Winter Tips for Running a Gîte in France

First published: 24th February 2025 by Carol Paylor

Feature

Winter Tips for Running a Gîte in France

By Carol Paylor

After running La Grue Gîtes for seven years now and starting it from scratch, I have begun to look forward to my winter rhythm. Not only is it a time for seeing friends, enjoying my neighbour Roland’s red wine and having a few tasty raclettes in the warmth of my friend’s distillery, but it’s also a time to take stock, reflect and push the business forward.

Here are my top ten winter tips for running a successful gîte business.

1. Reflect on past successes and areas of growth

Look back at your year – list your successes. What worked for you? How can you build on this success for the coming year?

2. Carry out routine maintenance and improvements

Our winter maintenance schedule used to be a mad rush but now we are more experienced, I love thinking about improvements for next year. Make a list of things you can do to add value and enhance our customers’ experience.

3. Check for breakages or repairs

For example, make sure sets of crockery and cutlery are well-stocked and ready for the next season. Check all equipment is in good working order. During a busy summer season, some smaller details can sometimes get overlooked so now is the time to check thoroughly. Mend that drippy tap!

4. Work through your DIY list

It is the ideal time to fit that new shower or to repaint that wall. Think ahead and block SUFFICIENT time out on your booking calendar. No-one wants a rush-job before the next clients – least of all my husband!

5. Hone your marketing skills

It is time to renew your subscriptions and to evaluate whether it has been money well-spent. Let me give you an example. If you are paying to advertise with say, Gîtes de France, how many bookings has this brought you throughout the year? What else do you get from this partnership? Is it financially viable?

6. Plan a photoshoot

Maybe you have some photos to update? We have made so many changes over the years, the place barely looks the same so do remember to keep your photos current for guests.

7. Give the pool some TLC

It’s wise to keep a check on your pool every couple of weeks especially if you run it over winter like we do without emptying it. Leaves need to be regularly scooped out. Chlore lent topped up and the water level dropped from time to time depending on how much rain we have had.

8. Let in some fresh air

There have been some lovely sunny days and these are the ideal time to fling the doors and shutters open and air these historic buildings. If you haven’t got many guests over winter, or maybe you close, you do need to keep air flow in mind. Otherwise, you may find a foisty smell and damp come Spring. Invest in a dehumidifier and check regularly – especially after or ideally before a rainy spell.

9. Check bed linen and towels

Are your sheets up to the job? Over time, colours can fade and sheets do wear out. So make a list of any required new purchases and source a hotel grade local supplier. Or, why not give your linen store a revamp? It changed my life when hubby built me a linen store. All our sheets are aired, folded and put in the correctly labelled pile. Now when I go to make beds on change-over day, it is so much easier.

10. Restock your supplies

For example, we give all our summer clients a shopping bag to keep – these need ordering and printing. Our soaps, shower gels, cleaning products etc etc. need restocking for the year and we order locally made environmentally friendly products whenever possible – the planet is important to us.

Lastly, don’t forget to communicate these changes to your guests – it’s part of your gîting story and our clients love hearing about our lives here in France.

Bonne continuation!