Chez Grisette launches its cat hotel franchise

After six years in business in Le Mans, France, Chez Grisette is opening its cat hotel concept to franchising. Its managers, Laurence Joursand and Renaud Segard, are seeking their first partners to replicate an approach to cat boarding without cages or wire enclosures. According to L’Express Franchise, which reported the launch on 2 November 2026, discussions were under way in October with prospective franchisees in five or six cities.

A hotel in Le Mans as the starting point

Located at 126 rue d’Arnage in Le Mans, Chez Grisette has been operating since 2020. The hotel accommodates 575 cats a year, according to figures reported by L’Express Franchise. Its approach is to house animals in proper rooms rather than in cages or behind wire mesh.

This site now provides the model for franchise expansion. The procedures, tools and methods intended for future partners are drawn from its day-to-day operations. For this newcomer to franchising, building a network therefore rests on established operating experience, rather than a concept that has yet to open.

The advertised rate has been €22 per day, including food, since 1 October 2026. This covers both dry and wet cat food. Owners can also bring their cat’s usual food. This price reflects the current offering at the Le Mans hotel; on its own, it does not establish the revenue or profitability of a future franchised site.

Two ways to join the brand

Chez Grisette offers a standard arrangement with an initial franchise fee of €15,000. Under this model, the franchisee retains 100% ownership of their company. This is the first route available to applicants wishing to operate the concept.

A second arrangement, called ‘Pionnier’ (‘Pioneer’), may be considered for some of the first projects. It allows for the initial franchise fee to be waived in exchange for Chez Grisette taking a minority stake in the franchisee’s company. An option to buy back this stake is included from the outset.

This option is assessed on a case-by-case basis, so it is not an automatic fee waiver for all early entrants. The two offers also differ in structure. Under the standard arrangement, franchisees join the network without the brand taking an equity stake; under the ‘Pionnier’ arrangement, Chez Grisette also becomes a minority shareholder in the local business.

For prospective franchisees, the comparison should therefore go beyond the amount payable at the start. The size of the equity stake, the buyback terms and the conditions governing the relationship between shareholders all need to be examined before choosing the second route.

Discussions, but no openings announced yet

In October, Chez Grisette said it was in discussions with applicants in five or six cities, without naming them. This is a recruitment stage: these discussions should not be taken to mean that contracts have been signed or locations confirmed.

The launch is therefore focused on finding the first franchisees and setting out the terms on which they can join. No opening timetable accompanies the reported discussions. For applicants, the distinction matters: they would be joining at the start of the network’s development, with the Le Mans site as the operational reference point.

Initial contact without a fully developed plan

Chez Grisette allows interested applicants to get in touch before they have finalised their preparations. Its enquiry form first asks which city they would like to open in. No business plan, premises or funding is required for this initial approach.

This open approach to recruitment does not mean those elements will be unnecessary later on. It simply allows a discussion about the project and its location to begin before a complete application is assembled. In particular, applicants should distinguish between the advertised initial franchise fee and the overall budget needed to open: the €15,000 covers entry under the standard arrangement and is not presented as the total investment required.

Key takeaway: applicants can start by suggesting a city. Before committing, they should compare the two entry arrangements, establish the full budget for their site and, for the ‘Pionnier’ option, examine the terms of the equity stake and its buyback.