13 June 2026
Energy performance certificate (DPE) for second homes in Provence: what are the 2026 rules?
Since 2025, G-rated properties can no longer be rented out. F-rated properties will follow in 2028. What every second-home owner in the Pays d'Aix needs to check before putting their property on the rental market this summer.
The energy performance certificate (DPE) for second homes has become, in the space of two years, a non-negotiable document for any owner considering renting their property in Provence. Long regarded as an administrative formality, the DPE is now a condition of access to the rental market — including for holiday rentals. What the Le Meur Act changed in 2025, and what lies ahead by 2028, deserves to be clearly understood before you list your villa or mas for rent this summer.
Is a DPE required for a second home?
The answer depends on how you use the property. If your second home is occupied solely by you and your family, without being rented to third parties, the DPE is not a legal obligation. However, as soon as you put the property on the holiday rental market — even for just a few weeks a year — the rules change.
Since the Le Meur Act (no. 2024-1039 of 19 November 2024), furnished tourist accommodation is subject to new energy performance requirements. A valid DPE is now required for properties declared after 20 November 2024, for second homes offered as holiday rentals in communes that require a change-of-use authorisation — including Aix-en-Provence — and for any property rented for more than 120 days per year.
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7 points à vérifier avant de confier votre résidence à une conciergerie
The DPE must be provided to the tenant and appended to the rental listing, in the same way as for a standard residential lease.
Which energy ratings are still permitted for holiday rentals?
This is the point that many property owners are still unaware of: rental bans are not limited to standard tenancy agreements. They are progressively extending to furnished tourist accommodation.
Since 1 January 2025, properties rated G can no longer be offered for rent, regardless of the length of the tenancy. This ban also applies to holiday rentals in communes subject to change-of-use authorisation requirements.
From 1 January 2028, properties rated F will in turn be excluded from the rental market.
From 1 January 2034, only properties rated D or above will be eligible for rental.
For properties subject to a change-of-use authorisation — a common situation for second homes in the Pays d'Aix — the permitted range currently runs from A to E until 2033.
In practice, if your second home carries an F or G rating and you list it for rent this season, you risk a fine of up to €5,000, as well as the possibility of a tenant challenging the validity of the rental agreement.
The specific situation of the Pays d'Aix
Aix-en-Provence is classified as a zone tendue (high-pressure rental market), which means that renting out a second home requires a change-of-use authorisation from the town hall. This authorisation is itself conditional on presenting a valid DPE with a rating between A and E.
The communes of the Pays d'Aix — Pertuis, Gardanne, Trets, Peyrolles — apply varying rules. It is advisable to check with the relevant town hall whether your commune is subject to this authorisation requirement before listing your property.
A DPE carried out before July 2021 is no longer valid: the new calculation methods introduced at that time significantly changed ratings, often resulting in a lower class. If your certificate predates this period, it will need to be redone.
Improving your DPE: where to start?
An F or G rating does not necessarily mean your property has to sit empty. Targeted works can allow you to move up one or two bands and restore your ability to rent. The most effective areas for typical Provençal properties:
Roof insulation remains the most cost-effective lever. A stone house that is poorly insulated at roof level can lose two DPE classes in winter despite an apparently sound exterior.
Replacing the heating system — switching from an oil boiler to a heat pump, for example — can move the rating up one to two classes by improving the primary energy score.
Replacing single-glazed windows in living areas improves the rating and also contributes to acoustic comfort, a selling point in premium rentals.
State subsidies (MaPrimeRénov') remain available for second homes under certain conditions, particularly when the property is rented out. Your tax adviser or an accredited renovation adviser can help you assess eligibility.
Managing your property with peace of mind, even from a distance
The DPE is one piece of the puzzle — not the only one. For owners managing their second home in the Pays d'Aix from another city or from abroad, working with a second home concierge service makes it possible to delegate regulatory formalities, coordinate tradespeople for energy improvement works, and ensure continuity of rental in line with the new obligations.
Would you like to review your property's situation — DPE rating, energy class, local requirements — before listing it for rent this summer? Contact us for a no-obligation initial discussion — we will point you towards the right contacts in the Pays d'Aix.