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Starting up in France

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k4terina started this discussion 15 years 4 months ago

Hi,

Thinking of starting up a hostel in France but wondering if anyone has advice on how to go about it over there as i'm not a French National. I understand there is a lack of hostel accomm over there but am concerned this might be due to stricter regulations than the rest of Europe.

Does anyone have any advice/experience?

Thanks

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Patrick

15 years

I plan to open a hostel near Fontainebleau second quarter 2010. Consider right from beginning the safety and disabled access, it is compulsary (contact the firefighters, they helped me regarding safety issues). For me, the CDT (comité départemental du tourisme) is a big help (good information's and even subsidies from "département" and "region"). It is much better if the municipality is not against your project.

Hostels are not well known by all these guys; I present my project as a "gite d'etape" or an "auberge de jeunesse", this way they understand...

Let's talk if you want !

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steve

15 years

Hi - I am currently trying to research the decision for setting up an auberge de jeunesse down here in SW France/Basque country.:confused:

Wondered, Patrick, if you had a business case already set up for your property in Fontainebleu that you would be willing to share [happy to sign a confidentiality agreement if necessary]?

Also, can you direct me to where you have come across all the relevant laws of the land regulating what needs to happen in such a business [re the property, clients, employees, neighbouring residents etc]?

I've tried to get information from sources such as the FUAJ without success.:(

Appreciate any and all advice - and good luck with your own endeavour.
:D

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sandonzebeach

15 years

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for the info, i don't think i would have thought of contacting the firemen, it's a good advice ! Regarding Health & Safety issues, i've heard from somebody in the Pole Emploi (job centre) that it might not be possible to work on your own in the hostel insofar as if an accident occurs to you, you wouldn't be able to get help from a co-worker... Have you heard of anything like this??

I am myself thinking of opening my own hostel some day in France (maybe in Brittany, where i come from?...). I don't have much knownledge about tourism or management, i worked for the last 10 years as a Secretary/Director Assistant/Customer Care in various companies and also in pubs and festivals. English isn't a problem as i just spent 5 years in Ireland. I'm also very familiar with the use of computers & internet which i believe is helpful if you run a hostel. I was thinking of gaining more experience by working in hostels in France/Europe (first experience in Sicily this summer!). I feel that i'm standing right in front of a huge mountain and that i don't know how to get to the top... :D

Anyway, my questions are: Did you have any experience in hostelling before you started your own project? Did you get specific trainings/formations professionnelles? Did you start with finding the place/building first? I'm curious to know the big steps/the process you went through... hoping that it would help me start.

Cheers
Sandrine

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Patrick

15 years

Hi !
For Steve: yes, I have a business plan I developed with an accounting consultant; I think it is a good way to think about the plan and necessary for bank negociations (financial, P&L, liquidity, type of company: SCI/SARL/association); I can show you the draft, but remember my project is aimed at boulderers/climbers and hikers of the Fontainebleau area. But I have to revise completely the plan because originaly I wanted to buy land and build but then the municipality wanted to lease to me an existing building; I chose this solution, but I have now to wait to go on for the renovation budget from the architect, who waits for the drawings of the "geometre"...
A hostel is classified as ERP in France (etablissement recevant du public); you may contact the CDT (comite departemental du tourisme), the SDIS (firefighters) and visit some specialized forums http://www.preventionniste.com/forum/index.php (free)
http://www.lhotellerie-restauration.fr/ (10€/month)

For Sandrine: as ERP, you have to have someone 24h, the hostel cannot be left without staff if a single guest is inside; its a safety regulation; but I never heard about being at least 2 people; ask about the reference of this regulation.
I have no direct experience in hostelling, but I had a couple of management positions (I'm 48 !), last one was manager of the French subsidiary of a German industrial pump manufacturer... I worked two weeks in a hostel in Paris as trainee (if you are jobless, ask pole emploi for an "EMT", evaluation en milieu de travail, you work/learn for free, but max. 2 weeks).
Perhaps especially in Brittany you could contact the "gites de France" and present your project as a "gite d'etape" (it is what I have done here: mine will be marketed as a "gite d'etape" for French hikers and as backpackers hostel for foreign guys (targeted for climbers/boulderers)

PS: be aware an ERP has to have complete disabled access in all common areas and some dorms/rooms.

I would like to talk with you; if you feel the same, send me your phone number at [email][email protected][/email]

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steve

15 years

Thanks Patrick - I understand your business proposition is different to the one I am focussing on and hence the details of the business case will vary.

However, from a financial perspective, the category of costs and some of the taxes, insurances, commissions/fees etc will apply to all such ERP businesses in France.... hence I was hoping to learn a little/steal some of your intellectual capital in this space.

In terms of the remainder of the business case, if there is a template/format already in existence which has successfully been reviewed and approved by a French banking fraternity +/or other investing parties willing to invest in the venture, this would represent a powerful framework in which to structure and document all my [as yet largely unstructured] thoughts and plans.

Not sure whether your invitation to discuss was intended for K4terine or an open invite.... however, I'd be delighted to hear the history and learn a little about someone who is actually going ahead and setting up here in France.
I have thought about meeting with the owners/managers here in Pays Basque but have previously tried to ask them questions discretely [via e-mails] with zero success. Also the fuaj.org has completely ignored my previous e-mails so not overly confident what support one can count on here. [You can probably tell from that last comment that the "hexagon" is not my maternal country :-)

Thanks in any event.

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Patrick

15 years

Hi Steve,

Sure I would be glad to talk with you ! Send me your phone number per e-mail and we can talk.
I can send you per regular mail a draft of my old business plan not valid any more; you can also check the business plan of apce, which is very good and complete.
http://www.apce.com/pid186/espace-createur.html?espace=1

I think French basque coast is a premium location for a hostel, even if real estate prices are probably still high, even in the current crisis !

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jfbm

15 years

Sandrine,

I am living in Greece at the moment and I am looking at moving to France and if you are interested in a little help with your project I would love to do it. I have spent the last 18 years in the industry and for the last 7 years I had a consulting company that specialized in opening restaurants and boutique hotels around the world.
Would love to chat with you about it.

Cheers,

Ford

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