Holiday Rentals In France

Our old house in Normandy, which is now a charming rental cottage. We highly recommend this place!


For the first 10 years that we lived here, whenever I was visiting the U.S. and met someone new, they would inevitably ask me where I lived. When I would reply that I lived in France, their response, every single time, would be, "so how long have you lived in Paris?"
I always found that pretty funny. It's like telling someone that you live in the U.S. and they respond by asking how long you've lived in New York City.

But I get it. Paris represents "France" to most foreigners.

However there is much, much more to l'Hexagone than Paris! And over the years we've been fortunate enough to live in a few regions and have enjoyed exploring a good chunk of this beautiful country on many of our vacations.

I know that once you've chosen where to go, picking where to stay can be daunting. The sheer number of holiday rentals out there is crazy, so I thought I would share a handful of places that we know and would recommend around France. We stayed in some as paying guests (and would happily return), a few are owned by friends and one house we lived in for 4 wonderful years.

If you have any more places to recommend, please share them in the comments!


This gorgeous home, with a large pool, is located close to the Mediterranean sea in Occitanie. The owners, who are close friends of ours, are renting it out this summer.



A perfect spot for a summer apéro is the terrace of Maison de la Fontaine, a vacation house located in the center of the market town of Nérac, in the south west. It is owned by my good friend, Mardi, of Eat. Live. Travel. Write.



Gîte de la Roche à Vent in the Loire Valley, located between Saumur and Angers. We spent a week in this spacious, comfortable house, which was a fantastic location for exploring the region. 


Another lovely rental, complete with a big swimming pool and a large garden, is located in a medieval town in the south of France.


Can you imagine sitting here with a glass of wine, enjoying this view? Gorgeous! And the owners are winemakers, so a visit to their vineyard and wine tasting is included in the price.



Another picturesque spot in Gascony is Kate Hill's home, Camont, where I learned to make cassoulet many years ago. It is exceptionally being rented out for the summer of 2017.



Logis la Cabane, located about 20 minutes from Cognac, is a beautiful property with 2 acres of gardens and a heated swimming pool. 



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Photo du Jour - Château de Nérac

Tucked away in the rolling green hills of the Lot-et-Garonne, the small town of Nérac seems an unlikely place for a history so rich in extravagance, extramarital flings and religious wars.

Nérac saw several hundred years of glittering splendor and at its pinnacle the lavishness of its royal court matched the courts of Paris. During the late 16th century King Henri IV brought numerous lovers, eminent nobles and distinguished writers, musicians and poets here, creating a golden era that lasted until 1599.
Henri's wife, Queen Margot, finally got tired of his extracurricular activities and had their marriage annulled. Shortly thereafter Henri packed up the court and moved it to Paris, thus ending the good times in Gascony.

What remains of the Château, including its graceful Renaissance gallery, can be visited year-round.

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10 Reasons I Love Gascony

Ten reasons barely scratch the surface. But it's a start.


1) The Armagnac
Deep caramel flavors and fruity aromas. Very special stuff indeed.



2) The Landscape
Uncrowded and dotted with treasures to discover. Gascony is often referred to as "the land of milk and honey."



3) The People
Friendly, passionate and always willing to share a recipe or two, give restaurant recommendations or to just stop and chat.



4) The Towns
Nérac, Agen, Condom, Auch. A lifetime wouldn't be enough to explore them all.



5) The Fritons
Crispy, salty, fried duck skin. Need I say more?



6) The History
The Hundred Years war, King Henri IV, The Wars of Religion. Gascony's history is layered and rich.



7) The Pigeonniers
Why do I find them so charming?



8) The Foie Gras
Silky, rich and utterly irresistible.



9) Les Pruneaux
Dried or pitted and stuffed with natural cream or Armagnac infused cream. What a treat!



10) Kate Hill
Dynamic, kind and devoted to the region, its food and the people who grow and produce it.
I can't say enough kind things about her. If you have the opportunity to study Gascon cuisine with Kate at her Kitchen at Camont, you must!
It is an incredible and unforgettable experience

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Photo du Jour

Some treats on offer at the market in Nérac. The dark, dense pain d'épices (on the top) was divine! Pin It

Photo du Jour

An early, misty morning in Nérac. Pin It

Templais Sec

The market in Nérac on Saturday yielded this nice hunk of Templais Sec from the village of Temple-sur-Lot in the Lot-et-Garonne département.

It was shared with a dozen others and the first taste comparison that sprung to everyone's mind was Parmigiano-Reggiano! It had that lovely, nutty flavor and that crumbly texture. Big, tasty shards were broken off with a blunt little cheese knife and enjoyed with a robust red from Cahors.
From the looks of it, Templier is only available locally, about two hours north of here. I looked for it at our market this morning and didn't find it. When I'm in Narbonne later this week I plan on asking about it at the fromagerie.
I loved nibbling on this cheese and should have brought home a big chunk of it. Guess we'll have to take another trip north to visit Kate at the Relais de Camont!


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