Will gite/villla owners, or the big villa/gite rental operators negotiate on changeoevr days? My problem is that i want to stay in southern France in July or August and that really means flying to avoid a very lengthy drive from Birmingham with two small children. However I am not prepared to pay the massive premium that the airlines apply to flights to southern France which co-incide with the gite/villa changeover days - usually Saturday.

Alternatively, can anyone recommend a good company with quality gites/villas in mid/north west France - Loire area - but with easy access to beaches, where driving would not be such a lengthy event?