Romanesque Church Hunt

When looking to rent your French country house, there are many different configurations of  fellow travelers.  Our group is two couples and one single person and therefore we look for a minimum of 3 bedrooms.

But some years, we have had up to eight people needing five bedrooms.  One great side effect of our yearly trip to France is that each time different family and friends accompany us.  It makes each trip very memorable.

So the first thing you need to do is figure out what your configuration is.  During my perambulations on this blog, I will stick with a group looking for a 3-bedroom or larger.

In evaluating prices for a house, we divide per person, not per room.  Our thinking is that everyone shares in the kitchen, the pool, the grounds and it’s less important whether there is one or two persons in the room.  That being said, the couples might get the bigger room and the single might get the smaller one.

The next important consideration is when you are planning to travel to France.  July and August are high season and prices will double.  My advice is to consider any months except July and August.  It’s very crowded all over in those months and in the South, it can be a little too hot.

Ideal times to go are May/June and September/October.

So now we have the initial criteria for our search.

• Group size (for examples, we will use our group size — around 5 looking for a 3-bedroom.

• Time of year to travel (we will focus on May-June for our examples here.)

Having flexibility when looking is a good thing.  And starting in January is not too early.  It’s possible to find a great house later in the year, but you might have to go through quite a few before you find availability.

Next up: Where to go in France?

If you are browsing through the entries in the blog and have thought about a French country vacation, this is a cheerleading session for you. While sounding exotic and complicated, this mode of travel is indescribably satisfying and not difficult to arrange.

Staying in the countryside in France can be very economical and yet you will experience all the wonderfulness that is France much more intensely than a weekend in Paris. Here are some common objections….

• Country houses and villas are for millionaires, not me.

Comment: Renting a country house, per person, can be the cheapest vacation that you have ever taken, not to mention the money saved by dining on your terrace in front of your pool on fabulous fresh produce and meat.

• I’m quite attracted to things French, but I know that the French do not like Americans in particular and that discourages me. Plus, I don’t speak French!

Comment: It has been my experience that the French people are very clear about separating politics from people. The fact that they are not enamored of George Bush does not enter into their dealings with American tourists. Also, there are some cross-cultural snafus that you can learn to avoid that will keep you and your French friends smiling. More on that later.

• The dollar is so horrible–everything will be so expensive!

Comment: While things do cost more because of the current unfavorable exchange rate, things can and will change. With your French country house rental, you will know exactly what you are spending.

In my next blog, I will outline a way of estimating costs and we can begin the hunt for a fabulous country house for this year.

The new year has begun and with it comes the yearly hunt for a well-priced country house for a week or two in France. During the coming weeks, I will review some things that we have discovered about renting in France and how you can to! Even with the U.S. dollar having problems, you can still find a charming, affordable country house WITH POOL, that will delight your family and friends.

I have started a new category so any beginning Francophile finding this site will have this info for summer 2008!

Happy New Year!