Golden1951

i am looking at buying a villa in the Gondrin/Condom area known as the Gers, i would for the next few years like to do holiday rentals untill i decide to retire there is it a good area for tourists, and with it being not near beaches do much in the way of rental. I have been to Sarlat and toured the Dordoyne and can say i loved it, any help on this would be great

cyrian

Have you given up on Spain or are you still considering both?
Don't know how it works in Spain, but in France you would need to set up a business regime and comply with local regulations.
You would also need to declare and pay taxes in France on rental income.
The French are tightening up on those who do not operate legal businesses in France.
You would also have to find someone to clean and do exchanges for you.
Is your French up to dealing with this.
I suspect that the Gers is not the best area to find English-speaking locals.
Good luck with your project.

Chatter Static

Dordoyne can't say I have heard of it but Condom is likely to be a little off the beaten track other than folk wanting to get the obvious photo of the village sign. But if there is one thing the French like doing it's holidaying in their own country.

InVinoVeritas

Oh you're on form tonight CS!

Chatter Static

Thanks...

Tweedpipe

Well for sure it's not the beaches that get the folks flocking there. Far more likely it's to get themselves a holiday 'selfie' to show their mates back home.
Example 1.
Example 2

Chatter Static

It may not be the seaside but I'm sure plenty of semen find themselves in rubber dinghies there.

Novocastrian

Newfoundland is one of the best places for smutty community names;

Dildo, Blow me Down and Come by Chance spring immediately to mind.

loy loy

We have several friends in the Condom area and they do very well renting their properties out. Not sure why you would think that. The Gers are very popular and that part is close to many regions. There are loads of beautiful villages to visit, boating, walking, a race track, all sorts to do. You're also only 90 mins from skiing in the winter.

We're selling not far from there

Chatter Static

My post was tongue and cheek hence I closed with the part about the French loving to holiday in France and after spending 10 years in the Midi Pyrenees I'm very aware of what Gers is like we did actually look at a few houses in that direction but settled in a sleepy hamlet in middle earth instead.

But when your in the countryside here you are unlikely to make a sensible income from Gites/holiday rentals unless you pick your location very very well and are constantly pushing for business all the time. So many people come to France thinking that holiday lets and stuff is going to be living the dream and idyllic when in fact it's a lot of work and can leave you on the breadline for large parts of the year. Programmes like a place in the sun have a lot to answer for as far too many people turn up eyes wide shut but spend the first five years thinking things will pick up once they are established and it doesn't.

loy loy

Oh yes, they don't make a living from it, more of a supplement.

Scots in Treignac

Years ago I stayed in a camp site run by a Dutch family at Camp de Florence |near the village of La Romieu just north of Condom.

They were about to embark on a scheme to build bungalows for Brits and Dutch to inhabit during the summer and they would look after the property in the winter.

They might have something for you to stay in whilst you look.