Different clientele this August in France?

[La Chouette]

I see from the lack of activity here that we're all drowning in room changes!

Before I make a start on the last room (hope no-one wants to sleep in it at the last moment) we've noticed that this August's been the strangest in our 6 seasons here.

Normally we have a fair few French bookings from people staying several days, but this year we've only had one, and the rest of our activity's been people ringing or appearing at the last minute and wrinkling the sheets for one night only. A lot of these guests also seem not to have stayed in chambres d'hôtes before and seem to have little concept that this is our home that their little darlings are intent on wrecking.

Think maybe I've changed too many beds and cleaned too many bathrooms recently!

Jan - drooping in the heat and weary in the Limousin

[pete]

drooping too Jan, very hot here as well and has been for days,

we have had lots of one nighters too in august, but also our share of longer stays, much more of all nationalities this year than last at this time though, and much busier than last year, but that was our first year,

All our guests this weekend are french, and next, and the next apart from one couple who are english,

pete

[TTP mk2]

Although this has only been our first full year, most of our bookings this summer have been for at least 7 nights,most of who have been from Belgium.

We did have an enquiry last Wednesday from a company wanting 2 rooms for 10 nights from that night. I converted that into a week in our gite from today.

We only have2/3 letting rooms but could have filled them 10 times over for the end of July & the first 3 weeks in August.

[The Moles Mother]

Our August looked a bit thin until we had an influx of late bookings. Overall this year we have had less English and more Belgians and Dutch.

Quite a few last minute bookings, including drop ins.

MM

[petitbois]

a broader mix of nationalities this year, our lowest ever guests from UK for August, a few long stay Dutch, Belgians, Australians & lots of French last minute bookings & 1 nighters - many appeared at the gate this weekend, complete with inflatable mattresses - the best was a family of 7 wanting just the 1 room for 1 night - our rooms are perfect for 2 with possibility for lit sup for child, not for sleeping bags & inflatables..........now an empty diary for over 2 weeks - no bookings at all - the first time in 6 years we have no guests for August

[Nessie]

July we had mainly Belgians , one booking for 15 nights and the rest were 7days

August has and are all french bookings , luckly only 2 1 nighters couple of 2 nighters and 1 4 nighter the rest has been made up of 7 to 16 days

No english at all for us this year

must say so far all our guests this year have been a delight

[tansy]

I've also heard from the top end of the market (Chateau) that it's been very thin on the ground for folk staying & having the gourmet meals, fine wines etc. their gites have sold & could have sold them 3 times over but actually in the Chateau not a lot...