realcostofholidaytosouthoffrance

[solanum]

How much do you pay to go on holiday to France in August for two weeks, including car hire, flights(I do not do journeys that long by car abroad)and accommodation in a comfortable,not necessarily luxury,gite with a swimming pool,shared or non shared? I have seen budgetflights available at present for about £700on average for a group of four,but I'd liketoknow what people are paying .Most gites I 've found available that seem nice enough are about £800 -£900per week, which makes the overall cost high when Ithink about car hire- car big enough for 4 cases.When I say south of France, I mean southern languedoc,or possible Provence, although flights seem moreto Provenc area and accommodation getsmoreexpensiveforless space, unless you are about an hour's drive from the coast.

We are planning a trip to Languedoc this summer for the end of August (most expensive time) and the prices you have mentioned seem to be in line with what I have seen for the accommodation, in fact maybe cheaper than our shortlist but we don't want to share the pool which bumps it up.
Have you looked at the price of the train?...it's a long shot but it may be cheaper.

I think that Spain is the area for cheap properties, but then the temperatures there would be even higher and it may not be your cup of tea.

Can I ask where you found the properties you have seen so far? We always go through ownersdirect.com but I would like to know if there are alternatives.

have you tried Rentals France?

I do not like Spain, not because of the heat, the hotter the better as far I am concerned, just personal preference.

Considered train, but not any different to plane in total.

French connections and chez nous have a wide selection of properties usually.

Holiday-Rentals and Owners Direct both have a good choice of villas in those areas.

I have just booked a holiday through www.gite.com/gite.com/index.php not sure about the prices for a bigger group - we paid £300 for 2 of us plus 18mo dd for a gite with a shared pool on a former vineyard in Armagnac. It is fairly inland but there is a lake with a sandy beach nearby. Car hire was about £220 for I think a Zafira - hired through Europcar but via Easyjet at the end of the flight booking so you get a much better price - well worth having a look at if you are flying with any of the low cast carriers, it knocked £80 off the price on the Eurocar website! Flights were £270 ish for the three of us with 2 bags checked and dds pram included with her ticket to Bordeaux.

completely absolutely interested to know if you are travelling in school summer holidays and also how many bedrooms in your gite, does it have a pool?

I am interested in a like for like comparison if anyone else listening:2 adults, 2 children, a two, preferably 3 bedroomed gite, no more than about 25 mins drive from the beach, south coast of France(ie not vendee or west coast), must have a pool. Also car hire.
Thank you.

Forgot to add -- a two week holiday. I just woner more and more where you can get genuine information about the cost of holidays. Fed up reading about "cheap" holidays which end up being out of school holidays(I know they are cheaper, my query is, what are people paying in the school holidays), or a one-bedroomed house, or a tent.

does the pool need to be shared or private?

air con? Towels/ linen included?

It is very hard to know what the going rate is.

For reference/info, my parents rent out their villa in the Languedoc. It is in the heart of the village about 20 minutes from the coast. The villa itself is a large, spacious fully enclosed, very safe 4 bedroom detached villa with private pool, 2 bathrooms, air con, all towels & linen provided, welcome pack.
Fully equipped for families with young children - toys, play equipment, cots, bedguards, digital monitors, everything you could need is there

weekly rate for school hols is £1450 so a fortnight comes in at £2900. My parents offer discounts for mumsnetters.hope that helps

I have various places book marked - mostly residences with shared pool, but all near beach, town etc. Prices in August tend to be 1000 - 1500 euros per week according to quality. Have you tried holidayrentals.co.uk? I've used them lots of times and prices should be representative. We hired a car from Sixt.com last september. From Toulon airport they were the cheapest.

sounds nice but way above amount possible. Does it get cheaper in low season school hols( eg Easter}?

sounds nice meant azernak's message. New to mums net....

Don't forget exchange rate for Euro this year is going to make things much more expensive when you get there. Reason why we are not going to Europe this year.

its fab- they have an ad here on the small ads section.

it does sound expensive but if you use it to its full potential it isn't so expensive. Most people who rent it go as say 4 adults and 4 children or 6 adults and 2 children and then split the costs.

Often, mum, dad, 2/3/4 children, grandparents and other family members take it or 2 families (mum, dad and 2 children twice!) and then halve the costs (pay 1 week each) and then it works out more like £750 per week per family

That way, you get the benefit of a big fully equipped place with private pool etc but sharing costs.

In terms of other times of the year, it varies a lot. 2 weeks in June, only using 2 bedrooms (they offer reduced occupancy outside school hols) can be as low as £1600 for 2 weeks. The cheapest it gets is £500 per week.

Hope this helps

In 2007 we paid about 3000 euros for 2 weeks in a Pierre et Vacances resort near St Tropez in July. 2 beds 2 baths - shared pool complex, restaurants, shop and 10 sessions in the kids club. We drove, but I'd add at least 1000 euros for flights/car hire.

Last September we did a week in a tikki hut on Pampelonne Beach (think Brigit Bardot) including flights and car hire was just over 1000 euros for 3 of us. Accommodation costs double in August though.

euro is strong but then food is sourced locally and if you buy food in the fantastic local markets, it is still cheaper than over here

I think we need to know what your budget is and what is important to you. I for one have done loads of research on the South of France and have all sorts of places listed away for future ref.

Big difference between a villa with private pool and a residence with shared pool. But if your plan is to be at the beach/out sight seeing you can skimp a bit on accomm. If you're after a home from home with a pool or happy to be in rural location etc etc

I have been to France before and I am familiar with the general costs for gites, flights etc, but I was just surprised at how low some people on here claim to pay for a holiday including all costs such as travel and accommodation. I now realise that they are probably all citing holidays booked outside the peak school holiday season.

Being realistic, I would not book accommodation in France for more than £800 per week. I would never use a "children's/ kids club" on holiday anyway, I would not stay in anything which was not made of solid brick construction with at least one internal, fully modern flushing private loo etc etc. I have not found it difficult in the past to find good accommodation in France below that limit-in fact I only sy £88 to allow for exchange rate changes at the moment. Having said that, I have avoided Provence and I know that it is signifcantly more to get sizeable accommodation there.

I hate anything that is basically living in a glorified tent , whatever name it has.Interested to know if those who have stayed in glorified tents have done because they like the outside, camping type stuff anyway, or because they thought it was hip and trendy, so sounded better than staying in amore comfortable mobile home or house for the same cost........

I am with you on staying in "proper" accommodation - I don't mind a tent for a weekend away but as my main holiday it needs to be proper building for me, with real walls, running water, sofas and above all real beds.

My parents villa costs what it does as it is a big 4 bedroom villa. most people who rent it are either 2 families holidaying together or extended families and so they split the cost. That way, they get it for £700 a week in school hols for a large villa with pool. I think that is realistically the going rate for 2 bedrooms....

We have booked a 2 bed apartment in St Cyprien, in the laguedoc, on the beach for £1200 for 2 weeks in August. We have found that it is much cheaper to fly to Barcelona and then drive 2 hours to the resort and are paying £450 for 4 easyjet flights from london to barcelona. I haven't yet booked car hire but am expecting to get the whole holiday for about £2k. The apartment isn't huge but it looks nice and clean and modern and there is a pool on the complex.