Banish the blues with a sunshine trip to the south of France. This time of the year flights are cheap and plentiful and with more than 300 days of sunshine a year recorded along the Cote d’Azur – it’s a great time to soak up a few rays.
France is the perfect place for a romantic get-away and as Valentine’s Day approaches, why not book a last minute break with your loved one…
At French Connections our properties include plenty of romantic retreats from chocolate box pretty little cottages to chateaux apartments, from Provence to Brittany and all over France.
Imagine, you wake up and surprise your loved one with a delicious breakfast as the scent of just baked croissants from the local boulangerie fills the room. Afterwards do you go for a walk in the countryside, perhaps along the beach? Maybe you’d choose to wander in an ancient town of cobbled stoned streets and timber buildings with a vibrant street market, like at Sarlat in Dordogne, a short drive from the romantic Le Grenier, a gorgeous luxury gite oozing olde worlde charm. This town is perfect for lovers with its wonderful architecture, Saturday morning market and fabulous restaurants with a lively café culture.
Will lunch be in a cosy café or a friendly bistro? Or perhaps you’ll really push the boat out in a swanky restaurant serving haute cuisine. La Petite Gravelle in Charente-Maritime is close to Cognac with numerous restaurants and the added bonus of distilleries where you can taste the local brew - cognac!
At this time of the year in the south of France there are frequent blue skies and sunshine whilst in the centre and north it can be chilly and even snow at times. It’s a quieter time of the year with less tourists meaning you can enjoy scenic locations in peace and quiet – very romantic! In Provence in the south it typically snows for just two days and early in the year is a great time to visit the region. In the summer it can be crawling with visitors. La Grange de la Lavande (Lavender Barn) is central for visits to magnificent little towns like Apt, famous for its crystalised fruit and relaxed vibe and Avignon with its stunning Palais des Papes. Aix-in-Provence is close by and it’s the sort of place you fall in love with on sight.
Where ever you are, spend the afternoon touring the local surroundings, perhaps taking in a museum or monument. As evening approaches, don’t forget to have an aperitif before dinner – Champagne of course!
Spoil yourself and your loved one with a Valentine’s Day break in France you’ll both adore.
Fancy escaping the British winter, taking a sabbatical or going house hunting in France? A long winter let at one of our beautiful holiday homes could be just what you need to see you into next Spring.
Long winter lets can run from one month right up to six months, usually between November and late February or March, depending partly on the region and local weather. Several of our owners offer long winter lets at their properties with rental by the month at very favourable rates compared with weekly summer rents.
If you’re thinking of buying in France, a winter rental is a great way to be on the spot for viewing properties when they come on the market, get to know the region and way of life and improve your spoken French.
Families thinking of emigrating often want to do the very sensible thing of ‘try before you buy’. Many even put their children into French schools for a while and get a true taste of the lifestyle.
To get away from the winter, you could head for southern regions of France where temperatures are generally higher and there is more light and sunshine. Or perhaps you want to use a sabbatical to do that writing, photography or meditation you’ve been promising yourself.
Our ‘Long Winter Lets’ pages list a range of attractive properties whose owners offer this service. Our photo shows La Bastide St Christophe on the beautiful Cote d'Azur, where several apartments are available for long winter lets.
Most owners invite you to get in touch to discuss rates, so use their weekly rental quoted as simply a guide to where they sit in the market. They are also knowledgeable about their area and happy to help you get what you want from your long winter escape. Browse our long winter lets now.
French Connections will be at The France Show in London 27-29 January 2017 and we have five pairs of tickets to give away!
We’re one of the leading websites for property rentals in France and we’ll be at the show to share the fabulous gites, B&Bs, chateaux and villas we have on our books for you to rent. And if you have a property you want to rent out – come and see us, we can help you get bookings for next year.
We also have properties for sale and if you’re dreaming of a new life in France, come and see us, we may just make that dream come true.
The France Show brings you the best of France - food, wine, property, holiday ideas, travel offers and entertainment - all under one roof. A great French market, cookery demonstrations, tutored wine tastings, language and travel theatre and even a chance to play pétanque! The France Show also hosts the largest French Property Exhibition in the UK, so come along, meet the experts and find your dream home.
Just click on the link below to enter your details for the random draw to win a pair of tickets. We’ll do the draw on Friday 20 January and let the winners know tout de suite!
The France Show 27-29 January; 10am-5pm Friday and Saturday | 10am-4pm Sunday
Enjoy a great French day out in the heart of London – see you there!
Click here to enter the draw for two tickets to the France show
During December and January, bookings made for some of the holiday properties available on our website will generate a donation to help send an underprivileged child on holiday. The properties are those that are offered at French Connections by one of our trusted partners, Oliver’s Travels.
Oliver’s has teamed up with CHICKS, a national children's charity providing free respite breaks to disadvantaged children from all over the UK. For every booking, a donation of £30 will go towards the aim of raising £15,000 to cover the cost of a week’s retreat for 16 disadvantaged children.
CHICKS began in 1992 and has since provided over 13,500 children with a much needed break. The children might be living in poverty, be young carers, be victims of bullying or abuse, or have been bereaved. The one thing they all have in common is that they could really benefit from a week away from their circumstances.
Children are referred by professionals (for example, teachers or social workers) so CHICKS can help those who need our support the most. A holiday inspires new confidence and gives children the chance to have fun, enjoy new experiences and relax.
The donation applies to properties on our website that show the message, ‘This property is bookable live via our trusted partners Olivers Travels.’ Search our gorgeous holiday properties in France for your 2017 holiday now.
Whether you’re in France or elsewhere, we wish you a truly happy New Year from all the team at French Connections.
What better way to spend some time during January than planning your next trip to France? The most beautiful villas, gites and chateaux book quickly so make an early enquiry to be sure of maximum choice in all the popular holiday regions.
Making French Connections is, of course, what we do - and we know that our owners are looking forward with enthusiasm to connecting with guests for the 2017 season.
Many offer great deals and incentives on holiday homes at this time of year and these will build up as we go into January, so it’s the perfect time to grab an ‘earlybird’ bargain. You’ll find these deals in our Special Offers pages.
Remember that if you like the look of a holiday home, you can ask the owner questions via their listing page or request that they phone you for a chat. They know their property and the local area really well and most are happy to help with travel routes, facilities for babies, local sights, days out and where to eat and shop.
And we hope to see you at The France Show at London Olympia from 27-29 January. We’ll have a stand there and are excited about meeting new and existing property owners, chatting to holidaymakers and helping anyone who’s looking to buy in France.
The ski season in France is off to an early start this year, with exceptional falls of snow right across the Alps. Local ski professionals are saying it’s the best snow and earliest start to a season that they have seen.
In the ski resort of Tignes, which is at relatively low altitude, the glacier was open in early October and now snow lies thick on the slopes below it. Chamonix, Montgenèvre and Val Thorens are also popular resorts that have already opened their slopes for skiing.
France is a great ski destination, with easy access by car, snow train services and a choice of flights and airports. There is a wide choice of resorts that are family friendly where facilities for skiers of all ages and abilities are of a very high standard.
Travel experts are predicting that skiiers will be looking for maximum value this year. At French Connections we have a great choice of chalets, gites and apartments to rent, suitable for couples, families and groups. These self-catering properties offer really attractive prices, space and facilities when compared to hotels.
Much of our accommodation is in the Haute-Savoie region – and several chalets here are offering £100 discount plus a champagne reception for bookings made before January. Enjoy a stay in a buzzing resort or choose a peaceful, traditional village where you can enjoy a typically French winter holiday with great food, drink and charming apres-ski events. Find your ski holiday property in Haute-Savoie now.