5 Mistakes Tourists Make When Booking Vacation Rentals in France

If you’re planning an upcoming visit (or simply collecting inspiration for your dream France vacation), you’re probably considering a vacation rental yourself. But there are some key differences between homes and apartments in France compared to the United States that need to be considered.

In today’s lesson, I’ll explain 5 mistakes that tourists often unknowingly make when booking their vacation rental in France. I’ll also give some tips on how to carefully read the listings or ask the right questions, so you can avoid these mistakes.

Let me know in the comments: have you visited France before? If so, what differences did you notice between the homes here and in your own country?

0:00 - Intro
0:32 - Tip #1 : Understanding Room Count
2:00 - Tip #2: Checking for Elevators
3:16 - Tip #3: Essential Amenities
5:05 - Tip #4: Checking for Air Conditioning
6:30 - Tip #5: Choosing the Right Neighbourhood
8:15 - Outro

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Take care and stay safe.
😘 from Grenoble, France.

Géraldine

[ajs]

I try to use hotels when travelling because I think it supports the local economy better.

[stayfocused]

I am French. One thing not mentioned: MOLD. Many rentals in France are full of mold. Mold is not even considered when you purchase a house in France, like it is in the US. As for vacation rentals, unfortunately, because the economy in France is in very bad shape these days, many people are trying to make ends meet by refurbishing a place with a minimum of investment, and mold remediation is not on the list. I am allergic to mold, like a majority of people (who often are not aware of it), and I have had so many problems with mold in vacation rentals in France, even in expensive villas.

[johngorentz]

I had just figured out a lot of this by careful study of AirBnB listings and their photos. I had gathered that a bedroom isn't always a bedroom. And we had learned about air conditioning during a heat wave in Germany a few years ago. At one hotel everyone slept with their doors open because of the heat. We adjusted to it. But it was good to hear you summarize these points directly, which sort of confirmed my inferences.

[sagg]

Merci beaucoup pour cette nouvelle et superbe themè du debut de cette splendide fin de semaine et samedi dans la matin

[danielonn]

Thank you for this. I happen to know how to book Vacation rentals in France. I spoke with upset Americans who expect it to be like home! Not true.

I found a nice AirBnb in Chantilly for a change as were going to Paris the night before our trip to Morocco. On the way back I proposed my Parents and I stay in Chantilly for a few nights.

I love living like a Local

[gavinwilson]

Bonjour Géraldine, j’espère vous allez bien. Bon conseil, merci beaucoup ! Bonne journée et bon voyage 🛳 🛫

[roderickmain]

Tres bien, Geraldine. Je peense que c'est necessaire pour les Americaines. Pour les anglais (et les ecossais comme moi) c'est la meme d'angleterre. :-))

[rafadydkiemmacha]

3 years ago it was easy to find a room or even an apartment in Paris for less than €55 a night. Now it's hard to find a decent place for under €100.

[debramoss]

So very helpful and most UK citizens have the same thinking as those in the USA, thank you so much

[stayfocused]

I would add that in 2023, considering the rapidly growing insecurity in France, I would certainly make sure that the neighborhood is safe. Cheap rentals often come with neighborhoods where the crowd might not be what you expected in France....

[martinneumann]

Joyeux anniversaire, Géraldine ! Mes meilleurs vœux à toi et ta famille. Au fait, le LIKE Nr. 200 c'était moi que le fait. Pour toi ! 🍀🍀🤗🍀🍀 A la prochaine — Martin

[johngorentz]

You sort of touched on it in this very helpful video, but maybe you could do one about how to write a proper AirBnB inquiry to a French host when we're not even sure if we have enough language in common to communicate easily.

[Odiex]

J'espère que tu as un joyeux anniversaire demain !

[bxoit]

Oui, j'ai visité en France plusieurs fois. Les règles de conduire sont un petit different q'aux Etats Unis.

[ometofu]

Impossible to find an affordable Airbnb avec la clim! It might be the longest 2 months in Paris! Mdr! Can you do a video on cheap eat vocabulary? Merci d’avance!

[michaelcrummy]

Pourquoi mon commentaire a disparu? Je n’ai rien écrit controversé. 🤔🤔🤔

[jasonlockwood]

Heureusement, en Australie, le rez-de-chaussée = ground floor et le premier étage = first floor. Ce n’est qu’en Amérique du Nord qu’il existe cette confusion.

[Swimmer]

First mistake is coming to France in the first place…