It is one of the big winners of a 2023 summer tourist season which is nevertheless heavily disrupted by alternations of rain and heat waves. And its name should surprise you if, like many uninitiated people, you stick to it without really knowing why an “old-fashioned” network label. THE Gîtes de France are showing a cumulative occupancy rate this summer that is up compared to last year, including since September. Almost an achievement when we know that the 2022 season was exceptional for French tourism. Hoteliers and campsite managers have not managed to repeat such a performance. “We are obviously delighted with the trend,” rejoices Solange Escure, general director of Gîtes de France. This is confirmation of the appeal of our brand which occupies a special place in France. »
Created almost 70 years ago, the Gîtes de France network today brings together 52,000 accommodations, mainly furniture and guest rooms in private homes. Present throughout the country, it is however in the countryside that the brand, also known as “rural gîtes”, is most established. “We opened up to the city around twenty years ago but rural is our historical positioning,” confirms Solange Escure. An undeniable asset since Covid and the increased interest in “landscapes, calm, going green”.
The average stay is approximately 8 days. The customers are “mainly families with children” but “we are seeing more and more young couples coming,” notes Solange Escure. “The clientele has become considerably younger over the last 10 years. When I started, it wasn’t really that, most of the customers were over 50 years old,” recalls Luc Morisson, owner of a gîte in Port-Saint-Père, south of Nantes, since 2002.
“There are never any bad surprises”
But what is so popular about Gîtes de France, at a time when the Airbnb, Booking and other Abritel platforms are also full of furnished rentals of all kinds? The brand director insists on “personalized welcome”. “You won’t find a key box with us. There is always an owner who welcomes you, shows you around, shares his territory or his passion with you. » “Welcoming people is the basis,” confirms Luc Morisson. I like to chat and answer questions. It’s much nicer than changing the sheets! “.
Christelle, 41, has booked “at least five gîtes” in recent years. “For me, the most important thing is reliability,” she judges. We are never disappointed with the quality, there are no bad surprises and, if there is a problem, it happened to me after a storm in Brittany, we are sure to have someone to help us quickly. » Owners must actually meet precise specifications to obtain the “Gîtes de France” label and the checks are then “regular”. “When things are not going well, we make a list of what needs to be improved. We also sometimes refuse accommodation,” says Solange Escure.
Late cancellations are rare
Hélène, 47, a customer from Occitanie, mentions another argument in favor of the network: “value for money”. “I am used to comparing with other platforms and it is often more interesting with Gîtes de France. The commissions are lower,” she believes. The average cost of a reservation is 954 euros in summer, which drops to 649 euros the rest of the year, according to management.
For all these reasons, the clientele of rural lodges would be more “loyal” than elsewhere. This would make it possible to avoid late cancellations, as happened for example to many tourist accommodation providers at the beginning of August due to the weather. “In 20 years, I have never been faced with a last minute cancellation,” assures Luc Morisson.
A little over 40,000 owners are now members of the Gîtes de France network, for an annual fee of 300 euros. “Before the health crisis, we were asking ourselves questions for the future, given the strong competition from online platforms,” recalls Solange Escure. It’s better today. The objective is to continue to develop while remaining demanding on quality. »