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Please help me find a U.S. based France rental agency

Please help me find a U.S. based France rental agency

Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 07:19 AM
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Please help me find a U.S. based France rental agency

Hell,

Trying to plan a family trip to the French Riviera, somewhere with a nice sandy beach for the kids and good food for us..maybe Antibes, Cannes, St. Tropez..

I can't find a rental agency to rent a condo/apartment.. I'd rather not rent directly from owners on vrbo.com, or holiday-rentals.com.. I'd like a real rental agency, just in case..

Thanks
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 08:16 AM
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There are so many..you can start with these:

www.francehomestyle.com
www.francebyheart.com
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 08:21 AM
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or try www.villavacations.com, located in PA

Doorways, Ltd., 900 County Line Road, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-2502
Tel: (610) 520-0806 or (800) 261-4460
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 08:31 AM
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Melody, We have rented, in Paris and other parts of France, through approx. five US based agencies. Three of these were the worst rentals that we have ever had. Although there were local representatives there, they can't (!) or won't do much to help if there is a problem with the apartment. I don't mean water leaks etc.., but ordinary things like cleanliness, enough linens for a lengthy stay, hangers, and most important, curtains to keep the entire neighborhood from seeing in, etc..

Most of the U.S. agencies have never seen the units they are 'selling' you, and aparently don't communicate with their French reps. Some are merely from catalogues or online sources. Some have their own reps in the area and some are represented by European agencies with their own local reps.

Chez Vous in Northern California is very popular and well known, but their highly touted unit was the one that had window coverings in the living/dining area, a filthy kitchen, and upon our arrival, they told us that the phone was no longer available for outgoing (local) calls - incomming only. A big deal if you are notified at the last minute and a hinderance for making dinner reservations etc..
After _numerous_ calls and excuses, almost two weeks into our three week stay, they finally put up sheets in the living room. (supposedly the real curtains were at the cleaners - for three weeks??) This was a privacy issue, not an appearance thing. The kitchen was so bad, drawers, cupboards, so dirty and dihelved, that I couldn't cook in there.

The second agency, which we have used several times, two good and two horrible, was France Homestyle in Seattle. They have places all over France.

Again, if there is are cleanliness issues with the apartment or it is 'not as advertised', the reps do absolutely nothing about it, but sometimes agree with you and offer you their sympathy.

The third agency Ville et Village in Northern California, got us a gite in Arles. YUCK, really really bad that we fled after one miserable night. Again the local English managing company rep, was absolutely no help, all he did was insult us - 'picky Americans' etc.. However the owner of Ville et Village, made good on ALL of our money.

The other two agencies, just made excuses, both during and after our stays.

When I say cleanliness issues, I don't mean a few dustballs, heck I have those at home, I mean units that haven't really been cleaned in years, sometimes digustingly dirty once you look past they recently vacuumed rugs.

Our units were very very tired from years of one tenant after another, with no time off for a fresh coat of paint or removing the mold from the cracked bathroom tiles. They don't want to loose that rental income to bring the place up to standard. No pride of ownership, just $$$$. Of course this is not all landlords, just a few that we have helped to support.

None of our rentals have been 'cheap', and are always in good areas, St. Louis, Rue Jacob, Rue Daphine, etc..

Try to get recommendations (not from their web sites), but from Fodorites for particular rentals, although that is not always possible.

We haven't rented from VRBO yet as our choices were not available, but from what I've read here, _most_ renters have been very satsfied.

From my experiences, agencies (agents) are merely the middleman handling the paperwork, collecting the money, and arranging for someone to meet you there to give you the key and nothing more. Once you are there and your money is here, you are at the mercy of the rental gods.

In all fairness, we've rented from directly from owners with local reps, and have even worse results with several of them.

I don't mean to sound negative, just realistic.

Find a wonderful place and enjoy your trip.

Nina
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 08:58 AM
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There is another one I've heard of, and liked a lot of units on their web site, but can't give any personal experience: www.drawbridgetoeurope.com

I prefer to rent from real agencies, also, for various reasons which have nothing to do with cleanliness, hangars, etc. Some of my reasons have to do with legal remedies, if necessary, or even ability to complain to a BBB or US agency, as well as convenience in payments.

I have only dealt with French agencies, but one had a US office (PSR), so that was the same to me.

I am sure Nina has had some bad experiences as mentioned, but I never did with the agencies I used and am not quite as picky on some points, nor do I expect as much. I also don't agree with the idea that I think she has that renting from a single owner is preferable because the units will be better and they will have pride and that somehow they will be right there in a flash to remedy anything. A lot of owners of holiday rental units aren't even in the same country.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 09:07 AM
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Nina, that sounds awful. So sorry you had so many bad experiences. Have you had good experiences with other agencies? If so, who or how did you rent. Thanks.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 09:08 AM
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This summer I stayed in a place with Just France www.justfrance.com

I thought they were great. They sent a very detailed welcome packet with good directions, restaurant recomendations, saftey tips for Provence, etc.

The house was wonderful, just as described. The local staff very friendly and helpful.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 11:31 AM
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........on the other hand:
we rented two large mas in Provence
from Ville et Village and both were
lovely - absolutely no problems at
all and exactly as advertised.

Friends have rented Paris apartments
from them and, again, no misrepresentation in either place.

Is it a case of you pays your money
and takes your chances, or........?
llamalady is offline  
Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 11:39 AM
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melody, you might want to look at this in reverse. Let's assume you live in Florida and there are lots of rental units around you. Do you think a couple from France wanting to rent an apartment in your Florida town would do better by renting from an agency located in Paris or from an agency located in your home town? I know what my answer would be.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 12:39 PM
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I second Patrick's opinions - - though my experiences with francevillas.com (located in France) has not been superior to (but likewise, not inferior to) rentals handled by US based agencies.

Best wishes,

Rex
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 02:45 PM
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Christina - I think that you totally misunderstood my problems with agency rentals. Hangers, not a major problem, but five or six hangers for two people for a one month stay and we are told by an agency rep that we should buy our own - that is bareable, but cleanliness - that is a major major issue.

Picky?? Why, because I expect a rental to be liveable and not disgusting? I could have gone into further detail, but I didn't want to dwell on it.

When I rent, whether thru an agency or the owner, I immediately ask and are always assurred by them that the unit is clean and well maintained, which is not always the case. Many owners have probably not seen their own apartments in ages because they are always rented. $$$$$$$ is all that matters to these people.

You may not mind staying in a place where the bathroom is covered with mold or the kitchen drawers and shelves are beyond dirty, or a refrigerator (in a direct owner rental) that had been shut off with food left in it ... one that DH spent a lot of time cleaning, that is your preference, certainly not mine.

Picky - no, but I want and expect what I am _promised_, and what I pay for.

Christina, It's funny that you should jump on me on this issue - you who often give excellent information in some posts, and in others, are very critical and often pick out what you perceive to be 'bad' points in other people's apartment choices (by looking at the unit online) - ie: the murphy bed in our rental - you don't like sleeping in beds with no box springs, uncomfortable, bed too small (double) and no couch pillows in Whiskey's VRBO's apartment. By the way, when I asked the owner, he said that backing pillows were being cleaned at the time the picture was taken.

I was merely relating our personal experiences dealing with both owners directly, and with agencies. About 50-50.



I try to refrain from saying negative things about other posters' choices, I am more interested in finding a comfortable apartment for my own stay.

I was trying to point out that going through an agency, US or otherwise, doesn't necessarily mean that you will have recourse, legal or not.

Incidentally, two of the apartments that we stayed in thru France Homestyle, were removed from their site after we had bad experiences there. They were checked or rechecked after our complaints and they are no longer available through them. This should have been done prior to our stay, not after. For $1450 a week in 2001 (on St. Louis), we should have been thrilled to stay in a tired, ill maintained apartment ... RIGHT.

Nina
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Old Aug 23rd, 2005, 03:12 PM
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Ronda, the apartment that we have stayed in several times and absolutely loved, is no longer on the market. We rented it the first time was a small US agency, who is no longer in business. We were instructed by the to rent directly with the owner. They were wonderful to deal with, and their Paris rep became a friend of ours' until she passed away. That's why we are staying in an 'unknown' unit for this one month stay in September. We dealt directly with the charming American owner.

No, I don't have an agency that I can recommend at this time. We have returned to France Homstyle several times, even after the bad apartments. I guess it is just frustration and the fact that they are easy to deal with. That doesn't even make sense to me!! (let alone DH) ;-)

The owner of France Homestyle, has her own apartment thru the agency and listed on VRBO - r. de la Montagne-Ste-Genenieve- 5th. We stayed there about 7 years ago. It was very clean and well maintained and with a wonderful rep - who brought us more towels and the dreaded hangers.

We were the first ones to stay in it after it had been totally redone. Everything was brand new. and it was immaculate. We recommended it to friends the next year and they liked it too.

You may be asking why we haven't rented it again ... good question, I have no idea - nothing negative stands out in my mind. I'll have to ask DH. ;-)

I will probably go with something on VRBO next time and hopefully get good feed back on the unit from some Fodorites.

Nina
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Old Aug 24th, 2005, 03:12 AM
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Thanks for all the replies.. This is a great list I"ve compiled..

By the way, I have tried France-based agencies, and they don't seem to reply to e-mails at all...

I may have to resort to calling if I find the flat of my dreams..

Thanks again
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Old Aug 24th, 2005, 08:19 AM
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melody:

Can't be of much help with the apartment rental, but I hope you realize that "nice sandy beach" is not easily found on the Riviera - stones are far more common. Someone here will be able to steer you toward a sandy beach, I suppose, but they certainly aren't the norm. Good luck with the apartment.
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