Happy Birthday Eco-Gites of Lenault

Posted by Rosie

Three years ago today we welcomed our first guests to the gite.  It had been a slog to convert an old hay barn into something worthy enough to be called a gite and as is so often seen in TV renovation projects we cut it VERY fine.  The picture on the left was taken the day BEFORE we opened and the one on the right about an hour before our guests were due to arrive at 4pm!  In fact I only closed the gite door at 10 to 4 having added a few finishing touches leaving just a few minutes to gather my breath before we heard a car pull up on the front drive. 

16th and 17th July 2010

Our first guests were the lovely Hoestra family from Holland who were kind enough to say they didn't notice the big chunk of stairs we had missed staining and varnishing!  They had found out about us from this blog and we are very grateful in their faith that we would have a gite ready on their arrival.  Having a date to work to really spurred us on and I fear without that arrival date looming large over us we may not have got things finished until much later.

When we set ourselves this project of opening a gite in Normandy we really didn't know what to expect both in terms of actually getting it done and whether we would get any visitors.  Simon has proven beyond all doubt that he can build a gite and since that day back in July 2010 we have welcomed guests from all over the world.  Some have already come back several times and many say they want to return.  There has rarely been a month without some-one staying and so I think I can say that we are doing something right!  Being children friendly has been a huge selling point - the play area had lured many a family here as well as our animals and all the kit we supply in the gite for babies, toddlers and children. 

However it is not just families who have visited - we have had many couples come and enjoy the peace and quiet and last week we welcomed our oldest (to date) visitor.  Fred, a friend of Simon's Mum is a mere 89 years young and has wanted to visit ever since we opened.  This year he finally got his wish and came with his daughter, son-in-law and grand-daughter.  I will however save more of Fred for another blog as today is all about the gite.

What the next 3 years will hold here at Eco-Gite of Lenault is anyone's guess.  We have our first Christmas guests this year (although New Year is still free is anyone is interested!) and we already have a booking for 2014.  We would love to add to the list of counties from where our guests live - it currently stands at 12.  We hope to welcome back more familiar faces and look forward to meeting ones.

As I said just now, we really had no idea if we could make a go of a gite in Normandy, especially with so many others to compete with.  We would therefore just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has booked a holiday here and helped make it the success that it has been.  Merci to all of you!!

Happy 3rd birthday Eco-Gites of Lenault and here's looking forward to the next 3 years.