French Regions And Seasons

It's expected that how many rooms a home has and how luxurious it is will determine its price. But two factors that travelers are less likely to consider may be more significant: the date of the rental and the location. Consider this: a lovely, two-bedroom home in the Pyrenees will cost just €247 per week in the winter, up to €460 at the height of the summer season. An equivalent home (same rating, amenities and number of bedrooms) in Provence is €275 in winter, but a whopping €660 in summer. Now, that's still less than you'd be likely to pay for a week in a hotel in Provence, but a big difference from the rates in other, less-popular areas of France.

A further word on seasons: July 15 through the end of August is when the French vacation, so rental rates hit their peaks during this six-week period. May, because of the many national and religious holidays during that month, is the second priciest. Nightly rates hit their nadir in January, February and early March.

One final note on costs: the cost of heating is almost never included in French rentals, so be sure to factor that in before accepting a home.