France 2008: accommodation guide

Fred Mawer looks at which companies and operators offer the best choice of accommodation in France, whether you're looking for a hotel, villa or chateaux.

France 2008: holiday booking guide

The best operators for activity and special interest tours

Google map: the best destinations in France

Villas and cottages

From simple gîtes in Normandy to modern villas with pools in the south and gorgeous châteaux in the Dordogne, France offers an amazing range of homes to rent. Trends include more properties on the Atlantic coast, especially on chi-chi Ile de Ré, and, at the luxury end of the market, more extra services, such as chefs. When deciding on how to fix travel, bear in mind that some companies offer good discounts on Channel crossings.

	Enjoy the best of the French countryside by staying in a rural gîte

Countrywide operators

Our selection

The long-established French specialist VFB Holidays (01452 716830, www.vfbholidays.co.uk) is a safe bet for characterful cottages and villas of a good standard. Its website gives admirable detail on the 350 properties on its books, which are spread all over France.

Brittany Ferries (0871 244 1400, www.brittanyferries.co.uk) is good for rural gîtes and cottages, especially in Brittany, Normandy and the Loire. Accommodation must be combined with travel on its ferries; 15 per cent discounts on bookings made before January 31.

Families with young children could try Tots to France (0870 458 5528, www.totstofrance.co.uk) and Holiday Tots (01202 520042, www.holidaytots.co.uk). These promising new ventures offer a good choice of carefully chosen gîtes (many of which are part of small complexes), and reams of information on properties' child-friendly credentials.

Other options

The Holiday Cottages Group has literally thousands of lets under various brands: Individual Travellers (0870 191 7890, www.individualtravellers.com) has the most upmarket portfolio, and rentals sometimes off the beaten track; French Country Cottages (0870 078 1500, www.french-country-cottages.co.uk) has characterful properties - not just cottages; French Life (0870 197 6675, www.frenchlife.co.uk) offers mid-market lets, apartment complexes and holiday villages; Welcome Cottages (0870 197 6420, www.welcomecottages.com) has budget options; and Cottages4You (0870 192 1223, www.cottages4you.co.uk) is a database covering most but not all of the above.

Access Travel (01942 888844, www.access-travel.co.uk) has wheelchair-accessible gîtes.
French Affair (020 7381 8519, www.frenchaffair.com) is a good choice in the south and south-west; flexible short stays possible outside school holidays.
Holiday In France (01225 310623, www.holidayinfrance.co.uk) is a long-established agency - cottages to châteaux across 10 regions.
Hoseasons (0844 847 1100, www.hoseasons.co.uk) has more than 300 properties with private or shared pool, in the south, Dordogne, Atlantic coast and Brittany.
Inntravel (01653 617906, www.inntravel.co.uk) offers a few rural hideaways - some with walking routes provided.
Interhome (020 8780 6633, www.interhome.co.uk) features thousands of apartments, houses and villas.
James Villa Holidays (0870 085 0722, www.jamesvillas.co.uk) specialises in villas with pools in the south, and, new this year, the Atlantic coast, Brittany and Corsica.
Just France (020 8780 4488, www.justfrance.co.uk) is part of Inghams and features quality properties, with a good choice in the Dordogne.
Pure France (0871 288 4198, www.purefrance.com) operates in Provence and the south-west; most properties have pools.
Rural France Direct (01425 484433, www.villaholidaycentre.com) features properties away from the main tourist centres.

Regional specialists

Our selection

Alternative Aquitaine (0870 609 2845, www.alternative-aquitaine.com) has well-documented villas, seaside apartments and chalet complexes on or near the south-west coast.

Gascony Secret (0844 800 1637, www.gascony-secret.com) offers some superb-looking châteaux and farmhouses with private pools in the lovely Gers département - meals and extra housekeeping can often be arranged.

Brittany Travel (0845 230 1380, www.brittany.co.uk) provides good detail on its rentals. Most are close to the coasts; there are more in the prime area of Bénodet this year.

Other options

Country Cousins (020 7284 0996, www.countrycousins.co.uk) Roussillon specialist.
Normandie Vacances (0845 230 5130, www.normandy-holidays.co.uk) Gîtes in Normandy.
Provence Holiday Houses (0033 490 056036, www.provenceholidayhouses.com) has properties in the Lubéron and Alpilles.
Simply Périgord (0033 553 545431, www.simply-perigord.com) is a Dordogne specialist.
Sun Select Villas (01886 830058, www.sunselectvillas.com) features properties in Brittany and the Aquitaine coast.
Susan Paradise (01395 597759, www.susanparadise.co.uk) has a good selection in Provence, the Côte d'Azur and Brittany.
Villa Centre (01223 513593, www.villacentre.com) is good for villas with pools in Brittany, as well as Provence/Côte d'Azur.
Wake Up In France (01484 680855, www.wakeupinfrance.co.uk) is strongest in the Vendée, with an enlarged selection on nearby Ile de Ré.

Luxury specialists

Our selection

Dominique's Villas (020 7738 8772, www.dominiquesvillas.co.uk) has about 120 châteaux, manors and villas, almost all with pools, spread over most of the popular regions. Many of the properties are vast, sleeping 16 or more.

Also recommended is Vintage Travel (0845 344 0460, www.vintagetravel.co.uk), which features 45 classy rural properties, all with pools, divided over the Dordogne, Lot, south-west France and Provence. At many, extra services have been introduced, such as poolside massages and chefs.

Other options

Private Properties Abroad (01423 330533, www.ppaproperties.com) features magnificent farmhouses and châteaux, most but not all in the south.
Quality Villas (01442 870055, www.quality-villas.co.uk) has a good selection in Brittany, Normandy, the Loire and southern France.
Scott Dunn (020 8682 5000, www.scottdunn.com) offers chalet-style villas with chefs and childcare on the Aquitaine coast.
Serendipity Rentals (02920 786477, www.serendipityrentals.com) features grand houses, mostly in the Dordogne.

The following companies offer rentals primarily in Provence and the Côte d'Azur, though in some cases also in regions such as the Dordogne and Languedoc: A&K Villas (0845 618 2215, www.abercrombiekent.co.uk); Balfour France (020 8878 9955, www.balfourfrance.com); CV Travel (020 7384 5893, www.cvtravel.co.uk); The Owners' Syndicate (020 7381 7490, www.ownerssyndicate.com); Palmer and Parker (01494 815411, www.palmerparker.com); The Villa Book (020 7873 2111, www.thevillabook.com); Wimco (0870 850 1144, www.wimco.com).

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