By getting stuck in themselves, two British families have been able to start making money back on their stately piles in France. Penny Kitchen reports
If you think the grand surroundings of a French chateau might be a little intimidating for a holiday - suits of armour in dark corners and the propriétaire hovering in case you scratch the antiques - think again. The latest holiday trend for families - whether celebrating a wedding, landmark birthday or anniversary, or simply joining forces to split the costs - is to take over a chateau and live like lords and ladies for a week or two. For the cash-strapped chateau owner, a week's high season rental can bring in thousands of pounds with none of the hassle of B&B.
Many owners keep a discreet distance from guests in a separate wing, cottage or even country, leaving you to get on with self-catering in modern, fully-equipped kitchens. The Chateau de Garinche, 50 miles south of Limoges, is left in the capable hands of housekeeperadministrator Elizabeth Jean while owners Nick and Jan Colwyn-Foulkes and their children are in Britain.
The house has the welcoming air of an elegant manoir - it is easy to imagine living here as a family - which indeed they do for four weeks in the summer and two weeks each at Easter and Christmas. It is big enough for three big family groups to share comfortably, but for Jan's birthday they squeezed in 22 people.
The chateau cost about €1 million (£785,000) two years ago. It had undergone considerable basic refurbishment, gaining a heating system, electric hot water and a new roof.
"The seven bathrooms were ghastly colours, and the wallpaper and decorations were of poor quality," says Nick. "I'd say we've spent about €100,000 euros and probably need to spend another €100,000 outside. Maybe the letting income will buy us a tennis court!"
He hopes that one day the rent will cover the €40,000 annual running costs - including Elizabeth's salary - but as long as the family are using the chateau themselves for six prime weeks this is some way off. A week at Garinche starts at £3,905.
"We have tried to think what we could do to get rentals in spring and autumn," says Nick. "The chateau is in a region famous for its truffles, foie gras and fine wines, so we have enlisted the help of an experienced French-speaking London chef, Guy Wooley, to conduct ‘foody' breaks."
Gastronomy also features strongly at another Dordogne chateau. Two and a half years ago, Victoria Heinig and her husband, Ralph, bought the historic but run-down Chateau la Durantaye in the Perigord Vert region for €1.6 million so that Victoria could extend her British-based catering business. After a lot of hard work, the bookings are coming in. This summer there have been reservations for five fully-catered weddings, with plenty of room for 32 guests to sleep. Weekly rates for Durantaye range from £5,830 in low season to £11,793 in peak season.
Victoria's parents, Peter and Christina Holmes, live at the chateau permanently, while Victoria, 34, and her sister Charlotte, 36, have been dividing their time between their catering company in London and the grimy business of restoration.
Victoria admits that the €600,000 restoration took over their lives. To see its beautiful interior today, it is hard to imagine that the property had just one bathroom and one ceiling light when they bought it. Complete rewiring and plumbing was needed, and although the structure of the building was sound, ceilings had to be strengthened before heavy chandeliers could be hung.
Seven luxurious bathrooms followed, but the "guaranteed" two month completion deadline stretched to 18 months and in desperation Victoria brought a plumber over from England to finish the job. Equally time consuming and costly - but more fun - was choosing fabrics and wallpaper and finding antiques to fill and decorate three floors of enormous rooms. They made full use of the internet, and set off with a van to auctions anywhere in Europe when they spotted an appropriate item.
All family members turn their hand to whatever needs doing: older sister Charlotte is as happy laying terracotta floor tiles in the cottage as she is cooking, or restoring the upholstery on an antique chair; mum Christina makes all the curtains, hangs wallpaper, paints and looks after the greenhouse.
Has the family ever had cause to complain about the guests? "Our first rental was disastrous and almost put us off," says Victoria.
"Instead of the eight people who were booked, we think there were about 38. When they left we found condoms all over the house. Windows had been left open so that wallpaper was ruined by rain. I was shocked that anyone would treat a place so badly. But whether you let out a gîte or a chateau, it's a business, and you mustn't get too attached to things. The damage was repairable and all our other guests since have treated the house with respect."
Penny Kitchen, Telegraph, 10/8/08Site Index links: