46
The changing face of holiday letting over the past 25 years – the change from a GITE to quality Holiday Home
with Kingfisher Holidays:
www.king-fisher.net
GITE. As we all know the French and the Brits love to hate each other but deep down the Brits really love France and the rural way of life in areas such as the Lot Valley (Departments: Lot (46), Tarn et Garonne (82) and Lot et Garonne (47). Also the individual Frenchman and Brit actually do enjoy each other’s company even if they disagree about sport, politics, Europe, cuisine and so on. If one ignores the Cote d’Azur, the Dordogne was perhaps the main and first area to attract the UK letting market – at least for those looking for warmth and sunshine as well as the wine and French way of life and eating!
T Wikipedia defines the word GITE as:
‘The term gîte originally meant quite simply a form of shelter. Technically speaking, to be called a gîte, the owner must live close by in order to provide help, assistance, and a warm welcome to guests. Gîtes are generally old farmworkers' cottages or converted outbuildings and barns within proximity of the owners' principal residence. This type of holiday accommodation is sometimes regarded as 'basic' in terms of facilities.”
25 years ago this business became involved with all things ‘property’ in the Lot Valley and helped to put this area on the map – finding people houses to buy, upgrading or making the properties habitable or and letting them to holiday-makers.
days the properties were often fairly basic or GITE like. However the British increasingly wanted to experience rural France without having to ‘rough it’ and gradually their undoubted requirements have been met. Kingfisher Holidays had created a business that would move with demand and become synonymous with the better quality holiday rental self catering market. Today some 14 years after the founder retired, the business has thrived. Kingfisher Holidays offers over 70 property options, sleeping from 2 to 24 people, all with swimming pools and the majority with the quality now and increasingly demanded by the holidaymaker. More and more owners are offering heated swimming
This was the start of Kingfisher Holidays. In those early
he French were clever many years ago when they introduced a new word to the English – the word
pools, good quality, large beds and good furniture, full English TV, en suite bath/shower rooms and so on.
Over these 25 years Kingfisher Holidays has built strong relationships with a wide variety of tenants. In the past the majority of tenants came from the UK. We are proudest of the fact that over 50% have returned to stay in the area over the years. A strong data base of people who love France and this area is most important, but we have also needed to ensure that new tenants from Europe and the world in general find and book through us. The internet challenge arrived over 10 years ago now and we have concentrated on achieving high visibility (optimisation) on the major search engines.
In this beautiful part of south west France (Cahors to Villeneuve-sur-Lot – Monflanquin/Villereal to Agen/Montauban), Kingfisher Holidays specialises in letting attractive quality properties, all with swimming pools. As you know, the region benefits from a warm sunny climate, making it ideal holiday weather, where customers can relax by the swimming pool in the warm sunshine, dine under the stars, enjoy the famous local wines and visit typically French tree shaded cafés and restaurants.
The company offers properties which are set in beautiful, un-spoilt rolling countryside of gentle hills, valleys, green fields, oak forests, vineyards, farmland and historic hill-top Bastide towns, such as Tournon d’Agenais, Penne d’Agenais, Pujols and Monflanquin. There is a range of interesting activities for all ages
Please mention The Quercy Local when responding to adverts.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64