with people from all over the world.
Interns are housed within the medieval fortress in the privatized castle keep. They will have access to common space which includes a picnic area, family living room with wi-fi, the private pool*, kitchen and laundry room. The chateau will provide transportation to and from the train station or airport in Rodez (RDZ). Weekly trips to the market and nearby town are provided, and each intern is given a 100€ stipend weekly .
The summer normally wraps up with an employee party held at the chateau with all the staff; one of the highlights of every summer at Chateau Belcastel!
OMG…first off, Aveyron…Got it. (what a tough crowd…) I love my interns! Normally we have three or four, and they live on the property, sharing space in the keep. They have a large bedroom, small kitchen, dining room and lounge. They have access to the exterior grounds after hours, too. They are required to live at the castle for a minimum of 6 weeks. We pick them up and drop them off at the train station or airport in Rodez, and take them shopping once a week. We pay them 100Euros weekly, and there is a normal “stagier” contract to make it legal. They give guided tours, work in the admissions building and help with computer projects with promotion and social media. And they help with light cleaning. My favorites are the Brits and Australians. I have a contract, liability waiver & policies that they sign. It’s a really good program.
Oh, and even though it is a nightmare to have wifi when stone walls are 1M thick…but we did it. If you haven’s wifi forget interns…you couldn’t pay them enough!
By the way…Does anyone have any ideas where I can post the position for the employee I need to hire? (Help!) I have it in French now… I would put someone up in a little gite in the village for the season…
Secteur d’activité: Tourisme
Chargé des Relations clients
Vous aimez être en contact avec la clientèle, vous aimez
l’histoire de France et les sites historiques de renom, vous avez le sens du
service et de l’accueil, vous êtes organisé et toujours à la recherche du petit
plus qui fait la différence, vous aimez travailler dans une ambiance familiale
et internationale, venez nous rejoindre au Château de Belcastel dans l’Aveyron.
Nous recherchons notre chargé de Relations Clients, à plein temps pour la saison 2020, de mars à novembre.
Il vous faut impérativement parler le français avec un niveau correct en anglais.
Une expérience dans le tourisme ou le service à la clientèle est bien entendu un atout supplémentaire et l’utilisation des outils informatiques ne saurait être ignorée.
Mais votre motivation sera le critère définitif.
Les responsabilités comprennent :
Réserver et donner des visites guidées
Travailler en équipe dans le bâtiment des
admissions et faire de brèves présentations aux visiteurs.
Vendre des visites de groupe, des billets
d’entrée et des souvenirs dans la boutique de cadeaux.
S’occuper des réservations et des
petits-déjeuners de la chambre d’hôtes.
Collaborer avec des stagiaires qui résident
dans le château pendant la haute saison
Suivant votre niveau, traduction verbale du
français vers l’anglais, etc. et vice versa.
Aider aux opérations quotidiennes requises
pour un site touristique public, y compris l’ouverture et la fermeture.
Assister la direction sur différents évenements
Aider à la promotion par le biais de listes
de presse et de médias sociaux.
Respecter tous les aspects du service à la
clientèle et du protocole de sécurité de l’entreprise.
La rémunération sera proportionnelle à l’expérience.
Veuillez communiquer avec Accueil@ChateauBelcastel.com et Heidi@chateaubelcastel.com
Why not go to your local employment office… and the Mairie, Post Office etc etc… ask around to find out who will let you advertise… many supermarkets have “notice boards”…
Thanks. I’m pretty deep in the country…I found a site called the local jobs that people see all over the EU, and I’ve asked a few friends, too. Fingers crossed…
