Marseillan long term rentals by the coast in France 2025
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The coastal town of Marseillan has over the last 10 years become one of the most popular places for long term rentals in the Languedoc region of South France. It is fairly easy to see why. It has access to some of the best beaches on the Languedoc coast, it has a beautiful harbour ringed with bars and restaurants. It is well-connected to local airports - at Beziers and Montpellier. It is 4kms from a TGV train station (in Agde).
Marseillan is also incredibly close to the A9 and A75 motorways, which connect the region to Paris, Marseille and Northen Spain. From Marseillan, it is very easy to explore the Languedoc region, including sites such as Carcassonne castle, the Pont du Gard, Van Gogh's city of Arles, Aigues Mortes and the historic town of Pezenas. Here we explain why Marseillan has become the most enduring long term rentals hot spot in South France.
Reasons to rent a house in Marseillan, France
Marseillan is located on the shores of the Etang du Thau, a salt water lake separated from the Mediterranean sea by a thin strip of beach. Marseillan is located 35km south-west of Montpellier and 20kms east of Beziers. The coastal town of Sète lies just across the water on the other side of the Etang du Thau. The long sandy Mediterranean beaches are just 4kms away (at Marseillan Plage and Cap d'Agde). The large French seaside resort of Cap d'Agde is 5kms away and here you will find a casino, 18 hole golf course, amusement park, water park, nightclubs, aquarium and the largest Naturist resort in Europe. There is a great cycle path to the beaches at Marseillan Plage and there is a really nice bike ride along the shores of the Etang du Thau.
The town of Marseillan was founded by the Romans, probably on the remains of earlier Greek settlements. The Romans built the harbour in Marseillan and the town grew as a trading centre and fishing village. Marseillan is located close to the old Roman road Via Domitia and retired Roman soldiers were given land around Marseillan. They grew vines and exported the local variety of picpoul wines back to Rome.
Marseillan is a small town, with a population of around 12,000 people. It enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate and we often drive down to the town in the winter to enjoy a coffee at the cafes around the port. I just find it so light around the harbour and it is lovely just sitting there and watching the world go by. You regularly get days of 15°C / 60°F in December and the skies are normally powder blue. The town does tend to get very busy during the summer season, but you can always find a quite spot for a picnic on the banks of the Etang.
Pretty Coastal town in South of France
The Etang du Thau is famous throughout France for producing the best mussels and oysters. The oysters from the nearby village of Bouzigues are regularly featured on the menus of 3 star Michelin restaurants in Paris. In total, the Etang du Thau produces over 15% of the Oysters and Mussels consumed in France.
Marseillan benefits from some excellent seafood restaurants, especially the Cabines - a row of beach shacks on the shore of the Etang du Thau just on the northen edge of the town in the direction of Meze. Here you can eat the freshest mussels and oysters pulled directly from the lake at incredibly low prices.
If fine dining is what you are after, then the Table d'Emilie restaurant in the centre of Marseillan will be right up your street. For everyday meals, you will have you choice of over 20 restaurants in the town.
Marseillan is a very lively town, with plenty of festivals and concerts throughout the year. In the summer, you also have the fabulous spectacle of the Water Jousting festivals in the harbour. Every year, Marseillan holds a 2 day food and wine festival in the town.
There are some excellent wine cellars in Marseillan from the surrounding vineyards. The nearby village of Pinet produces the famous Picpoul de Pinet, the best white wine in France outside of Burgandy. If you are looking to buy decent local wines at a good price, then the Cave La Madeleine Saint Jean, located close to Marseillan harbour, is the place where all the locals go to buy wine.
The wonderful harbour of Marseillan is a good place for a stroll and to stop off for a drink or bite to eat. One of the claims to fame of Marseillan, is that for the last 200 years it has been the home of Noilly Prat. Noilly Prat is a dry, straw-coloured French vermouth which was first developed by Joseph Noilly, a herbalist, in Marseillan in 1813. The popularity of the drink grew throughout the world and Noilly Prat is most famously used as the base for Dry Martini. The Noilly Pratt factory is located on the edge of the harbour in Marseillan. Today, there is an interesting museum on the site of the old factory and they have recently opened a cocktail bar where you can invent your own cocktail, by selecting various tasting cards which will provide you with the flavour of drink that you want
Marseillan holds 2 weekly markets. There is a general market held every Tuesday in the main market place. During the summer, there is a regular arts and crafts market held every Thursday evening from 7.00pm.
Marseillan also has plenty of supermarkets (Carrefour, Lidl, Aldi, Spar, and Intermarche) and services such as building merchants, garages, medical centres, pharmacies, dentists, etc. The town also has a number of boutique shops, antique stalls and interior design stores. If you are in a hunt for a bargain, then the Sunday flea market in nearby Marseillan Plage is a great place to go. This is one of the largest brocante market in the area and it it is a great place to pick up authentic French furniture and decorations - along with a whole collection of tat.
Marseillan long term rentals by the coast in France 2025
Overall, the thing I really like about Marseillan is that it is the sort of place where you can live quite easily without a car. There is a local bus service that runs to the beach at Marseillan Plage, but it is equally just as easy to bike to the beach. There is a direct bus service to Beziers airport and to the TGV train station in Agde. The town really does have everything that you could need on a week-to-week basis and it is easy to navigate your way around.
There is a nice Expat community in Marseillan - that is not too in your face - and you will have plenty of opportunities to practice your French speaking to your neighbours.
Marseillan is a very friendly place and the local Marseillanais are fiercely proud of their town and the fact that they have been standard bearers for progress in France.
Marseillan was the first town in France to dedicate a statue to the French Republic (the Marianne) well before it became law for all French communes to commemorate the Republic and French Revolution.
Free public schools were established in the town to educate the sons (and later daughters) of the local fishermen - again long before this was common.
There has been a hospital operating in Marseillan for over 1,000 years and the local Mayor was first elected (as opposed to being appointed) almost 200 years before this became a requirement following the Revolution.
However, I think the most progressive action that can be attributed to Marseillan, is that in 1870, Marseillan held a vote to allow women into one of the local cafes, something which was virtually unheard of in France at the time. For the South of France especially, this must have been a really radical step forward.
If you are on the search for long term rentals properties in South France, especially ones located close to the coast, then we would strongly suggest that you take a close look at Marseillan. One thing which you must bear in mind though, is that Marseillan is a popular location for summer vacations. It is not uncommon for Houses and apartments in the town to be able to rent for the same price per week in July and August, than they rent per month the rest of the year. My advice is that, unless you have deep pockets, I would avoid renting in Marseillan over the summer period. In fact, this is true of any coastal location in France. You are unlikely to find a rental property that is available for 12 month all year round rentals. And before you say but, but, but . . . , if you owned a property in Marseillan and you could earn a year's worth of rental income from just 8 weeks of summer rentals, then you would be exactly the same
We have a wide range of holiday homes in Marseillan that will also consider long term rentals during October through to May. If you are interested in any of these particular properties, please check the availability calendars as we can not guarantee that the houses will always be vacant for the entire period of your long term rental.
Water's Edge stylish long term rental Marseillan France (Ref: 2009)
The Water's Edge is a stylish, architect-designed property, newly converted from an old wine warehouse. The apartment comes with 2 bedrooms (double and twin) plus a large, sunny south-facing terrace. The apartment is located by the waterfront, next to the Port Rive Gauche and includes air conditioning and an elevator.
Marseillan is located on the shores of a salt water lake, separated from the Mediterranean by a thin strip of beach. The Mediterranean beaches are just 3km away and can be accessed by a cycle path and local bus. In Marseillan itself there is a lovely harbour area, with bars, restaurants and shops just 2 mins from the apartment. The town centre is just a 2 minutes walk of the apartment.
The apartment benefits from:
- Fitted kitchen
- Large sunny terrace
- 2 bedrooms
- Newly installed bathroom
- Parking
This Marseillan apartment can be rented on a long term let basis between October to March from €900 pcm + bills.
2 bed Marseillan apartment near beach South of France (Ref: 2030)
This beautiful 2 bed apartment for long term rentals in South France is located in the coastal town of Marseillan. The apartment comes with air conditioning, WiFi and lovely views towards the local beach on the Etang du Thau lake. Marseillan is the perfect spot for long term rentals over the winter, with the Mediterranean coast just 3km away and the town providing plenty of facilities.
Marseillan is a harbour town in between Beziers and Montpellier, located on the shores of the Etang du Thau. The Etang du Thau is a salt water lake which is separated from the Mediterranean by a thin strip of sandy beach. The lake is famous throughout France for producing high quality oysters and mussels.
The apartment comes with:
- 2 bedrooms
- 1 bathroom
- Private terrace
- Secure parking
- Walking distance to shops and restaurants
This apartment in Marseillan is availabe for long term rentals from October through to April from €750 pcm + bills. The apartment is available from October 2023 to April 2024.
Fisherman's Cottage for rent Marseillan South France with terrace (Ref: 2223)
If you´re looking for a house to rent for 3-6 months, close to the coast and the beaches, then this cute little cottage in Marseillan is an excellent choice. This 1 bedroom cottage comes with a beautiful roof terrace and is within easy walking distance of boulangeries, cafés, shops and harbourside restaurants. The Mediterranean beaches at Marseillan Plage are 5 mins away.
The cottage is located in the centre of Marseillan, on a quiet mainly pedestrian street. The house was fully renovated in 2023 and provides 60m2 of living accommodation, plus a roof terrace. The house comes with air conditioning (reversible for heat in the winter) and a good Wi-Fi connection.
The cottage features:
- Fitted kitchen
- Air conditioning (reversible)
- 1 bedroom
- 1 bathroom
- Private roof terrace
- 2 bikes
- Good Wi-Fi
- Located on a quiet residential street
This cottage in Marseillan can be rented between October to April from €750 per month + bills.
Marseillan 2 bed house rent long term France by coast (Ref: 1799)
If you´re looking for a house to rent for 3-6 months, close to the coast and the beaches, then this house in Marseillan is an excellent choice. This 2 bed house for long term rent is located in the coastal town of Marseillan, South of France.
The house is laid out on 3 levels and has a sunny courtyard for eating al fresco. The house sleeps 4 people in 2 bedrooms and is within minutes of the shops, restaurants, harbour and bars of Marseillan. This long term rental property is conveniently located to explore the sites of the Languedoc region.
The house benefits from:
- Fitted kitchen
- Wood burner
- 2 bathrooms
- 2 double bedrooms
- Private garden
This Marseillan house can be rented on a long term let basis from €750 pcm + bills. The house is available for long term rentals from October 2024 to April 2025.
Villa near beach in South France for monthly rentals Ref: 1851
This tastefully furnished villa near the beach in South France, is available for monthly rentals between October and May from €1200 per month + bills. The villa comes with 3 bedrooms, a private pool and garden and is located in the popular coastal town of Marseillan. The sandy Mediterranean beaches are just 5 minutes away. Marseillan has a number of excellent harbour side restaurants, cafes and bars. Marseillan is a very popular town for our long term rental customers, with plenty of activities going on throughout the year and good transport connections. Marseillan has a bus route direct to Beziers airport and Agde TGV train station.
The villa comes with:
- 3 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms
- Garden
- Pool
- Wood burner
Available for monthly rentals from October to April. The long term rental prices start from €1200 per month + bills. The villa is available for long term rentals from October 2024 to April 2025.
8. Le Picpoul villa for long term rentals near the beach in Pinet, South France (Ref: 2216)
If you want to find a rental close to the beaches in Southern France, then Le Picpoul villa is a good choice. Le Picpoul villa for long term rentals is located in the famous wine-making village of Pinet - the home of the Picpoul de Pinet white wine from the local Languedoc region. The villa also provides easy access to the fishing villages along the Etang du Thau, a salt-water lake which produces the best oysters and mussels in France. You can literally eat the oysters fresh from the boat.
Pinet is also conveniently located for exploring Montpellier, Beziers and the historic towns of Pezenas, Agde and Marseillan. The beach at Marseillan Plage is 15 minutes from the villa.
The villa is mainly laid out on one level and comes with 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, is fully air conditioned (reversible for heating) and has a wood burner and underfloor heating.
The villa contains:
- 4 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms
- Large terrace
- WiFi and flat screen TV
- Easy access to shops, restaurants
- 8kms to the beach
- 15 mins to Beziers airport
This villa in South France is available for long term rentals between mid-November to mid-April from €1250 per month + bills. Prices are based on a 6 month rental period (higher prices will apply for shorter lets).
Thinking of living in France . . . ?
If we have wetted your appetite about living in France, then we would be delighted to help you find the perfect property to rent. The following resources will help you find out more about the rental process in France and also further long term rental properties to consider:
Visit all the long term rentals available in Marseillan, South France at: Marseillan long term rentals- Read our article on Moving to France with your family
- Interested in long term rentals in the South of France? Check out our full listing of Long term rentals France currently available for rent
- Find out more information about How and where to rent long term in France
Contact Iain by Email if you have any particular questions you would like to ask about living in the South of France. If you liked the article then please share it with others using the Facebook and Pinterest buttons below.
