Since the Middle Ages, the French word gîte (from the Latin verb giser, to lie down or rest) has been used to describe the humble lodgings of a traveller or a pilgrim. It is also the French word for the home of a hare, giving the term appealing connotations of snug and simple cosiness.

A gîte is a holiday cottage for short and holiday lets, usually located in rural areas near tourist places and attractions. A property may be operating several gîtes, sometimes called a gîte complex, they often have separate owners' accommodations.

There's more choice than ever; the organisation Gîtes de France alone lists 48,000 properties. Additionally, thousands of others are now marketed by specialist agencies, while many gîtes promote themselves directly through their own websites, particularly if they are British-owned, as several here are.