As a Dutch family who have lived in the heart of the Dordogne for many years, we are used to welcoming Dutch tourists to our gîte village most of the time. But with the Covid crisis, we were surprised to receive far more French tourists than Dutch this summer!
It's been a real pleasure to welcome so many more French tourists than usual, and it's been a nice change from the Dutch tourists we're used to. In fact, we've discovered that the French and the Dutch don't have the same vision of holidays! This change in our clientele made us want to write an article on the subject... French VS Dutch, let the battle begin and may the best man win! 😉
Cleanliness
We were delighted when we noticed that French tourists gave their accommodation a quick sweep before returning it! Even though we do a thorough clean of each rental before and after our guests arrive, it was a gesture that pleased us and that we weren't used to. We've found that, in general, the French are much more concerned about what people will think of them through their holiday accommodation than the Dutch. The Dutch tend to let themselves go and not worry about the state of their rental property, because they're on holiday and there to relax. And we don't blame them, far from it! We're Dutch too, and we operate in the same way...
So when it comes to cleanliness, it's the French who score first!
French 1 - Dutch 0
Friendliness
Here, the point goes straight to the Dutch! Because in the Netherlands, people are much friendlier by nature. At Castelwood, for example, the Dutch will take the time to talk to their chalet neighbours or spend time chatting in the barbecue area. The French, on the other hand, will take advantage of their holiday to spend time with their family and do plenty of sightseeing, with the rental being used mainly for sleeping and having an aperitif. The French tourist will choose Castelwood to enjoy the region rather than to spend time on our estate and make new friends.
French 1 - Dutch 1
Holiday lifestyle
As mentioned above, the French come on holiday to Castelwood to enjoy the Dordogne and the many things to see and do in this beautiful region. So obviously, we won't be seeing much of them. Always on the move, they make the most of their holidays to visit the Dordogne.
The Dutch, on the other hand, are renting at Castelwood to make the most of their holiday and get away from it all: swimming with the kids, enjoying the French sunshine and barbecue area, relaxing on the chalet terrace or strolling through the forest on our estate.
For this round, everyone deserves a point. We have settled in the charming village of Biron so that our guests can visit the Dordogne valley and the Lot and Lot-et-Garonne as much as they like. But we've also built a relaxing gîte village, right in the heart of the forest, with all the comforts you need for a peaceful holiday, simply enjoying nature and life.
French 2 - Dutch 2
Discussions
We love spending time talking to our guests. We like to get to know them, build relationships and find out if they enjoy the area, their holiday. And that must be a Dutch thing! Because we've noticed that our Dutch guests are more likely to talk to us about what they do for a living, their daily lives and their families. Whereas the French tend to be more discreet and tell us about the places they've visited in the Dordogne and Périgord, and the activities they've done during the day.
These are two completely different types of discussion, which are ultimately linked to the day-to-day life of everyone on holiday. The French visit, so of course they tell us what they've done. The Dutch, on the other hand, stay on site and enjoy our estate on a daily basis, which leads to more personal discussions. So we won't be adding any points for this round.
French 2 - Dutch 2
Gastronomy
When it comes to gastronomy, the Dutch are bound to find French cuisine more exotic and love it. They're the ones who'll be picking up their croissants and hot pains au chocolat every morning - as we offer viennoiseries baked on the premises for those of you with a sweet tooth. The French, on the other hand, will be sticking to their breakfast habits and taking advantage of their holiday in the Dordogne to sample local specialities such as Bergerac wine, Sarlat potatoes, strawberries and foie gras. For meals, the Dutch will be content with a restaurant where they are sure to find food that appeals to their children, such as nuggets with chips. They'll also love our snack bar, which is open 4 days a week...
So we'll add a point for our Dutch friends, who don't fail to buy pastries from us every morning and come to the snack bar, and a point for the French, who make the most of our region's excellent specialities.
French 3 - Dutch 3
Time spent in our holiday village
When the Dutch come to France, it's not just for a few days. No, they're here to make the most of it, so they book for 10 days or two weeks. They will often make several stops in France during their holiday, but will take the time to stop off at each one to make the most of it. The French, on the other hand, prefer to stay in our area for a week and then visit several other places before or after their stay.
We have to hand it to the Dutch: they prefer to stay longer with us...
French 3 - Dutch 4
The kids
Castelwood is the ideal place to spend a family holiday with your children. Parents can leave their children to play with a ball in nature or at the pool without having to be constantly with them, watching over them. So there are a lot of them during the school holidays. And this summer we noticed a glaring difference: French children are generally wiser and more respectful of the facilities than the Dutch, who tend to make bombs in the pool, splashing everyone... Of course, there are always exceptions, the French splashers and the Dutch quiet as a mouse!
So this last point goes to the French!
French 4 - Dutch 4
We love receiving Dutch tourists just as much as French ones - they're different experiences for us, but just as enriching! What's most important to us is that there's something for everyone at Castelwood, with all the comforts you need and activities to suit every taste.
This summer, we've really enjoyed chatting with French people, as it takes us on a bit of a journey. For example, we met a lot of people from Brittany who made us want to go and discover this beautiful region! But it's also a pleasure to talk to people from our beloved Netherlands, even if the weather and landscapes there don't necessarily make us dream as much...
So whether you're Dutch or French, you'll be very welcome in our self-catering village! And we're looking forward to discovering even more other nationalities - we get a few but don't know enough about them yet to create another battle 😉 If you're tempted, book your holiday at Castelwood now!