A house you live in for only a few weeks a year still requires constant attention. Second home management in France provides that continuity: the house is watched over, maintained and ready to welcome you, and can, if you wish, be let while you are away within a controlled framework.
What second home management in France covers
Property management in this sense (intendance) covers all the tasks that keep a house in good condition and ready to live in without its owners being present. It sits between traditional caretaking and the private concierge: a trusted person, or a small team, visits regularly, opens and closes the house around your stays, coordinates tradespeople and reports to you on every intervention. For a villa, a chalet or a character house, this continuity protects both the value of the property and your peace of mind, especially when you live far away or abroad. Needs vary greatly from one property to another: a Mediterranean garden, a pool, a chalet exposed to frost or an old house with fragile joinery do not call for the same care. A specialist concierge therefore adapts the frequency and content of its visits to the house, the seasons and the rhythm of your occupation.
The services of a second home concierge
A second home concierge generally offers a core of regular visits, supplemented by one-off services. The most common cover security, routine upkeep, opening and closing the house, preparing arrivals, supervising works, handling mail, and looking after the garden and pool, often entrusted to contractors the concierge coordinates. Some concierge services add on-request services: booking a chef or a driver during your stays, managing laundry, welcoming guests in your absence, coordinating a furniture delivery. The exact content and pricing depend on each firm and are set out in its contract, either as a monthly flat fee or billed per intervention. The table below sums up the value of each service for an owner who is away for much of the year.
| Service | Value for the owner |
|---|---|
| Regular inspection visits | Spotting a leak, a break-in or a breakdown early |
| Opening and closing the house | Airing, turning the water on, frost protection, storing outdoor furniture |
| Preparing arrivals | House heated, beds made, groceries and flowers when you arrive |
| Supervising works and tradespeople | Access for contractors, progress checks, photos |
| Handling mail | Collection, sorting and forwarding of important documents |
| Garden and pool | Regular upkeep, equipment checked, water treated in season |
Caretaking a luxury second home: security and inspection visits
Caretaking a luxury second home relies on a precise routine rather than a simple visit. At each visit, the property manager checks doors and windows, the alarm system and lighting, looks for signs of leaks or damp, checks the heating, hot water and the electrical panel, and inspects the garden, pool and outbuildings after a spell of wind or a storm. They collect the mail, air the rooms and leave the house exactly as they found it. A photo report is sent to you, letting you follow the condition of your property from afar. If anything is wrong, they call the right tradesperson, provide access and keep you informed until it is resolved. Also check with your insurer the terms of cover in the event of prolonged vacancy and any visit frequency it may require.
Opening, preparing and closing your second home
Times of transition account for most of the property management work. Before you arrive, the house is brought back into service and prepared to suit your habits; after you leave, it is put back in order and protected until the next stay. To do this, a private concierge keeps a house file recording your preferences, the location of the meters, maintenance contracts and tradespeople’s contact details. This written memory avoids having to explain everything again each season and guarantees consistent quality, even if the person on site changes. It also makes it possible to anticipate seasonal constraints, such as frost-proofing a chalet before winter or winterising a seaside pool. The three stages below structure this organisation.
Opening up
Water and heating back on, airing, dusting, equipment checks, garden furniture brought out and the pool brought back into service depending on the season.
Preparing your arrival
Beds made with your linen, groceries from your list, flowers, temperature set, outdoor lighting on for a late arrival.
Closing up
End-of-stay cleaning, linen sent to the laundry, fridge emptied, frost protection if needed, shutters closed and alarm set.
Mixed use
Second home management and letting while you are away
Many owners choose mixed use: the house is kept for their own stays part of the year and placed in short-term rental management the rest of the time. This arrangement means complying with a precise framework, tightened by the law of 19 November 2024, known as the loi Le Meur (Le Meur law). If the property is your résidence principale (main residence), occupied at least eight months a year, tourist letting is limited to 120 days a year, a cap your town may lower to 90 days. If it is a second home, there is no national cap on nights, but letting it as a meublé de tourisme (furnished tourist accommodation) constitutes a changement d’usage (change of use) wherever the procedure exists: authorisation from the first night in Chamonix, compensation in the same administrative district in Paris, mandatory compensation in 24 towns of the Basque Country. A declaration with a registration number is required in every case, at the mairie (town hall) until the national online service announced for the fourth quarter of 2026 opens (service-public.fr). Your co-ownership rules and your DPE (energy performance certificate) must also be checked before the first let.
Choosing a private concierge for your second home
Choosing a property manager is first and foremost a matter of trust: they will hold your keys, know your habits and sometimes make decisions in your absence. Favour a firm based near your house, able to intervene quickly, that works with a network of identified tradespeople and records its visits in writing. For a large property with a garden and pool, the skills required come close to those of luxury villa management, with more intensive technical follow-up. If you plan to let while you are away, make sure the concierge also masters short-term rentals and the rules of your town, and that it holds the carte G (property management licence) if it is to collect rents on your behalf. Finally, clarify the frequency of visits, response times and the format of the report.
Conciergerie.luxe supports you in this search free of charge. Our introduction to a concierge comes with no commitment for the owner: you describe your house, how you use it and what you expect, then we look for a concierge active in your area whose expertise suits your residence. We do not provide property management services ourselves: they are carried out by the concierge you choose, according to its offer and the contract signed directly with it. You remain free to go ahead or not after the first conversations, and to adjust the assignment over the seasons, from simple monitoring to full management including letting.
Frequently asked questions about second home management in France
How often does a concierge visit a second home?
The frequency is set with you according to the house, the season and your insurer’s requirements. It is often increased in winter, after a weather event or during works. It is stated in the contract signed with the concierge.
Can I let my second home when I am not there?
Yes, subject to local rules. Where the change of use procedure exists, authorisation is required, sometimes with compensation, and a declaration with a registration number is required in every case. The co-ownership rules must also allow it.
What is the difference between caretaking and a private concierge?
Caretaking focuses on watching over the property. A private concierge adds the preparation of your stays, coordination of tradespeople, garden and pool upkeep, and often on-request services.
Is the introduction to a concierge chargeable?
No, it is free and with no commitment for the owner. You then contract directly with the chosen concierge if its offer suits you.