I have 6 months rent in advance, I have a uk pension and run my own consultancy firm and can provide proof of earnings in the uk but I still can’t get any help. Any ideas?
leboncoin.fr - rented a few times (direct with owners), bought and sold too, houses, cars, a boat, bikes, all using le bon coin 
Contact your Mairie… many communes/towns have property which they rent out.
The way things are going come March us Brits could be lining up to rent our homes out. 
only those who do not meet requirements… 
the rest of us will sit tight… and continue to enjoy life … french-style… 
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Hi Katy
We are looking to be in Bordeaux. It’s for my son and his daughter and for us to visit most weekends.
Yarn is Just too far unfortunately.
Regards
Kerry
Hi Kerry - Dont know where you have been looking but just on one site alone are over 70 two-bedroomed apartments in Bordeaux. The site is SeLoger. Hope this is helpful.
Hi Dan. Finding a flat isn’t the problem there are many. It’s the agents rules. I do not live in France so they will not take me as guarentor! Even with 6 months rent up front. 
Ah… it’s for a holiday home… Still, I cannot see why it is so difficult… there must be other “foreigners” who rent in France…
Let’s hope you find a way through the mire… soon… 
You’d quite possibly find the same problem in the UK if the situation was reversed. They know that if things go wrong they would have difficulty claiming from you if you aren’t permanently resident.
Look for a furnished place where you deal direct with the owner, who may well be more likely to accept your personal assurances. Unfurnished rentals have much more protection for the tenant, so even more difficult for the landlord if things go wrong.
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OK I hope you find somewhere soon…best of luck!
Katy
Thank you, we are in the case with them as well. 
Just an idea . . as I had that problem too the first time I rented here in France. I proposed a direct payment every month by bank transfer - bank to bank - that worked fine, plus one agency asked for a written statment from the bank that the account was OK. Try that, good luck. Terry.
With agents and agency’s the computer will always say no.
We has exactly the same problem finding accommodation for our daughter in the U.K. in 2013.
We soon realised that the way forward was dealing directly with an owner.
Thank you. But even le Bon coin seems to be agency. Facebook too. Thanks for all the help! 
I have, by chance come across this FB group, it might be worth a try …
leboncoin has a mix of private and professional rentals
We are looking to rent, long term, in the Charente/Charente maritime area. If you are at a loss what to do sell or not, why not rent to a senior couple who will look after your home, pay the rent and ensure it is loved? We are not thinking of buying, unless something special presented itself…