Thinking About Buying Property In France?
Buying Property In France
Brits have been buying property in France for years but the real surge of British buyers started about 30 years ago. Before that time you would certainly have been seen as a ‘new settler’. However, in the last 30 years buying a home in France has become a fairly normal thing to do and I guess most of us can name a few of our friends or acquaintances who have bought holiday homes in France or even live there full time.
The major attraction for Brits who decide to buy French property is the climate, the French lifestyle and the price of buying property in France. Holiday home buyers tend to choose the area they have already visited and loved but people buying for a full time residence need to spend a considerable time researching all the different regions of France and what they offer. With such a large country, climate, lifestyle and property prices vary considerably and it is important to decide what is important to you as a buyer before you start to browse websites and get tempted by the selection of beautiful properties at amazingly low prices. Buying in the wrong area of France is an easy mistake to make. Its best to talk to the experts to get the area right before you start your search for the right property.
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Buying Property In Languedoc
Languedoc Roussillon, which is now part of Occitanie, extends along the Mediterranean from the Spanish border to the mouth of the River Rhône which is the start of Provence. It enjoys the same 300 days of sunshine a year, with warm springs, hot summers, long autumns and short cold winters. This is a part of France to suit anyone looking for lovely weather, access to the coast, the real Mediterranean feel with vineyards, lavender fields and olive groves and wild, rugged hills with amazing gorges away from the coast plain. The climate means that life is lived outside a lot of the time in Languedoc so if you like sitting at pavement cafés watching the world go by this is something you can plan to do almost all the year round. Languedoc property prices are far more reasonable than in the neighbouring Provence and it is possible to buy a studio apartment on the coast in Pyrénées Orientales for €150,000 or a village house in Aude or Herault for €100,000. Beautiful French farmhouses, modern villas with luxury pools and incredible French gîte complexes are on the market in all departements of Languedoc at all prices. What you do know if you buy a property in Languedoc is that you will be getting the south of France experience, albeit without the sophistication of Provence, but for a lot less money than buying a home in Provence.
Buying Property In Charente Maritime
For people who prefer a milder climate and access to the Atlantic coast rather than property in Mediterranean Charente Maritime fits the bill. This is a departement in the ever popular Poitou Charente region which has now been incorporated with other departements into the new region of Nouvelle Aquitaine. The Charente Maritime has a long sandy coastline and many of its beaches are almost deserted even in the summer months, probably because you have to walk through the pine woods to get to them, but when you arrive you have miles of empty sandy beach in front of you. For people who prefer easier access and to,have their beaches with cafés and activities on them there are plenty of those too. Inland Charente Maritime doesn’t disappoint with its beautiful rivers, open views and gently undulating countryside. The larger towns such as La Rochelle, Rochefort, Saintes and St. Jean d’Angley offer year round life for people thinking of buying a full time home. There is a variety of property for sale from coastal houses to farmhouses to gîte complexes and prices start from around €175,000.
Buying Property In Dordogne
Dordogne, in Nouvelle Aquitaine, is one of the most popular destinations for Brits who have always been attracted by its beautiful landscape, wonderful medieval towns and villages and mild climate. As more and more Brits have bought houses in Dordogne over the last 30 years new British buyers also find it an easy place to live as you are never too far away from another English speaking person. In fact Dordogne has quite an international flavour to it as people from all over Europe and America have decided to make a home in this lovely part of France. The long warm summers mean that much of life is lived outdoors and the stunning medieval villages and towns offer charming cafés and restaurants where you can enjoy refreshment while surrounded by beautiful architecture and flowers tumbling from every windowsill. Because so many expats have made Dordogne their full time home there is plenty of life in the winter, in fact when the summer tourists have left you really see Dordogne at its best. Property for renovation starts from around €100,000 and there is a wonderful selection of beautifully restored cottages and farmhouses for sale from €200,000.
Buying Property In Drôme
For buyers looking for a home in France somewhere away from the crowds and with very tempting property prices Drôme in Rhône Alps is well worth considering. This is the department at the southern most part of the region and is next to Provence. Often this departement is referred to as Drôme Provençale which gives a flavour of what to expect from this delightful area. There are all the vineyards, lavender fields, cypress trees and olive groves that most of us think of when we refer to the south of France. There are also magnificent mountains always in the distance. The many hillside villages and towns are delightful and don’t attract the tourists as much as those in Provence, somehow when you find Drôme you feel as though you have come across a hidden treasure. For all of this, the drive to Marseilles on the Mediterranean coast is less than 2 hours should you tear yourself away from your home in Drôme.
Property prices start from less than €100,000 for a small house or a nice property renovation project in France and the higher the prices climb the more magnificent the properties are. There really is something for everyone’s budget in this lesser known part of the south of France.
Buying In Haute Vienne
The Haute Vienne is in the department of Limousin, which is now part of Nouvelle Aquitaine and has been a popular destination for Brits on a budget for 30 years now. It is known as the Lake District of France or as France Profonde, both descriptions fit it beautifully. It is a very rural departement with hundreds of lakes, many of which have been created as leisure lakes with beaches, water sports, cafes and other activities. Access to the lakes and rivers make up for the fact that the coast is about a 2 hours drive away from properties in Haute Vienne.
Many Brits and other expats have chosen to make Haute Vienne their full time home partially driven by the low French property prices but also by the remarkably slow way of life. Young expat families move into the area to enjoy a better way of life, often the parents work in their own businesses, mainly hospitality. Retired couples choose Haute Vienne to make their pensions go further and to enjoy the slower, traditional way of life and many expat creative people choose this department because of the availability of inexpensive properties which usually include a range of outbuildings.
The town of Limoges offers a year round sense of life with theatres, cinemas, museums, galleries and an abundance of restaurants and most of the smaller towns remain reasonably lively all year round.
Property prices are amongst the cheapest in France with a good selection of properties for renovation at under €50,000, lakes with cabins from €65,000 and many lovely cottages and farmhouses at under €150,000.
Why not call us on +44 (0)1306 775 for a more indepth but friendly chat
