Visas & Advice Detail
A guide to France
France has always appealed to the British as a place to purchase homes for secondary use, but now more and more are settling there permanently
And with the extensive portfolio of properties available in all price ranges from hidden away country cottages to luxury apartments on the coast, and ski chalets, it is no surprise that with the ease and low cost options of being able to travel virtually to every part of France; plus the French way of life is very similar to that in England than other European countries. As a consequence, more and more of us are choosing France as a serious option.
Country Profile
Capital City: Paris
Area: 547,030 sq km or 211,208 sq miles
Population: 60,400,000
Time Zone: GMT +1
Country dialing code: 33
Currency: Euro
Climate
France has a temperate climate and except for the mountain areas and the far north east of the country, the winters are quite mild.
In the North West the Atlantic influences the weather which can result in high humidity and strong westerly winds. The North East has a typical continental climate with hot summers and cold winters whilst in the centre of the country and the Paris basin the lowest annual rainfall is recorded but can be erratic. Around the coastal plains there is a pleasant Mediterranean climate where rain in the summer and frost in winter are unheard of.
Country highlights
One of the largest of the European countries France is a popular destination country all year round for British tourists with it's wealth of history, heritage, architecture and terrain and has coastline on the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel with it's resorts including Biarritz, and those on the The Cote D'Azur such as Monte Carlo, Cannes and Nice.
Paris is one of the most visited cities in Europe with the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre and Notre Dame being some it's most famed attractions. France also has over 8,000km of slopes and is the largest ski area in the world.
Accessibility
France has excellent air transport, sea and rail links from the UK with direct flights from most UK airports. The main carriers are British Airways, Air France, BMI, and Easyjet. Eurostar operates 24 hours per day from Waterloo direct to Paris and Eurotunnel runs from Folkestone – Calais. The flying time from anywhere in The UK is around an hour and a half.
Permanent move
There are no restrictions on living and working in France for EU Nationals however you must obtain a residence permit if you are residing for more than 90 consecutive days although this is a formality rather than a requirement. You will not require a work permit for France.
Buying property
Because of its close proximity to the UK and it is easily accessible, France has always been a popular choice for the British wishing to buy a second home.
In recent years because of this surge in property ownership prices have increased somewhat particularly in the coastal areas and the ski regions of the Rhone-Alps and Midi Pyrenees.
Paris is still one of the most expensive cities in Europe to buy property. There are bargains to be found but these are generally in the lesser known towns and villages where facilities and access may not be readily available. The least expensive properties are those that require modernisation and renovation.
Destination Hot Spots
Provence and the Cote D'Azur
Well known as the millionaire's playground, this region is probably the most up-market and expensive of the French coastal regions with the towns of Monte Carlo and Nice and is still a popular choice. The properties are at the top end of the market. A beautiful seven bedroom waterfront property between St Raphael and Cannes overlooking Monaco will set you back 330,000 euros, whilst a one bedroom apartment in Nice will be about 185,000. Inland Provence has two bedroom villas for around 260,000 euros and a stone built 4 bedroom house for 220,000 euros.
Paris
The French capital has seen foreign buyers steadily rising over the last 10 years and the British are the second most active. 250,000 euros will see you with a studio apartment whilst a one or two bedroom apartment will cost upwards of 375,000 euros, 4 and 5 bedroom houses are in excess of 1,000,000 euros
Ski resorts
France has two main ski areas the Rhone-Alpes and the Midi-Pyrenees. The most expensive of these is the Alpes where studios will set you back anything from 90,000 euros and a two bed apartment from 150,000. In contrast at Haute Pyrenees a 5 bedroom character village home is available for around 288,000 euros and a three bedroom apartment for 150,000 euros.
Normandy and Brittany
A very beautiful region of France with the historical towns of Rouen and Nantes, a rugged coastline and beaches. A Popular area with the British where there are is a range of properties to suit every taste for example a two bedroom timber framed building in Orne that requires extensive renovation is available for just 32,000 euros and a fully restored two bedroom cottage in Camembert for 92,000 euros, whilst in Brittany on the Cote D'Armour a newly refurbished three bedroom house and garage with 700m2 of English style gardens can be purchased for a reasonable 139,600 euros and in the rural Brittany countryside a semi detached 2 bedroom house with one hectare of land will cost about 170,000 euros.
Languedoc-Roussillon
The peaceful villages, the high mountains and the impressive old cities make this region quintessentially French with Toulouse and Montpellier with it's pastiche of architecture being the best known cities and of course the world famous Cognac Brandy. There is a wide range of properties available in this region and many have wine growing influences. A large 3 bedroom former wineyard house is available at 210,000 euros and a magnificent 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom stone house just outside Perpignan is on offer for 210,000 euros and in the town of Nimes there are studio apartments for 47,000 euros.
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