Dutchman pinched for illegal French castle hotel

In France, a Dutch man was arrested for owning and running a French castle as a hotel illegally. According to local radio network France Bleu, the man was busted during an inspection last week Thursday, and is still in detention, the Algemeen Dagblad reports. 

The castle, Château La Tour in the southern-French town of Saint-Pierreville, close to Lyon was missing permits for the 13 camping spaces outside, on top of the 35 rooms inside the castle. Several security measures were ignored as well.

The energy supply, fire alarms and security of the swimming pool were not up to standard. The 12 employees, recruited in The Netherlands were also working illegally, France Bleu reports.

The castle-hotel has been closed, and the holiday makers staying there have been moved elsewhere or have gone home. Most of these were Dutch.

According to the hotel's own Facebook page, the closing is "by direction of the Mayor of Saint Pierreville."