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Searching for a France 3 month rental for 2019

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phillilly
  9/2/2018 12:21 EST

Hi - New member and a first post. Not sure if this is the place to post this but, looking for some help.

We're looking forward to retirement in a few years, and want to test living in the south of France by renting a property for 3 approx 3 months next year from June 1st to the 31st of August.

We've done the usual googling, AirBNB, Homeandaway style sites but they are proving very expensive and seem to be weekly rates based rather than monthly.

Looking for links to websites that obviously arent appearing in Google, or maybe hidden away. Does anyone have any links to help our search?

Just the two of us, with 2 small dogs (sausage dog and king charles) but looking for somewhere with WiFi as we'll still be working (albeit remotely), and a place with a private pool, little bit of land and spare bedroom(s) for family to visit.

Any help / advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance. Phil and Lilly.

ranadelnorte
  9/2/2018 19:09 EST

You have exciting retirement plans. Please realize that the south of France is the most expensive area in the country, you want high season, and you want all the amenities of a villa: private pool, garden, plenty of bedrooms, pet friendly, WiFi, etc. For these amenities, the season and the location you will be spending top €/month. IMO you’re alrady late for summer 2019. Check out Gites de France, and good luck in your search!

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happychap1
  9/10/2018 23:35 EST

Nestpick seems to have some good monthly rentals, although they may not be up to your high standards.

caligirl40
  9/11/2018 12:06 EST

Hi Phil & Lilly,

Great idea to test things out before making a final move. Several friends just moved and bought property in the south of France just to regret the decision. Vacationing and living full time is quite different.

I like this website for long term lets - click on property search and it will give you map of the country. Click on your desired area.

https://www.rentaplaceinfrance.com/

When ready to move this company is awesome in helping you settle into your new country. A liason of sorts

https://www.pleasehelp.fr/

Tip: brush up on your French it will help you experience a beautiful life in France. Best wishes.

EUBound
  9/12/2018 13:03 EST

You may know that Airbnb listings are negotiable especially if you are looking for a longer-term stay so you might want to contact the owners and make them offers.

phillilly
  9/12/2018 13:09 EST

Thanks for the messages and help. Some great websites that myself and my wife are going through. Does seem to be very expensive though, as its been pointed out it is high season. Now thinking after September next year might be a winner. Thanks again for everyones help.

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RobertTaylor
  9/19/2018 09:30 EST

Hello Phillilly

There are hundreds of estate agents in the S of France who would all love to show your their rental properties. You could also try Rightmove FR.
I see that you are planning to move /retire to France in the not too distant future. My wife and I are also planning to retire to France having just about sold our home in England. However we are pretty nervous about making the final move because of the dreaded B****T debacle. How confident are you about being allowed to make the move? perhaps you understand more than I do.

RobertTaylor
  9/19/2018 09:34 EST

Hello Caligirl40
I was interested in your comment that vacationing and living are two different things (in the S of France)
I am about to make the leap myself and although I have spent many holidays down in the S of France I/we are still a little nervous about the final leap. Could you elaborate a little more on your experiences of actually living here in France

Sarily
  9/25/2018 07:38 EST

I have a lovely one-bed apartment on a residence with pool and tennis courts and private parking. However it is only available for a long let between October 2018 and May 2019. If you are still interested, let me know but it will probably be difficult to get an affordable let in high season! I would definitely recommend getting to know the area out of high season if you are thinking of a permanent move though!

ranadelnorte
  9/26/2018 15:03 EST

@RobertTaylor
Here is my take on visiting vs. permanent residence in France. On holiday you are relaxed, in sort of a golden bubble, enjoying the beauty, quirks and charms of France. When you’re living here, daily reality sets in. Here are the things that frustrate me personally. France is very bureaucratic, meaning filling out and submitting paperwork and dealing with government officials at all levels is time-consuming and can be confusing. Also in the south, they take loooong mid-day breaks, which is wonderful for family life, but can get irritating if you have things to do between 13:00 and 16:00. You’ll soon learn your own triggers for frustration. Still a great place to live if you can keep a positive, flexible and optimistic frame of mind. A good knowledge of French also helps. Best wishes for your retirement adventure!

traceyspada
  9/26/2018 16:29 EST

We lived in Italy for a while (husband is Italian) and then went back to USA because the Italians tax you on your worldwide income. We are now in South of France asit is much better for Americans. We do not reside in the Cote D'Azur but in Languedoc area which is West and about 5 hours from the border of Italy and 2 hours from Spain. This is a fantastic area with wonderful towns- Montpellier, Beziers, Nimes, smaller towns like Pezenas and beautiful villages surrounded by vineyards. Fantastic wine, good food and great weather. Much more affordable than Nice, Cannes, Menton, but just as beautiful with deep, open, wide beaches and gorgeous chateaus and country roads with hardly anyone on them. We go to many events in towns around us, wine tastings, movies, festivals and there's always wonderful food markets. Montpellier is a fabulous small city with electric trams, a young feel with the presence of students at university and lots of culture. Check out the Languedoc area or as it is known also as Occitanie. There's a great company called Renestance that can help with settling in France and help with rentals and visits to the various areas so you can do some legwork before making a final decision. France is not as vibrant as Italy, but on the plus side we have managed to deal with banks, car purchse etc.. and the people are nothing but kjnd and very patient with our basic French. There's also a lot of French/ Anglo/ American groups on FB that are very helpful and usually members have short term rentals.

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majgroves
  9/27/2018 01:38 EST

traceyspada,

We came to the same conclusion about Italy. It was our first choice precisely because of its social vibrancy. But unlike the people, dealing with the Italian government is a nightmare. Italy also bites too deep into the income of American retirees.

So, we decided to take advantage of the French hospitality instead. American retirees seem to be more welcome there. We are now concentrating our efforts towards settling in Nîmes,

However, we remain realistic, and expect to be dealing with a lot of bureaucracy. Knowing it can result in a number of trips, we plan to live within easy access to the prefecture - at least during our first year. With a little heads-up research, knowing some French, and a lot of patience, we can handle it.

After the first year, we may stay or look around for another place in the area. Montpellier, Sète, or Uzès are on our list of possibilities. Next month, we will be staying in Nîmes while making some visits to the others.

Much of one's living experience is what you make it to be compared to the expectations you have.

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