Neighbours with a gite

[manonthemoon2]

Our neighbours directly opposite us have a gite.

They're usually booked up from early June to September. They park their cars directly opposite our main garden, causing one of our dogs to bark as she hears the guests chatting by where they park the car. All the gite guests do this, even though there is plenty of parking further up, nearer to the gite. I guess they are told to park there.

The current guests are very noisy, sitting outside the gite talking and laughing and it's nearly 23H. We can't have our window open because they are disturbing us.

I know I sound like a killjoy but, they're on holiday and we live here so have all the usual jobs to do around the house and garden.

I realise I'm just venting, sorry to sound such a miserable old bag which I am.

[curtis]

If you have a reasonable relationship with your neighbours then a little chat is called for. Presumably this isn't the first year this has happened?

[MAD87]

I sympathize, MOTM2. I find being back in a built-up area tough going after so long living in the country. This summer has been very much an outdoor meeting/greeting/eating period with eaters and greeters getting louder after a few beers.
Curtis's suggestion is probably the best, although you could give the gîte guests the benefit of your own music when they ramp up the noise. Harrison Birtwistle, anyone?

[Mangetout]

It's a difficult situation because I doubt the gite owners will be willing to ask their guests to 'tone it down a bit' for fear of getting poor reviews. I don't like to encourage tit for tat, but perhaps some form of noise late at night/ early hours of the morning might be a point well made? We have families around us who have the occasional loud party which goes on day and night, but it is only once or twice during the summer months so not so bad. But all summer long is another matter. Bon courage my friend.

[Antonia]

In my experience most people tend to instinctively tone it down a bit when they think they can be overheard. People seem to end up in a 'holiday bubble' where nothing and nobody exists outside their own existence. What I have done on occasions when the Chambre d'hote next door have become a little 'animated' is to take a radio out into the garden, out of sight, on some speech station and left it playing loud enough to be heard next door. It's important that it's out of sight so they don't twig it's not actually accompanied. Eventually they figure out that if they can hear someone, someone can hear them and tone it down. In the meantime, I'm go about my business as normal. Using a speech station, even with musical stings, tends not to wind people up and normally they go home feeling good about how considerate they were to the locals.

[curtis]

Tit for Tat is not for me. It's not how to make relationships. It is likely to provoke conflict.
We haven't heard any more from the OP. Is this a long term problem? Have they already spoken about it?

[Blaze]

Like MAD, it's been hard getting used to having neighbours after years without but fortunately we don't have a problem with noise because there are no gites in our little hamlet.

I like Antonia's idea of a radio - it's a gentle reminder that voices carry. It can be just loud enough to be heard, but not to annoy. I play my accordion in the garden from time to time which no-one seems to mind, or perhaps they haven't dared complain
I agree with Mangetout that gite owners fear poor reviews and may not want to say anything to their clients. There's no guarantee that the clients would take any notice anyway. Everyone here has a little fête from time to time in the summer but fortunately without loud music or all night.

[Hotrodder]

Points to consider when buying a house.

Broadband speed and mobile network coverage.
Proximity to neighbours.

[Lori]

Points to consider when buying a house.

Broadband speed and mobile network coverage.
Proximity to neighbours.

No kidding ! And unless you are willing to live in the middle of nowhere, you'll have to pay a handsome price for those two things.

My sympathy to MOTM2. We are currently renting a village house, so we know exactly what you're talking about. Agree with Antonia - at least that is how we live. We know we can hear our neighbors, so we know they can also hear us. We are very quiet when outside in our little cour. Can't say I'm particularly wild about the music teacher who lives somwhere nearby....

[niemeyjt]

Can't say I'm particularly wild about the music teacher who lives somwhere nearby....

Not an accordion player, I hope.