Where do Brits love to buy in France?
You’ll find British expats and second-home owners all across France but there’s no doubt that some areas are more favoured by UK property buyers, reports Karen Tait
Where do the British buy homes in France? Broadly speaking, they head for the swathe of western France from Normandy and Brittany down through Nouvelle-Aquitaine to the Spanish border, as well as along and inland from the Mediterranean coast in Occitanie and Provence-Cote d’Azur, and in the Alps. Here are a few of the areas Brits can’t get enough of.
Dordogne
Castelnaud-la-Chapelle overlooking the river Dordogne - Shutterstock
So popular with British househunters and holidaymakers that it’s been nicknamed Dordogneshire, this picturesque corner of southwest France has much to recommend it. Picturesque villages, often on a river’s edge or clinging to a hilltop, are numerous, while the countryside varies from rolling vineyards to dramatic gorges and valleys. The third largest département in France, it is also home to around 10% of the country’s châteaux and fortified buildings, many of which played a strategic role in the Hundred Years’ War.
The department has four distinct areas: Périgord Vert in the north (named due to its green valleys and Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park, home to the popular towns of Brantôme, Nontron and Riberac), Périgord Blanc in the centre (with white limestone plateaux and the departmental capital Périgueux), Périgord Pourpe in the south-west (a winemaking region centred around Bergerac) and Périgord Noir (featuring ancient forests, prehistoric caves, and the towns of St-Cyprien and Sarlat-la-Caneda). While there are plenty of British expats for those seeking an English-speaking community, the Dordogne is also big enough to find lots of villages where you’ll rarely hear English spoken.
The neighbouring departments of Lot, Lot-et-Garonne and Corrèze are also very popular and share much of the same characteristics and attractions.
Perhaps surprisingly given its popularity, the area is very affordable, mainly due to the absence of large cities or coastline. Average house prices are Dordogne €1,400/m², Lot €1,455/m², Lot-et-Garonne €1,333/m² and Corrèze €1,250/m².
The ‘Charentes’
La Rochelle is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department - Shutterstock
Also in the southwest, Charente and Charente-Maritime have become increasingly popular over the years. A reasonable drive from the Channel ports and with a choice of airports, once there you’ll enjoy warm sunshine, pleasant scenery of sunflower fields, vineyards and agricultural plains, pretty villages, seaside resorts and affordable property. Tourist hotspots include the Futuroscope theme park, the waterways of the Marais-Poitevin regional park, the harbour town of La Rochelle, and the islands of Ré and Oléron; the capital is Poitiers. Royan and Rochefort are popular Atlantic resorts, while sought-after towns include Angoulême, Cognac, Saintes, Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, Ruffec and Confolens. A section of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route runs through the area and fine Romanesque churches are a legacy of this heritage.
The other departments of the former Poitou-Charentes region, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne, are also popular with British buyers. While property represents great value for money in rural areas, prices are naturally higher along the coast. Average property prices are Charente €1,283/m², Charente-Maritime €2,412/m², Deux-Sèvres €1,231/m² and Vienne €1,244/m².
Languedoc-Roussillon
Sète is a port and seaside resort on the Mediterranean - Shutterstock
Now part of the wider Occitanie region, Languedoc-Roussillon sits between the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrénées mountains and Montagne Noir, sharing a border with Spain. Key cities include Montpellier (the regional capital), Carcassonne (with its fairytale citadel), Perpignan (once home to the kings of Mallorca), Nîmes (Roman remains) and Béziers, all with international airports (as well as Toulouse just over the border). Narbonne, Pezenas, Uzès, Castelnaudary, Limoux and Mende are popular towns. Although more expensive than inland areas, the seaside resorts (including Cap d’Agde, Sète, Argelès, Gruissan, Port-Vendres, Leucate and Collioure) are a lot more affordable than those of the French Riviera, and feature large étangs (lagoons), some with pink flamingoes. The whole coastline is renowned for its watersports. The area is also home to several ski resorts (Les Angles, Puymorens, Font-Romeu), generally more low-key than the Alpine resorts and very family-oriented.
The region varies dramatically from the sparsely populated Lozère department (Cévennes regional park and Tarn Gorges) to the lively coast and dynamic cities, with many medieval villages and towns in between. Then, of course, there are the vast vineyards of Minervois, Corbières and Fitou. The Canal du Midi, a feat of 17th-century engineering, cuts through Aude, which is also Cathar country, home to majestic ruined castles. Areas closer to Spain have a distinctive Catalan flavour.
Average property prices: Aude €1,581/m², Hérault €2,698/m², Gard €2,321/m², Pyrénées-Orientales €2,294/m² and Lozère €1,255/m².
Brittany
Dinan is known for its medieval ramparts, cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses - Shutterstock
Sharing a Celtic heritage with Cornwall and Wales, Brittany is proudly independent from the rest of France, with its own language, culture and festivals. The region has over 3,000km of coastline, from sandy beaches to rocky coves, as well as a wealth of medieval towns like Dinan, Quimper, Locronon, Lannion, Vannes, Josselin, Guérande and Fougères. The local heritage includes standing stones, the best known being those at Carnac, while inland dense woods whisper words of myths and legends, including King Arthur, and there are many rivers and canals. The main city is Rennes.
At France’s most eastern point sits the military port of Brest, overlooking one of Europe’s busiest shipping routes, while to the south the Gulf of Morbihan is an inland sea dotted with islands and a haven for seabirds and sailing. Belle Epoque seaside resorts include Dinard, La Baule and Bénodet, and there are numerous pretty ports and beaches like Concarneau, St-Brieuc and Auray. Brittany is also home to the walled city of St-Malo, one of two Channel ferry ports along with Roscoff, and several islands including Belle-île-en-Mer.
Brittany has been so popular with UK housebuyers over the years that it’s sometimes called Little Britain. Property is naturally more expensive along the coast, and often very affordable inland. Average prices are Ille-et-Vilaine €2,273/m², Côtes-d’Armor €1,818/m², Finistère €2,037/m², and Morbihan €2,393/m².
Normandy
Honfleur is one of France's most visited towns - Shutterstock
Another much-loved area of northern France is Normandy, with its Channel ferry ports at Cherbourg, Le Havre, Caen and Dieppe making access easy from the UK. With coast and country, it counts among its attractions the island commune of Mont St-Michel (attracting over three million visitors a year) as well as the D-Day beaches and other key WWII sites, the Bayeux tapestry, Monet’s gardens at Giverny, the striking harbour town of Honfleur, the chic resort and beaches of Deauville (plus Trouville, Cabourg and Houlgate), and the white-cliff resorts of Etretat and Fécamp.
A bountiful department, Normandy gives us calvados brandy, rich dairy products and camembert – the landscape where these are produced is one of lush orchards and pastureland. It’s an equestrian paradise too. By contrast, ‘Swiss Normandy’ offers a surprising mix of hills, woods and rivers, a place to get back to nature. For urban life, the Norman capital is Rennes. Other charming towns include Chartres, Coutances, Argenton, the spa town Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, Pont l’Eveque, Beuvron-en-Auge, Les Andelys, Barfleur, Gerberoy, Veules-les-Roses, Lyons-la-Forêt and St-Valery-sur-Somme. The local architecture varies from half-timbered houses to towering Gothic cathedrals.
While property prices are high in exclusive Deauville, there are plenty of good-value rural homes. Average departmental prices are Manche €1,630/m², Calvados €2,245/m², Orne €1,186/m², Eure €1,786/m², Seine-Maritime €1,906/m².
Riviera and Provence
St-Tropez is a famous coastal town on the French Riviera - Shutterstock
Although many househunters are priced out of the Côte d’Azur – notoriously favoured by the rich and famous – you’ll still hear English voices in the markets, restaurants and beaches of the region. Indeed, the population is a cosmopolitan mix including Italians, northern Europeans and Americans. The coastline is home to glamorous cities and resorts like Cannes, St-Tropez, Antibes, Menton and Hyères, while Nice, with its sweeping Boulevard des Anglais, is the capital of the Riviera. The cities of Marseille and Toulon are less glitzy, more gritty, with lots of character.
Inland, the bucolic landscapes are those of Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence, particularly in the Luberon Regional Natural Park. Stone farmhouses, usually beautifully renovated, sit among almond groves and wild garrigue with low mountain ranges like the Alpilles in the distance. Avignon is the main town, the 13th-century home of the Popes which still has a grand papal palace; other towns include Roman Arles, Aixe-en-Provence, Orange, Grasse, Gap and Apt.
With airports at Nice, Toulon and Marseille offering a wide range of international flights, it’s an easy part of France to get to. It’s no surprise that property is expensive here, eye-wateringly so in exclusive resorts like St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (€11,782/m²), but prices drop a little the further you head inland. Average prices are Alpes-Maritimes €4,747/m², Var €3,913/m², Vaucluse €2,504/m², Bouches-du-Rhône €3,723/m², Alpes-de-Haute-Provence €2,212/m².
Alps
Courchevel is part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski areas in the world - Shutterstock
Another pricey area for property, but with great potential for year-round rental income to offset costs. The French Alps are hoe to world-famous resorts such as Val d’Isère, Tignes, Courchevel, Meribel, Megève, Morzine, Chamonix and Val Thorens, and ski domains Les Trois Vallées, Paradiski and Espace Killy.
Apartments and chalets are the typical properties, with average apartment prices being €3,739/m² in Savoie and €4,200/m² in Haute-Savoie, rising to over €13,000/m² in the most sought-after resorts.
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