An Alternative to Gîtes de France
Searching for a French gîte? Here's the honest difference between Gîtes de France and Gîtes.co.uk — so you can pick what suits you.
Trying to reach Gîtes de France?
We're often mistaken for them, so to be clear: Gîtes.co.uk is a separate, independent company and is not affiliated with Gîtes de France. If you're looking for the official French organisation, their website is gites-de-france.com. If you'd simply like to book a French holiday home direct with its owner, you're in the right place.
Who is Gîtes de France?
Gîtes de France is a long-established French network — a federation of inspected, classified holiday gîtes and bed-and-breakfasts, run from France with regional offices across the country. It's a well-known, respected name, with its own quality grading (the familiar épis ratings). If you specifically want the official French federation and its classification, they're the people to talk to.
Who are we — Gîtes.co.uk?
Gîtes.co.uk has connected holidaymakers directly with property owners in France since 2013. We are a small, independent team, and the whole experience is in English with UK-based support.
The biggest difference is how booking works: on Gîtes.co.uk you deal directly with the property owner. There are no platform booking fees and no middleman taking a cut — you enquire, the owner replies, and you arrange your stay between you. We're the shop window, not the agent.
How we compare
| Gîtes de France | Gîtes.co.uk | |
|---|---|---|
| Based in | France | United Kingdom |
| Language & support | French (regional offices) | English throughout |
| How you book | Through their network | Direct with the owner |
| Platform booking fees | See their site | None — you book direct |
| Best if you want… | The official French federation & its classification | An English-language, fee-free way to book direct with owners |
We've kept the Gîtes de France details general and pointed you to their own site for anything specific — they're the authority on their own service, not us.
Why holidaymakers choose Gîtes.co.uk
- Book direct, no booking fees — you arrange your stay with the owner and we add nothing on top.
- English all the way through — listings, enquiries and support, with a real UK team behind the site.
- A curated French collection — gîtes, villas, cottages and farmhouses across every region, filterable by pool, pet-friendly, near beach and more.
- Talk to a person — questions go to the owner, or to us, not a call centre.
Still not sure?
If you're a holidaymaker with a question, or an owner weighing up where to list, we're happy to help — and if you actually meant Gîtes de France, do head to their site and we won't be offended. You can reach our team at [email protected].