La Clef Decamp’s gîtes were fully booked all summer

La Villa de Malte has just opened. It consists of two rural gîtes run by Jennifer Decamp and Sébastien Cordon.

With 25 charming gîtes to date, mainly located in Normandy—particularly in the Manche department—La Clef Decamp is expected to have up to 30 gîtes in its portfolio by May 2022. The catalogue continues to grow in response to steadily strong demand for high-end, large-capacity gîte rentals. “It all began in October 2016 when I set up the company with my husband, Sébastien Cordon, co-manager of La Clef Decamp. Sébastien is specifically in charge of renovation projects and oversees the gîtes on site,” begins Jenrifer Decamp. “I had already been offering holiday accommodation privately since 2021 in Valognes, in the family home,” continues the former equestrian journalist, who now lives in Villedieu with her husband, who is Sourdin native. • “Our first joint purchase was the property that became the Villa Dei holiday home in Villedieu,” notes Jennifer.
The most popular gîtes accommodate 20 to 35 guests
In barely five years, La Clef Decamp has nearly sextupled its gîte portfolio, both as owner and as tenant via commercial leases, including charming gîtes accommodating up to 55 people. “Even so,” the co-manager explains, “our core target remains between 20 and 35 guests per gîte.”

3 QUESTIONS WITH Jennifer Decamp, Co-Manager of La Clef Decamp

What is your assessment of the past summer season?

“The assessment is good. The gîtes were fully booked every weekend from May to September, and we mostly had long-stay bookings of one to two weeks, which is quite unusual for us. Business is going well with four additional gîtes this summer compared with last year, even if the revenue hasn’t increased dramatically due to reservation postponements this year and the current health context. Overall, it’s been a very good season for us. We are fortunate to have a large clientele for this type of property—clients who have specific expectations.”

What is the typical profile of your clientele?

“We generally host families from the Île-de-France region or groups of friends gathering to celebrate an event, a birthday, a bachelor party, etc. We are also increasingly receiving requests from professionals attending seminars, which is a segment we hope to develop further. Moreover, most of our clients are French rather than international, which has helped us maintain activity despite the Covid crisis.”

Any upcoming projects?

“Many projects. More and more, property owners approach us themselves to offer their estates for commercial rental. These are often large estates, and rather than using concierge services, the owners prefer our formula, which guarantees them a monthly income, renovation of the property, and maintenance of the grounds while allowing them to remain owners and occasionally stay on-site. It’s a very flexible arrangement for them.”

Published on 1 September 2021 – Lettre Cancan