Renting a Vacation Home with a Pool in the South of France

Why Rent a Vacation Home in Saint-Raphaël, French Riviera

Saint-Raphaël is an extremely attractive destination for a vacation. Located at the foot of the Esterel Massif, it offers a variety of stunning landscapes: pine forests, rocky coves, and sandy beaches. It’s a paradise for hiking enthusiasts and cycling lovers, with numerous dedicated trails. The town also boasts a rich cultural heritage, including Belle Époque villas, the Île d’Or with its tower, the Basilica of Our Lady of Victory, and its archaeology museum. Children will enjoy visiting the Louis de Funès Museum.

You’ll find many beaches around Saint-Raphaël, ranging from large family beaches to hidden coves that are unknown to most tourists.

The town also offers a variety of water activities: diving, sailing, jet skiing, parasailing, or simply boat excursions to explore the region.

There are numerous villas available for vacation rentals, such as Villa Giovanna in Saint-Raphaël, close to the beaches of Agay and the Valescure Golf Courses.

Renting a house with a pool in the Saint-Raphaël area allows you to enjoy the diverse activities the region offers while relaxing in your own private accommodation. It’s a destination that provides an excellent balance between relaxation, exploration, and outdoor activities.

How to Find a Vacation Home with a Pool

You can find vacation rentals through various channels: vacation rental platforms acting as intermediaries, classified ad websites, property owners’ websites, and listings on social media.

Vacation Rental Platforms like Airbnb

These are the most popular sites for finding a rental. They offer a wide selection of properties, allowing you to find the perfect accommodation that meets all your vacation criteria. Listings are verified and reviewed by travelers, ensuring a trustworthy choice. The three most well-known platforms are Vbro.com, Airbnb.com, and Booking.com.

Advantages: These platforms include traveler insurance that covers risks related to accommodation and provides assistance in case of problems during your stay, such as finding alternative lodging. These guarantees give travelers peace of mind when booking.

Disadvantages: The platforms charge service fees, taking a commission of 15% to 20%, shared between the owner and the traveler.

Free Classified Ad Sites

There are several sites where you can find vacation rentals without fees. The costs are solely borne by the owners. Some of the most well-known are PAP Vacances, LVP Direct, and Leboncoin.

Another source of listings is the town halls of seaside resorts. They often have a section on their websites listing vacation accommodation offers. For example, the town of Saint-Raphaël publishes a brochure each year listing apartments and houses available for vacation rentals. You can pick it up for free at the tourist office or view the listings on the town’s website.

Facebook Groups

On Facebook, there are many groups connecting owners and travelers, such as “Top locations de vacances en France,” “Location de vacances,” “Location de vacances PACA entre particuliers,” “Vacances dans le sud de la France,” and “Locations de vacances ST RAPHAËL FREJUS ST AYGULF.”

How to Avoid Scams in Vacation Rentals

The Owner’s Phone Number

The first thing to do is verify the phone number. There is an online service by Acerp that allows you to identify an operator by phone number. If the operator is different from Orange, SFR/Bouygues, or Free, it is likely a scam. For example, the operator ONOFF is widely used by scammers abroad as it offers virtual numbers. Obtaining a virtual number is easy—just download an app to get a number from the country of your choice. This ease of use makes these services very useful for scammers, allowing them to change numbers frequently. For example, numbers starting with 06.44.66, 06.44.67, 06.44.68, 06.44.69, 07.56.8, and 07.56.9 are assigned by the operator ONOFF.

Contact the Owner

Call the owner and verify that the information displayed in the ad matches what they say. If the person’s accent is foreign, be cautious, as most scammers operate from Côte d’Ivoire or North African countries. Ask trick questions: What’s the name of the nearest restaurant? Where is the nearest bus station or bakery? How far is the beach? What is the address of the nearest supermarket? You can verify all this information on Google Maps.

Request a Rental Contract

For short-term rentals, a rental contract is required by law, and it will include the owner’s name and address, as well as a description of the property being rented.

Search for the Name of the Villa or the Owner

Most owners name their villa to make it easily searchable online. For example, by searching “Villa Giovanna Saint-Raphaël” on Google, you will find many sites with the owner’s contact details. In our case, you would find the website created by the owner as well as the ad published on the Saint-Raphaël town hall website. Simply check that the information matches.

Use Google Lens to Verify the Origin of Photos

Google Lens offers a service that allows you to check the origin of an image. Just right-click and select “Search image with Google,” and this search will display all the sites showing the image and possibly the source.

Check that the Vacation Home Exists on Google Maps

By entering the villa’s address on Google Maps, you can verify that the villa really exists and that its appearance matches the photos. The phone number will also be displayed, along with reviews from past travelers. You can also find the Google listing for the property.

Be Cautious with Ads on Facebook and Leboncoin

If the rental price is below market value, it is most likely a scam. Miracles and good deals are very rare.

By conducting all these checks, you can avoid 99% of vacation rental scams.

When is the Best Time to Book a Summer Vacation Rental?

If the destination is popular, don’t hesitate to book a year in advance, especially if you plan to stay for several weeks. You’ll have a wider choice of accommodations and better rates. Most bookings for June, July, and August are made starting in November.

Generally, it’s always better to book at least six months in advance to secure accommodation that meets all your criteria.

What Percentage of Deposit is Required for a Vacation Rental?

The deposit required for booking a vacation rental varies from 25% to 30% of the rental amount, excluding the tourist tax and the final cleaning fee.

What Budget is Needed for Renting a Vacation Home on the French Riviera?

The rate depends on the location of the house and the amenities offered. In high season, you should plan a budget of €4,500 to €10,000 per week for a luxury villa with a private pool in Saint-Raphaël, close to the beaches, with four bedrooms. For a villa in Saint-Tropez, Cannes, or Nice, a budget of €12,000 to €20,000 will be necessary for similar amenities. In the shoulder season, rates are reduced by 30% to 50%. If you book through a platform, you can add an additional 20% to the price compared to a direct rental with the owner.

The Security Deposit for a Vacation Rental

Most owners will require a security deposit, also known as a “caution” in France. For French nationals, an uncashed check will suffice. Other options are also available, such as a bank imprint on your credit card, as with car rentals, or a bank transfer.

The amount of the security deposit varies depending on the property. For a villa with a pool on the Côte d’Azur, it can range from €1,500 to €3,000.

Essential Elements in a Vacation Rental

When choosing a vacation rental, ensure that the essential elements are available to guarantee a comfortable stay.

Bedding and Linen

Are sheets, bath towels, and pool towels provided? Does the stay include a final cleaning fee?

Household Appliances

What appliances are available in the villa? Convection oven, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, stove, washing machine, dryer.

Activities

Foosball, ping-pong table, pool table, pétanque court, board games, video game consoles are elements that can entertain you during your stay.

Air Conditioning

Are the bedrooms and living area air-conditioned? Are the windows equipped with shutters?

Outdoor Furniture

Large dining table and chairs, lounge chairs, umbrellas, sunbeds, barbecue are mostly essential elements for a successful stay.

Baby Equipment

Travel crib, high chair, changing table, baby bathtub.

Why Choose to Rent a Villa for Vacation Instead of a Hotel?

Space, Comfort, and Flexibility of a Vacation Villa Stay

A vacation villa offers many advantages over a hotel stay. You benefit from more space and won’t have immediate neighbors. Moreover, a vacation villa is equipped with numerous household appliances, an equipped kitchen, outdoor furniture, a private pool, and sunbeds—all these amenities will provide incomparable comfort and independence compared to a hotel stay.

More Affordable Rates

The cost per person will be more reasonable in a vacation villa compared to booking several hotel rooms.

What Insurance is Needed for a Vacation Rental?

Vacation Insurance

Vacation insurance covers risks related to vacation rentals, particularly for liability. It covers financial consequences for damages or losses you may cause. This coverage is often included in your home insurance: you can check the general conditions of your contract. To obtain a vacation insurance certificate, simply contact your insurer with the accommodation address and the dates of your stay.

Vacation Rental Cancellation Insurance

If you book a villa with a pool for your vacation but must cancel, vacation rental cancellation insurance will allow you to get a refund for the fees paid for the vacation rental.