first time travelers to France--booking a gite and flights

Book flights first. There will be plenty of options for rentals once you get your dates set.

I hve done it both ways. If you know you are going then for sure it doesn't matter too much. If you book a rental and then find you can get a good airflight deal a day or two early, you just patch with a hotel; if you book the flight and find an apartment you want is available a day later same deal. e.g. we once spent two weeks in St. John Virgin Islands in a fabulous rental which was not available our last night. We got a hotel near the airport on St. Thomas for that last night and went night snorkeling.

Two years ago in Paris our apartment was available for November but not the last week of October, so we spent two nights in Paris (to use opera tickets) at Henri IV Rive Gauche hotel and then did a side trip to Normandy for 5 nights.

I'd probably know what airfare runs for your period and see if it varied by a day or two and if not, nail down lodging and then get the tickets. September is highest of high seasons in Paris, probably the hardest time to get a hotel or apartment. I don't know the extent that that is also true of the countryside but it would make me more focused on the lodging options than the flights.

There have been times when I booked restaurants before hotels, or theater tickets before anything, but I usually book flights first and then build from that framework.

Hi oldlitluv

If you reserve your accommodation with a decent rental agency they will let you book a property (ies) then if you have any problems with flights (as long as you reserve them with 48 hours) they will reverse the booking without charge. That helps you get round the chicken and egg question. Suggest you check with them first.

Early September is still fairly busy in France so if you want somewhere nice to stay its worth tracking somewhere down sooner rather than later. As for flights you can generally be sure of a reasonable price if you book early, along with peace of mind and security that you have it all sorted out.

If your not too fussed about where you want to stay and want to pick up a bargain property (always difficult to know how things will pan out) then you can make flights the priority and just book what you can get in the way of accommodation nearer the time.

Best

Peter

Peter--Thanks for your advice. Do you have any experience with renting through HomeAway--or are there others you can recommend? Any we should avoid as far as you know?

Take a look at Gites de France, a completely reputable consortium of vetted properties. Amenities are indicated by an icon (ears of corn, wheat?).

Hi,
If you are staying a week in any location, keep in mind that most want the rental to start on a Saturday and end on a Saturday. If you are staying less than a week, Gites de France probably won't work for you unless you are willing to pay the Sat-Sat price. Not only that Gites de France often add clean-up, heat, electricity, towel and sheet costs to the seemingly reasonable rate.
try:
French-country-cottages
Normandie-holidays
Allez France
Pour-les-Vacances
Welcomecottages
French connections
cottages4you
Discover-Normandy
Brittany-Ferries
and a very easy to use HolidayLettings a UK organization
wayne iNWI

Hi again

I have no experience of them but am aware that you are better off with a decent specialist agency if you want to be certain of the quality of the property and the location and have proper backup if anything goes wrong.

I would add French company Villas du Monde to the list you have been given and endorse Brittany Ferries as a good reliable provider too.

Best

Peter