Living And Buying Property In Limousin
Buying Property in Limousin, Nouvelle Aquitaine
Limousin, now part of Nouvelle Aquitaine, remains a favourite destination for anyone looking to buy an inexpensive French property in beautiful rural surroundings. Often known as ‘France profonde’ the reputation of Limousin belies the many more sophisticated aspects of life in this departement.
Limousin certainly boasts unspoilt countryside, woods, meadows, meandering rivers and, of course, the huge quantity of lakes of all sizes that it is famous for. However, there is much more to Limousin than this description of a rural idyll would suggest. The many market towns bustle with life the whole year round and no property is too far away from such a local centre. These towns are not full of tourists, rather they are centres for the local inhabitants, places where the newcomer will quite quickly feel at home and be on ‘bonjour’ terms with everyone. Without the influx of tourists that many other parts of France attract the local shopkeepers are usually keen to get to know newcomers to the area and to help.
I remember when my elderly parents lived in Limousin my father would visit the boulangerie every morning to buy the bread and each day the owner would have written a new French word on a flash card for him to read and learn. Despite him being in his eighties she would still test him the following morning before giving him the next word. Slow progress indeed but such a warm way of making a foreigner feel at home in a new country.
- Memories of Autumn in Limousin
- The French Lake District- Limousin and Haute Charente
- France Reorganised Its Regional Structure
Limoges, A Town To Get To Know
Over the years that I lived in Limousin I grew to love Limoges more and more. Thirty years ago the town, situated in Haute Vienne, was still very French and it was rare to meet a foreigner in town, other that the odd U.K, Erasmus student from Birmingham university. Things are different now and the town has become quite international especially with property owners from Holland and the U.K. many of which are year-round residents. The lovely covered market in the centre of the town continues to flourish with its stalls offering amazing quality local produce every day, the shops have increased the range and quantity of goods on offer and there are more cafes and restaurants than there were when I lived nearby.
The wonderful museum with its huge collection of Limoges enamelling, the Resistance museum and the botanical gardens are year round attractions and always offer something new to see and enjoy. The river, with its riverside restaurants, is a good place for a walk followed by lunch and on the outskirts of the town there is the best zoo I have ever been to. There are cinemas, concert hall, opera house, comedy club, theatre and numerous night clubs. When you are in Limoges you certainly don’t feel that you are in the middle of nowhere!
Best Value Property In France
Because Limousin is mainly a rural region of France house prices remain low. Employment opportunities are focussed in the main large towns causing many local people to leave their country homes and move nearer to their place of work. This leaves some amazing properties available for newcomers to the area. The joy of buying a rural property in Nouvelle-Aquitaine is that you are not depriving a local person of the opportunity to buy a home, rather you are keeping a small hamlet or village alive by ensuring that properties are not left empty. I know of many small village schools that have been able to continue to function when a British family with two or three children moved in.
There are delightful Nouvelle-Aquitaine properties for sale from less than €100,000 that have been fully renovated, some smaller houses in need of some work for less than €50,000 and properties with gîtes for around €300,000. There are water mills, historic logis and houses overlooking lakes all at very reasonable prices. If value for money is important in your search for a French property it is well worth looking at what the Limousin offers. This is a delightful rural region with the added pleasure of bustling market towns and sophisticated capital city for those days when panoramic views of beautiful countryside just get too much!
Interested In Buying French Property?
Please give us a call 01306 775 008. If you would like to discuss property in Nouvelle-Aquitaine or anywhere else in France. We are always happy to have an informal chat with anyone interested in buying French property.
Check out our website for details of French property for sale.
