At the beginnings of La Clef Decamp in 2016, in Villedieu-les-Poêles-Rouffigny (Manche), Jennifer and Sébastien Cordon managed only a few gîtes. Since then, their company has experienced steady growth. “We open an average of three to four gîtes per year. Last year, this number increased to nine,” says Jennifer Decamp. “Of the 35 gîtes we currently manage, 17 belong to us, and the other 18 are managed under commercial leases. Word of mouth works well. Owners come to us to entrust their properties, which they can reclaim at the end of the lease term. All our gîtes are rated four stars. We never skimp on renovations.”
La Clef Decamp has also moved into new offices on Rue Jules Ferry in Villedieu. The company employs twenty people and continues to hire. “Five people are dedicated to renovating the gîtes, five work in the office, and the rest are employed as housekeepers. We have also just hired a gardener.” The gîtes are located in Normandy, the Somme, Loire-Atlantique, and one in Antibes in the Alpes-Maritimes. “Bookings are mainly made online. Most of our clients come from the northwestern quarter of France. Foreign clients account for only 15% of our activity. Altogether, our gîtes can accommodate 500 people.”
On May 1st, La Clef Decamp will welcome its first guests to the new Moulin du Gast gîte, about ten kilometers from Villedieu. It can host 35 people. “It is managed under a commercial lease. The owners, Frédéric and Danielle Klose, can reclaim their property in six years if they wish.”
Additional gîtes are planned to open on the Champeaux cliffs with views of Mont-Saint-Michel, as well as in La Haye-Pesnel, Hudimesnil, and Donville-les-Bains.
Several other acquisitions are under discussion, including three gîtes in the Cotentin and one in Châtellerault (86). “All of this requires a significant investment of work and good organization to achieve. Many companies similar to ours are developing, which doesn’t scare us—it actually motivates us”.
Published on 22/04/2023 in Ouest France