Gîtes de France History part 2
In 1952, a year after the first rural Gite started accepting holiday makers in France, the Tourism and Agriculture minister acted with a positive report from the Tourism Modernisation Committee. He subsequently made the Gîtes de France plan official and allowed it to be rolled out throughout France.
Then in 1955, the Farmer-Landlord Charter was implemented and the Gîtes de France National Federation was created. It was headed by Senator Emile Aubert until his death in 1969. In the following 60 years, the Gites De France organisation never stopped growing and developing.
1955 : Fédération Nationale des Gîtes de France. First edition of the annual directory containing 146 gîtes throughout France
1969 : Adoption of the chambres d’hôtes official rented accommodation formula
1970 : Start of Gites de France in Corsica
1973 : Official adoption of the gîtes d’enfants status for child-friendly holiday accommodation
1974 : Opening of Maison du Tourisme Vert in Paris, to promote Green and rural Tourism in France
1987 : Launc of state of the art Minitel digital information service covering 3615 Gîtes in France, providing information and taking electronic reservations direct to the public.
1990 : Formation of Eurogites and European Federation of Tourism
1997 : Federation sanctioned by French Tourism Ministry as a nationally-recognized organization for the promotion and inspection of Gite holiday rentals
1998 : Start of the internet age as www.gites-de-france.com goes on line for first time
2003 : Two new brands created. Firstly Charmance for chambres d’hôtes which provided bed & breakfast style holiday accommodation. The second one was Pre Vert for camping and caravanning sites throughout France
2004 : Launch of new national service called “Allo” providing a chambres d’hôtes last minute reservation service for bed & breakfasts
2015 : 60 year anniversary of the foundation of Fédération Nationale des Gîtes de France