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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Villa rental south of France, where to look for availability.

33 replies

Imtoooldforallthis · 31/08/2022 09:27

Looking to book a family villa for July next year, I've looked at Airbnb, Vrbo, TripAdvisor and I'm struggling to find what I'm after. Has anyone got any good sites for me to search on?.

OP posts:
TwoBlondes · 31/08/2022 09:37

There's a Facebook group called Gîte Owners in France. If you explain what you're looking for you should be inundated and hopefully avoid Airbnb fees!

generalh · 31/08/2022 09:38

Holiday rentals, Gites de France, Chez Nous?

OneForTheRoadThen · 31/08/2022 09:38

We booked one through Oliver's travels

ThisIsNotAFlyingToy · 31/08/2022 09:42

Chez Nous has gone but French Connections is still going.
Bookings. com
Holiday Lettings
Other option is to focus on a town and type in that and "holiday rentals".

kinggen · 31/08/2022 15:00

le bon coin

GnomeDePlume · 01/09/2022 09:04

We stayed in a villa via James Villas at the end of June. Villa and service (local and customer services) were excellent.

Original poster
Imtoooldforallthis · 01/09/2022 09:58

GnomeDePlume · 01/09/2022 09:04

We stayed in a villa via James Villas at the end of June. Villa and service (local and customer services) were excellent.

They don't have any big enough but thank you anyway.

OP posts:
GnomeDePlume · 01/09/2022 10:24

How many bedrooms do you need please?

uggmum · 01/09/2022 10:29

www.provacances.co.uk/
I have booked a couple through this company.

No issues. Good customer service.
I definitely recommend the Les Issambres area.

uggmum · 01/09/2022 10:30

www.villasud.com/luxury-villas-south-of-france/cote-d-azur/les-issambres/avelan

I booked and stayed in this villa. It was amazing. The company was also excellent.

Original poster
Imtoooldforallthis · 01/09/2022 10:53

6 bedrooms minimum.

OP posts:
newtb · 01/09/2022 11:03

www.amivac.com - many large ones, often with pools
www.gites.fr
Sometimes you can find them on www.fnaim.fr

Original poster
Imtoooldforallthis · 01/09/2022 11:09

uggmum · 01/09/2022 10:30

www.villasud.com/luxury-villas-south-of-france/cote-d-azur/les-issambres/avelan

I booked and stayed in this villa. It was amazing. The company was also excellent.

That would be perfect except they only rent Saturday to Saturday and out flights are Fridays and we are looking for 10 days, but I might message them anyway.

OP posts:
Clymene · 01/09/2022 11:13

Most villas are Saturday to Saturday and rent by the week in high season so I think you might struggle to find somewhere if you've already booked flights.

tonicwaters · 01/09/2022 11:17

kinggen · 31/08/2022 15:00

le bon coin

Le Bon Coin is great for browsing through.

I wonder if I am doing something wrong though. When trying to register, I am unable to do so, as I appear to NEED a French telephone number, which I obviously don't have! There is no option for UK or other country codes. I might be missing something, but I can't see any way around it myself.

Thanks if you read this and have any ideas!

trampolina · 01/09/2022 11:22

Agree with @Clymene You just won’t get a ten day rental for a large high end place in France (or pretty much any rental in France) unless you are happy to pay for the full two weeks. Very rarely anything other than Sat to Sat outside of high season.

ThisIsNotAFlyingToy · 01/09/2022 11:23

Stayed here once - it's designed for big parties because there's a wedding chateau venue up the road.
www.tripadvisor.co.uk/VacationRentalReview-g676659-d8311532-Large_French_Village_House_Villa_Heated_Private_Pool_Walk_to_shops_restaurants-Ginesta.html

ThisIsNotAFlyingToy · 01/09/2022 11:25

We did actually only stay in that for 10 nights because it was expensive there was a gap for that period.

Original poster
Imtoooldforallthis · 01/09/2022 11:31

This search is turning into a nightmare. I haven't booked flights yet so coukd look at other airports. Can go anywhere but want somewhere with a pool and a large terrace to all eat at. 4 generations eldest 80, youngest 1. Don't think we can afford to go for 2 weeks but don't think 7 days is long enough especially as you lose 2 days arrival and departure. Need flights from North East.

OP posts:
SaffyWall · 01/09/2022 11:42

As previous posters have said it's standard, in France, for villas to be rented Saturday to Saturday and very hard to get around this.

In the past we've arrived in France on a Friday and stayed in a hotel, then had a villa from Saturday to Saturday, checked out and stayed somewhere else on the Saturday night. Would this sort of thing be an option for you?

Bordeaux or Nice are probably the biggest airports with the most flights options and there'll be lots of choice of villas in those areas.

Tibtab · 01/09/2022 11:44

you could start and end the holiday in a hotel? But then it might cost the same as a 2 week stay anyway. Can you go Outside the school holidays

Original poster
Imtoooldforallthis · 01/09/2022 12:03

No way could we start and end in a hotel, it would just be a nightmare, 2 under one's and a 3 and 4 year old, 3 rental cars it just wouldn't work. I though our dates were out of the school holidays. I'm going to look at other airports in France to fly to.

OP posts:
Tibtab · 01/09/2022 12:13

Check when the French school holidays are as they start earlier than us. I go in September as French schools are back and the prices drop off.

Original poster
Imtoooldforallthis · 01/09/2022 12:25

Found a lovely place in Bergerac but no flights to get there, can't find any 10 day flights to bordeaux either.

OP posts:
ThisIsNotAFlyingToy · 01/09/2022 12:31

Fly to one airport and back from another?