Dordogne Gite Business For Sale

Business description

What's for sale?

- a 19 acre estate in central Dordogne: a former farm with three main buildings
- Gite 1: a large, stone built Dordogne house of 240m², with 5 bedrooms, 2 reception, large farm fitted kitchen, 4 bathrooms, utility room, terrace, patio, private 10x8-metre secure, walled swimming pool, cellar. Electric heating, open fireplaces, wood-burning stove.
- Gite 2: solid stone built house of 245m², with farm kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 very large reception rooms equipped with French windows, library mezzanine, patio and 12x8 metre secure, private pool. Both oil-fired and wood-pellet central heating.
- Cottage of 95m²: at present used as owner's dwelling: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room and patio .... and, in the basement (45m²): laundry room, spacious office, wine cellar.

- two garages, two car ports
- games room
- storage cellar
- secure room (re-enforced steel doors)
- 190m² barn
- summer kitchen - spacious 45m² with barbecue
- 3.2 hectares of mixed woodland
- 3 hectares of meadow
- 1 hectare of Douglas Fir and Poplar (15 years old)
- play area with sandpit, swings, slide, playhouse, badminton/volleyball pitch

This is the architype of a Dordogne estate: discreet, luxurious and well appointed. A few hundred metres out of a typical Périgourdine village and one is in a world of quiet comfort, tranquility and 'away from it all'. But make no mistake: this is a business for sale, a going concern which brings in a tidy 50,000 euro a year for 15 weeks work.

The photographs begin to give an idea of what already exists: the two marvellous gîtes with their authentique charm and refined luxury, the cheerful cottage, the pools and the outhouses. But they don't show the potential: the 190m² surface area of the stone barn is crying out for a spectacular transformation: three ensuite B&B rooms overlooking the courtyard? A gallery? A restaurant? A third gîte with duplex rooms and balcony? Even keeping just the existing arrangement but cranking up the marketing could double the present income.

The grounds are disposed as to protect the houses: woods between the house and the road, meadows and orchards near the house and a wild wood for mushrooms, blackberries and animals. A stand of 15-year-old Douglas firs is, in reality, a cash crop to be exploted in 10 or so years time.

The local village has eveything one wants from a picturesque French village: café, restaurant, baker and general store. Périgueux and Brive are 35 minutes away for everything else (chemist, hospital, high schools and so on). The famous Lascaux cave is only 20 minutes away.

Property information

Real Estate:

Real Property Included

Living accommodation:

see details of the premises

Location:

400 metres outside of a small village in the Dordogne. 30 minutes from Brive and Périgueux

Premises details:

Three main buildings:
Gite 1: a large, stone built Dordogne house of 240m², with 5 bedrooms, 2 reception, large farm fitted kitchen, 4 bathrooms, utility room, terrace, patio, private 10x8-metre secure, walled swimming pool, cellar. Electric heating, open fireplaces, wood-burning stove.

- Gite 2: solid stone built house of 245m², with farm kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 very large reception rooms equipped with French windows, library mezzanine, patio and 12x8 metre secure, private pool. Both oil-fired and wood-pellet central heating.

- Cottage of 95m²: at present used as owner's dwelling: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room and patio .... and, in the basement (45m²): laundry room, spacious office, wine cellar.

- two garages, two car ports
- games room
- storage cellar
- secure room (re-enforced steel doors)
- 190m² barn
- summer kitchen - spacious 45m² with barbecue
- 3.2 hectares of mixed woodland
- 3 hectares of meadow
- 1 hectare of Douglas Fir and Poplar (15 years old)
- play area with sandpit, swings, slide, playhouse, badminton/volleyball pitch

Size in square feet:

5,400

Business Operation

Expansion potential:

Expansion could take 3 forms:
1. extending the letting season. The present owners only let over the summer period. The gites (which both have central heating) could easily be let from March through to November (and at Christmas). This would need some knowledge of internet marketing. In time, the premises could be marketed to groups needing seminar space in the off-season. This needs local knowledge and marketing skills.
2. extend the accommodation offer. The very large barn is totally unexploited at present. The owners had a plan for three or four ensuite rooms as part of a B&B enterprise .. but ill-health kiboshed this.
3. The property could interest a restaurateur. The barn would make an excellent restaurant. The demand is there - the whole region - we're near the Lascaux caves here - is heaving with high income tourists and part-time residents looking for 'eating experiences'.

Competition / Market:

Nothing of this quality in the surrounding 15-20 kms

Reasons for selling:

retirement, ill-health

Trading hours:

June-September

Employees:

0

Years established:

12

Other information

Support & training:

The present owners have agreed to explain their mode of functioning to the buyer

Home based:

This business can be run from home.