For a group of 10 or more, booking a large house comes down to a few details that cannot be fixed once you arrive: the number of real beds, room for every vehicle, and the road under snow. Here are the checks to make in writing with the owner, and what the official sources say about the framework.
House, group gîte or mountain refuge: three different products
The La Bresse tourist office sorts its listings into furnished rentals (flats, family houses, mountain chalets, independent rentals) and collective accommodation, presented for group stays: group gîtes, mountain refuges, family houses and holiday villages. Listings can be filtered by star rating, capacity and number of bedrooms.
The difference has legal weight. The French business directorate defines a furnished tourist rental as a home for the exclusive use of the tenant. Group gîtes and hikers’ gîtes are collective accommodation with shared areas, and cannot be classified as furnished rentals. Before booking, ask whether the house is rented to your group alone, with no other guests under the roof.
Capacity: count the beds, not the advertised places
A listing that shows 12 sleeping places may hide two sofa beds and an extra mattress. Ask for a bed-by-bed list: double beds, single beds, bunk beds, sofa beds, cots. Match it to the make-up of your group (couples, children, teenagers) and to the number of bathrooms and toilets.
One regulatory threshold also deserves your attention. According to the business directorate, there is no capacity limit for a furnished tourist rental, but accommodation buildings that can host more than 15 people are public-access buildings (ERP) of the 5th category, subject to accessibility and fire-prevention rules. Another page of the same directorate says the rules apply when the capacity of a furnished tourist rental “reaches 15 people”. If a listing reaches or exceeds 15 sleeping places, ask how the owner meets these rules.
Two more points can be checked on the listing. The star rating is voluntary, from 1 to 5 stars, valid for 5 years: a missing rating is not a defect. Declaring a furnished tourist rental at the town hall, rated or not, is mandatory unless the home is the owner’s main residence, and a registration number must appear on every listing in communes that have adopted this procedure.
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Parking: a detail to check
Count your group’s vehicles, including roof boxes and trailers. Ask how many cars fit on the property without blocking the public road, whether the access is steep, and where to drop luggage when the spaces are taken. In winter, also ask who clears snow from the private access and at what time.
Winter access: vehicle equipment
From 1 November to 31 March, an equipment obligation applies in the communes designated by the prefecture. The State services page for the Vosges (last update shown: 4 November 2022) includes La Bresse in its list. For a light vehicle, the options are four winter tyres, or metal or textile chains allowing at least two drive wheels to be fitted. Vehicles with studded tyres are exempt. A Service-Public.gouv.fr page published on 20 October 2026 covers the period from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027 and states that, among tyres, only those marked 3PMSF count as equivalent to removable anti-skid devices. As the list of communes is set by the prefects, check it before you leave; our article on winter tyres in La Bresse covers the topic.
When a group arrives in several cars, one poorly equipped car is enough to hold everyone up. Name one person to check each vehicle’s equipment the day before departure.
Questions to send before paying a deposit
| Topic | Question to ask in writing |
|---|---|
| Beds | How many double, single, bunk beds and sofa beds? Are linen and towels provided? |
| Use | Is the house rented to our group only? |
| Rules | Is there a house policy, a deposit, set arrival and departure times? |
| Listing | What is the registration number and the star rating, if any? |
| Cars | How many spaces on the property, how steep is the access? |
| Winter | Who clears snow, how is the house heated, where can ski gear be stored? |
To compare houses, the tourist office offers online booking from its Accommodation page, and a phone line on +33 3 29 25 41 29. Our guide to chalets for large groups and the checklist for choosing a chalet complete this list.
A house linked to this guide
This guide is linked to a large six-bedroom house in La Bresse, currently being finalised. We mention it so that you can compare with full knowledge. The house now has a website: the owners give the sleeping arrangements, rates and conditions on request, before any stay is confirmed: the house’s website
Plan your stay in La Bresse
Accommodation, activities and good addresses, in one free PDF.
Your details are used only to process this request. Privacy policy (in French).
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a maximum capacity for a holiday rental house in France?
The French business directorate (DGE) states that there is no capacity limit for a furnished tourist rental. According to the FAQ of this directorate, a building that can host more than 15 people counts as a public-access building (ERP) of the 5th category, with accessibility and fire-prevention rules. Another of its pages says the rules apply once the capacity reaches 15 people: at 15 sleeping places, ask the question.
Do I need winter tyres to reach a house in La Bresse in winter?
Between 1 November and 31 March, the winter equipment rule applies in the communes listed by the prefecture, which include La Bresse according to the State services page for the Vosges: four winter tyres, or chains or snow socks for at least two drive wheels.