If, as the summer beckons, your daydreams turn to holidays — in particular ones that don’t involve flying but a pretty drive or a train journey — then a family villa holiday in France might be the solution. In the luxury world this doesn’t mean just a lovely home in which you can set your own agenda, but a place that provides transfers from the airport, fridges stocked with treats and a concierge who can book the most talked-about local restaurants and activities.
Today’s leading villa specialists do this and more, from stringently vetting the properties on their website (Plum Guide) to sending guests an Off Road travel guide for their chosen destination (Villanovo) and offering a concierge service that can sort everything from in-villa Michelin-starred dinners to private museum visits (Le Collectionist). At the Thinking Traveller, villa specialists visit their properties (all of which are exclusive to them) several times a year, often even staying there, to ensure an optimum experience, while at SJ Villas, mother-and-son team Judy and Tom Menier have a team of French chefs to send round. And at Iconic House, every property comes with a designer-curated library and an electric car in the colours of the house. From the Côte d’Argent to the Med, here are some of the loveliest villas to rent on or near the French coast.
Le Coeur du Ferret, Cap Ferret, Gironde
The peninsula between Arcachon Bay and the Atlantic is one of the most sought-after holiday destinations in France, and the fifth “maison hôtelier” in the Iconic House portfolio is almost on its tip. It opens this July with seven en suite doubles, a dormitory for the kids, an outdoor pool, sauna and cinema. Designed by the local architect Frédéric Thet, with interiors by Jaune Architecture, in the style of a (very) upmarket Cap Ferret fisherman’s cabin, it is located in a secluded spot surrounded by pine trees. Iconic House prides itself on offering services worthy of the best hotels, and in high season this extends to a chef and house manager. Bespoke adventures include a trip on a pinasse boat. From £3,420 for a weekend or £17,105 a week, iconic.house
Villa Sciurus, Hossegor, Landes
The increasingly fashionable resort of Hossegor is known for its 1930s architecture by Louis and Benjamin Gomez — which includes this neo-Basque villa midway between the world-class surf and a charming inland lake. Named after the humble squirrel, the property was renovated last year in a retro style that includes pops of colour on the outside and bespoke details within, such as graphic floor tiles inspired by the work of the architect Oscar Niemeyer and wallpapers commissioned from Été 1981. It sleeps 14 in five doubles and a children’s room for four. Tasselled parasols provide shade around the heated outdoor pool and the concierge service can arrange private surf lessons and horse riding on the beach. From £7,895 a week, vrbo.com
Landriou, Magescq, Landes
The history of Les Landes is mysterious and poetic: shepherds once roamed the boggy heathland on stilts (all the better to see their flocks) and winter storms could bury whole churches in the shifting sands. Planted with 10,000 sq km of maritime pines under Napoleon III, it is now a vast coastal forest and you’ll find this half-timbered house in the middle of it, on the edge of a village known for its butcher, baker and Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Relais de la Poste. Restored during Covid by its interior-designer owner, it has three boho-chic doubles, a dormitory for four, a heated outdoor pool and a working barn turned bodega with a zinc-topped bar. Tailored extras can include surf lessons at the coast, cycling tours through the forest and cooking lessons on site. From £6,845 per week, sjvillas.co.uk
Sintineddu, Pianottoli, Corsica
The coast around Pianottoli is one of coves, bays and sandy beaches, and this modernist holiday home — named after the Genoese watchtowers that dot the coastline — is right on it. Halfway between Bonifacio and Sartène, it was commissioned from Silvio d’Ascia, delivering indoor-outdoor living with glass walls that open onto a pool and the sea to the front, and a secluded private garden of manicured lawn and aromatic maquis to the back. The five bedrooms and open-plan living area have been furnished in mid-century style by the Parisian owner, and breakfast is prepared as part of the daily maid service. Kayaks and bikes are on hand for exploring. From £5,781 a week, thethinkingtraveller.com
Villa Beauchamp, Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Alpes-Maritimes
The Grand-Hôtel du Cap Ferrat dates back to 1908, but this three-bedroom villa (with a two-bedroom pavilion) has only been available since last summer. Now run by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, it was recently restored by Luc Svetchine, with polished interiors by Sybille de Margerie that reference local art — there’s a mosaic inspired by the work of Jean Cocteau at the Villa Santo Sospir — and the shimmering blues and greens of the peninsula. A private butler, turbocharged fitness room and outdoor pool are among the not-so-little extras, while the hotel can organise a sailing trip to St Tropez or an astronomy lesson and private dinner prepared by chef Yoric Tièche, who won a Michelin star at Le Cap. From £9,405 a night, fourseasons.com
Sunset Vibes, St Tropez, Var
St Tropez was a charming Provençal fishing village before it became the A-listers’ playground, and at this villa near Canoubiers Beach, ten minutes’ drive from the centre, you can have the best of both. The chic organic interiors of linen drapes, woven lampshades and reclaimed wood contrast beautifully with the deep blue of the rectangular pool and vivid greens of the lawns and pine trees. Daybeds for two are perfect for gazing over the Med, and there are extra rooms for staff. A private chef and butler, chauffeured car hire and in-house massages are available on request. From £11,929 a week (14-night minimum stay in July and August), plumguide.com
Bastide de Cala, Les Baux-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône
Les Baux-de-Provence is officially designated one of the most beautiful villages in France and this magnificent manor house is a five-minute drive from its lofty medieval castle ruins. Set in two hectares planted with 160 olive trees, it has four double bedrooms in the main building and a fifth in an outhouse, as well as a heated saltwater pool and a fire pit for gazing up at the stars. Ask your concierge to book a table at the three Michelin-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière, a horse ride through the Alpilles, a private tour of the Château Romanin wine estate or a guided tour of the most beautiful hôtels particuliers in Arles. From €2,571 a night, villanovo.com
