Buy French Property In The Sun
After a long, and at times, hard winter, buying a French property in the sun grabs many people’s imagination. It starts as a dream but for many people, slowly it becomes a reality. If you are looking for some guaranteed sun, where is the best place to buy property? Many people choose Spain and for sure, Southern Spain will give you more warm sunshine in the winter but the trade off can be the very hot summers with temperatures reaching up to 47 degrees. For this reason many people choose France and its the South of France that has attracted visitors for more than 300 years
You may also wish to read our article about Buying a house in France or Spain
The climate in South of France is the hottest in France, with average summer temperatures above 30 degrees. An ideal location to buy a French property in the sun. The weather is predominantly Mediterranean, with long, hot, dry summers, warm springs and autumns, and clear, mild winters plus around 300 days of sunshine a year. The climate is also the driest in France with very little rainfall, but when it comes, it can be dramatic, even causing flooding occasionally. As with much of France there is a range of micro climates within the south, which can make it difficult to generalise on autumn and winter weather, except it is nearly always sunny, even if the strong winds, which in some parts occasionally blow from the mountains and will cause the temperatures to fall significantly.
So Much Sunshine When Buying Property in France!
Another popular part of France which attracts people looking to buy French property in the sun is the Charente Maritime in Poitou Charentes. Being on the Atlantic coast, it enjoys its own micro climate with 2400 hours of sunshine a year compared to 2800 hours in the south of France. The Poitou-Charentes region, located in the south west of France, is renowned for having one of the most pleasant climates in France along with the French Riviera. Winters are really mild and thanks to the oceanic climate, summers are hot but not muggy!.
How much will my French house in the sun cost?
The answer to this really is … ‘as long as a piece of string’. However, there are some certainties, as you get close to the Mediterranean or Atlantic coast it’s not only the price of property that differs from a lot of France, it’s also property styles. If you are looking to buy a French property within walking distance of the sea you really need to be thinking about a recently built apartment. In Charente Maritime you may find the occasional house by the sea for sale but generally seaside property on the Atlantic Nd Mediterranean coast is restricted to apartments which come onto the market from €140,000. It is only in the Côte d’Azur that you will find amazing houses with their own beaches! But don’t bother looking unless you have in excess of £10million to spend!
Away from the coastal strip in the South of France or Charente Maritime, you will still get the same climate and the same amount of blue sky days. You won’t be far from the sea but will need to jump in the car for your sea swim. In this hinterland there is the usual selection of mouth-wateringly beautiful stone farmhouses, modern villas and pretty village houses. There is also a sense of peace that you will not get close to the coast. None of this property will be as cheap as in the very rural parts of France but all houses represent very good value for money, and give you the same large amount of sunny days and access to the sea. If you are heading to the south of France the best value properties are situated in Languedoc Roussillon .link to Languedoc Roussillon, an area of good value property ….. which stretches along the coast from the Spanish border to Provence.There are some charming village houses, many with 4 or 5 bedrooms for sale from €200,000 or good selection of villas and farmhouses, mainly with their own pools starting at around €350,000. In Charente Maritime there is a selection of pretty cottages, whitewashed with typical blue shutters, from €150,000. Modern villas with pools and large typical Charentais manor houses are on the market from €200,000.
