How does one find a reasonably price place to stay for a couple about 3 weeks near the coast the south of Fr.?

Question

How does one find a reasonably price place to stay for a couple about 3 weeks near the coast the south of Fr.?

Answer 1

The cheapest is to rent a house or apartment a few miles inland. The closer to the beach, the more expensive.

If you want the south of France for climate, you can go farther inland and rent a place near a river or a lake, there are so many gorgeous spots for people to swim, for instance in the Gard, in the Cévennes, near the Gorges de l'Ardèche, or the Salagou lake. Some places also have a pool.

In the summer you should also try to vacation at the end of June and very first week of July or late August/early September when rental rates are cheaper. The south Atlantic coast is cheaper and has far nicer beaches than some parts of the Riviera. The Aude or Pyrennées Orientales departements (on the Mediterranean side but closer to Spain than Italy) are also much cheaper and have a lot to offer in terms of landscapes and history.

Look for furnished rentals on sites such as:

http://www.gites-de-france.com/gites/uk/... (select "rural gîtes")

http://www.homelidays.com/EN-Holidays-Re...

http://www.abritel.fr/uk/index.php

You should be able to find lovely, romantic getaways for 200€ to 500 € a week. Or if you own a place in an attractive city or region, do a house exchange. There are specialized websites for that.