A lively marina, an 18-hole golf course, lagoon beaches and a jetty heading out to Petite-Terre and La Désirade: at the eastern tip of Grande-Terre, Saint-François ticks every box of the premium tourist destination. No surprise, then, that so many savers wonder whether they should invest in Saint-François, Guadeloupe to rent out short-term. Based on the ground and managing properties in this town, we lay out the real figures here: price per square metre, seasonality, guest profile and the points to watch when calibrating a holiday rental that actually books.
Why Saint-François attracts investors
Saint-François, around 13,000 residents and 40 minutes from Pôle Caraïbes airport, is not a seaside resort like the others. Within a few kilometres, the town concentrates a density of assets that is rare in the archipelago:
- The marina, the heart of the resort, with restaurants, bars and shops open late: a location where travellers don’t need a car in the evening.
- The Saint-François golf course, one of the few 18-hole courses in the French West Indies, which draws an international and loyal clientele.
- The beaches: Anse des Rochers, the town beach, and above all Anse à la Gourde, a lagoon sheltered by the coral reef, just minutes away.
- Pointe des Châteaux, a listed site, and the jetty from which shuttles depart to Petite-Terre, La Désirade and snorkelling outings.
This combination of marina + golf + beaches + islands creates high-end demand spread across the year, where other towns live mainly off the beach. That is exactly what an investor in short-term rentals in Saint-François is looking for: a property that keeps turning, not just for six weeks in February. Our complete guide to Guadeloupe places the town within the Grande-Terre wing, limestone and coastal.
Price per m² and entry tickets in Saint-François
Price levels depend hugely on the micro-location: right on the water at the marina, a residence with a pool near the golf course, or a house up in the heights. Orders of magnitude observed on the ground in 2026:
- Studio / one-bed on the marina (25 to 35 m²): €130,000 to €200,000, often €4,500 to €6,000/m² for port-view properties.
- Two- to three-bed apartment in a residence with a pool: €220,000 to €380,000.
- 3-bedroom villa with a pool near a beach or the golf course: €450,000 to €750,000 depending on the view and the distance to the sea.
The square metre in Saint-François is among the most expensive in Guadeloupe, neck and neck with Le Gosier and Sainte-Anne: the scarcity of coastal land and the appeal of the marina push values up. The most accessible entry ticket remains the studio on the marina, much in demand for short-term rentals, easy to manage, and it is typically the kind of property that fuels the Airbnb market at the Saint-François marina.
A useful benchmark for rental yield in Saint-François: a marina studio bought around €160,000, well furnished and well managed, often generates €14,000 to €20,000 in gross annual income, i.e. a gross yield of 8 to 11% before costs. Villas, more expensive to buy, show a more modest gross yield (5 to 7%) but high-value nightly rates.
The real seasonality: marina, golf and islands
This is the point many underestimate. Seasonality in Saint-François is not a simple winter peak: it is driven by several engines.
- High season (December to April): the dry season, the Guadeloupean carême. Maximum demand, peak rates, occupancy close to saturation.
- Shoulder seasons (May, June, November): the golf and diving clientele keeps activity going, with intermediate rates.
- Wet season (July to October): a relative trough, but July–August is still carried by school holidays and the diaspora returning home.
Nightly rate ranges observed in Saint-François in 2026:
- Marina studio: €70 to €110/night in the wet season, €120 to €180/night in high season.
- 6-person villa with a pool: €180 to €260/night in low season, €300 to €450/night in the heart of winter.
- Annual occupancy rate of a well-photographed, well-managed property: 60 to 75%.
Two levers specific to the town: the golf course, which attracts a clientele outside school holidays and smooths out the troughs, and the island outings (Petite-Terre, La Désirade), a strong booking argument as soon as the listing mentions proximity to the jetty. A property within 800 m of the marina or a beach rents for 20 to 30% more than an equivalent ten minutes away by car.
The guest profile: who are you really renting to?
Calibrating your rental means knowing who you’re aiming at. In Saint-François, four profiles dominate:
- Couples and golfers: looking for a studio or one-bed near the marina/golf, tastefully done, with good bedding and reliable wifi. Stays of 5 to 10 nights.
- Families: aiming for a villa with a pool, a fitted kitchen and several bedrooms, within reasonable distance of a lagoon beach like Anse à la Gourde. Stays of one to two weeks.
- Divers and island lovers: value proximity to the jetty for Petite-Terre and La Désirade.
- Diaspora and long stays: present mainly in summer, looking for functional accommodation over longer periods.
In practice, a marina studio aligns with couples and golfers; a villa with a pool targets families. Tailoring equipment, capacity and photos to one precise profile weighs more on the occupancy rate than a “one-size-fits-all” property.
Points to watch before buying in Saint-François
Investing here calls for a few on-the-ground precautions:
- Co-ownership rules: many marina residences have regulations limiting—sometimes banning—short-term rentals. Check before you sign.
- Town hall declaration and registration number: renting out a furnished property must be declared; the rollout of the 13-character number is scheduled by the law of 19 November 2024. Anticipate this free procedure.
- Tropical upkeep: salt, humidity, air conditioning, pool and garden add up to €3,000 to €6,000/year. Budget for it from the start.
- Supply saturation: the marina has many competing studios. Decoration, photos and management become decisive to stand out.
Our field feedback in Saint-François
After several seasons managing properties in the town, three observations keep coming back. First, micro-local location is paramount: a marina-view studio within walking distance of the restaurants outperforms a larger but out-of-the-way property. Second, the holiday-rental classification (the stars) doubles the micro-BIC allowance and softens the tourist tax. Finally, direct booking protects the margin: 15 to 18% in platform commissions saved.
That’s our model. Travellers book our accommodation directly through our Guadeloupe rentals catalogue, with no platform fees, free cancellation up to 7 days before arrival and WhatsApp support 7 days a week. On the owner’s side, you delegate check-in, cleaning, maintenance, calendar and tourist tax. Present your project to us via our owners page: we’ll provide an honest income estimate based on properties comparable to Saint-François.
FAQ
What is the rental yield of a holiday rental in Saint-François?
A studio on the marina, bought around €160,000 and well managed, often delivers a gross yield of 8 to 11% before costs, thanks to high nightly rates and strong demand. Villas with a pool offer a more modest gross yield (5 to 7%) but larger income in absolute value. Net yield then depends on taxation (classification, micro-BIC or actual regime) and tropical upkeep.
Is the Saint-François marina a good location for an Airbnb?
Yes, it’s even the most liquid location in the town: restaurants, shops and nightlife within walking distance, jetty nearby, demand spread across the year. The marina studio is the most accessible entry ticket and the easiest to rent. The only caveat: check the co-ownership rules, which may limit short-term rentals, and anticipate the competition by taking care with photos and decoration.
When does a property rent best in Saint-François?
High season runs from December to April (carême, dry season), with rates and occupancy at their peak. But Saint-François enjoys a more even seasonality than other towns thanks to the golf course, which attracts a clientele outside school holidays, and the outings to Petite-Terre and La Désirade. July–August remains buoyed by the holidays and the diaspora.
Should you delegate the management of your property in Saint-François?
If you don’t live locally, it is strongly advised. Welcoming guests, cleaning between stays, maintenance against the tropical climate, collecting the tourist tax and optimising the calendar all require a local presence. A concierge service rooted in Guadeloupe like Hostel Toucan handles everything and secures your net income, while offering travellers direct booking with WhatsApp support 7 days a week.
