Renting out your second home in Provence this summer: the steps you cannot afford to miss

The summer season is approaching, and with it a question many second home owners in the Pays d'Aix ask themselves every spring: to rent or not to rent? For those who have decided to put their property on the holiday rental market, summer 2026 marks a regulatory turning point. From 20 May onwards, registration of holiday rentals (meublés de tourisme) becomes compulsory across France — and Aix-en-Provence has already been enforcing this requirement for several years.

The new 2026 obligations: registration across the board

From 20 May 2026, all French municipalities must have a registration procedure in place for holiday rentals. In Aix-en-Provence, this obligation has been in force for some time: any owner who rents their property to holidaymakers must obtain a declaration number from the town hall. This 13-digit number must appear in every listing on booking platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com…), which are now required to verify it before publishing an offer.

Failure to comply carries strengthened penalties, and data exchange between municipalities and platforms is now automated. For an owner renting without a valid number, the risk of having their listing taken down — in the middle of high season — is very real.

Declaration and tourist tax: two separate obligations

Registration and tourist tax are two distinct obligations that are frequently confused.

The meublé de tourisme declaration is completed online via the national platform. Once your declaration is validated, the town hall issues an acknowledgement containing your declaration number. Keep it carefully — you will need it for every listing.

The tourist tax is collected from your guests and remitted to the municipality. In Aix-en-Provence, a dedicated online portal manages these remittances. The amount varies according to the classification of your property: a classified meublé de tourisme also benefits from a more favourable tax treatment (a 71% allowance under the micro-BIC regime), making classification financially worthwhile in most cases.

Preparing your property for a successful rental

Beyond the administrative steps, the quality of the welcome directly determines the profitability of your rental. In Provence, holidaymakers' expectations are high: a villa in the Pays d'Aix rents for between €1,500 and €5,000 per week in high season, and online reviews are decisive.

A few details make all the difference: an immaculate pool on arrival, a well-aired and dust-free interior, clean linen and towels provided, a clear welcome guide with useful local contacts. These are the details — invisible when present, conspicuous when absent — that separate a five-star rental from an ordinary one.

Delegating the management: renting without the hassle

Managing a holiday rental from a distance is time-consuming: coordinating check-ins and check-outs, condition reports, cleaning between each stay, handling the unexpected. For an owner who is not themselves based in Provence, delegating this logistics to a trusted local contact is often the prerequisite for the rental being both viable and enjoyable.

Our seasonal rental service covers all of these tasks: preparing the property, welcoming guests, coordinating service providers, and restoring the home after each stay. You receive the rental income without managing the constraints.

Would you like to put your second home on the rental market this summer? Tell us about your project — we will guide you from the declaration to the handover of the keys.