The soul of a house. A je ne sais quoi that moves us at The Socialite Family. Some would say it’s because of past experience or the surrounding natural environment. But, of course, we know it’s intimately linked to the decor. This opinion is shared by Amélie Fiat and Olivia Bartoli, partners at the head of Casalino: a “confidential website for renting family homes” selected from all over France. Initiated by the Southern Alps native who named it after her grandmother, this entrepreneurial adventure is as far as can be from a seasonal rental market that favours quantity over quality. With this collection of eclectic properties meticulously sourced from individuals, the duo showcases the richness France has to offer while demonstrating—with finesse—that the house itself becomes the vector of a change of scenery. As does the founder’s own residence, which welcomes us today on the edge of Paris in this wooded architectural location, a relic of the 1930s that proves to be a choice backdrop for some of our The Socialite Family creations, such as the Mara shelf. There is clearly a certain taste for objects and their staging, which the entrepreneurs use to unearth the items that will warmly welcome future guests, whether they be private groups or professionals. Weddings, seminars, yoga retreats: each experience is taken to a new level thanks to the exceptional setting, from the “completely isolated stone buron in the Cantal region to a contemporary villa by the water in Corsica, to a typical farmhouse in the heart of the Alpilles area”. Advocating for reasoned tourism that takes attention to detail so far as to recommend places to visit locally, the two young women become the ambassadors of a new approach to smart travel in France. And possibly not far from home! This meaningful undertaking could soon become—who knows?—a leading name in the French rental market.
Casalino French holiday homes can be booked at www.casalino-homes.com or by phone on +33 (0)6 50 02 32 44.
Olivia, Amélie: can you introduce yourselves?
I grew up in the ski resort of Serre-Chevalier before moving to Paris to study business, followed by a brief career in marketing. I quickly realised that being a company employee was not for me. So, as soon as I had the idea to start my own business, I went for it!
I grew up in Marseille and have lived in Paris for about ten years. A lawyer by training, I am a co-partner of Casalino. I live in the Montorgueil district with my husband and two daughters, which is also where Casalino’s offices are located. Village life in the heart of Paris!
How did you meet, and what made you want to work together at Casalino, the organisation you run today?
I started the adventure by myself with a dozen houses and the desire to create a trustworthy website for renting family houses that have a soul. Casalino is actually my grandmother’s surname! We met with Olivia through mutual friends. She was looking for a fresh professional challenge while I wanted to grow my business. It all happened very quickly, and we teamed up just before the first lockdown. Since then, the company’s gone from strength to strength. Our selection now includes more than 170 properties across France!
Can you tell us more about it?
Casalino offers a selection of lovely rental houses in France, whether for holidays or events (weddings, seminars, yoga retreats, etc.). The properties we offer allow our customers to discover France through its architecture. The house is a destination in itself, plus this allows you to visit areas that you may not have initially considered. Our point is you can stay in France, meaning less travel but top quality destinations, with the best conditions combined with a total change of scenery.
How do you select the properties you rent?
We find properties located in exceptional environments and preserved settings. Each one is carefully decorated and has top-notch equipment. In addition to these selection criteria, the houses must have a soul, a story. They need to feel like a home from home! Our selection is very personal, we follow our hearts. If we can’t imagine going on holiday there, we don’t select it! We prefer quality to quantity, which is quite rare in our sector. The result: an eclectic selection that is unlike any other, from a stone “buron” house in rural Cantal to a contemporary seaside villa in Corsica or a typical farmhouse in the heart of the Alpilles. What do these places have in common? Charm combined with quality!
The properties we offer allow our customers to discover France through its architecture.
As soon as you open the listings, you’ll find each house has a very precise description, including the best local places to visit. Is this customer experience personalisation a main Casalino selling point?
Absolutely! Casalino positions itself as a trusted third party between landlord and tenant. We travel around France to visit the houses and take pictures of them to describe them as faithfully as possible on the site. For example, we’ve just returned from a 3-day visit to Landes. We then complete our descriptions with information on things we like to see and do on holiday. We focus on local places: a great restaurant, a good deli or a region’s must-do activity. We also offer very “human” customer service, unlike platforms that just simply put landlords and tenants in touch with each other. Each booking request is processed manually, without algorithms or robots. This way, we ensure that a rental is suitable for both landlords and tenants.
You promote responsible tourism. In addition to the accommodation’s location – all properties are located in France – how does this commitment translate into practice?
We want to develop our service throughout France, including regions still unaffected by mass tourism. “Slow tourism” is at the very heart of the project: we want to prove that travelling shorter distances to excellent destinations can be just as (or even more!) exciting as travelling to far-flung places. We regularly suggest regions that our customers would never have considered: Auvergne, Cévennes, Southern Alps… they trust us and always come back happy and relaxed. This fills us with immense pride! We also target French customers and people from neighbouring countries, most of whom travel by train or car, rarely by plane.
Which destinations are the most popular? Which ones are particularly important to you, the ones you want to highlight?
The south and Brittany remain a sure bet whatever the season! We also have a lot of requests for Cantal, as more and more of our customers want to “disconnect” and our buron houses are extremely popular.
Amélie, we’re here, at your place. Your interior reflects a certain sensitivity to decor and materials, and how you manage different spaces. And where does this come from?
I was influenced by my parents, who were both very in tune with decor and architecture. They spent several years sourcing furniture and materials to build our family chalet in Serre-Chevalier – the first house to feature on the Casalino site! I like playing with materials and components to add flow to the spaces. That’s what we had fun doing when we started renovating this house.
Do we find this attention to detail in Casalino residences?
Yes, totally! They all have “that little extra”; some are perfect for guests who like old stone constructions, while others will appeal to customers who love contemporary architecture. Whatever the style, our rentals have one thing in common: their soul. We also want to develop a “Casalino label” and become the benchmark for French rentals that hold this accreditation.
Where will we find you in the coming months?
We have major projects underway, such as a redesign of our website, scheduled for the first half of 2023. On the catalogue side, we continue to develop our listings and add new houses to our collection every week. We want to reach the 250 houses by the end of 2023, so we’ll be on the road in France to visit the houses and meet the owners – something we love doing!
Photography : Jeanne Perrotte – Text : Juliette Bruneau @thesocialitefamily
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