The French Property Buying Guide 2004 is the definitive guide to buying a property in France.
The Regions. France is officially divided into nearly 100 departments, which are local administrative areas quite similar to the British Countries. They, in turn, make up the official French regions. This guide has grouped the French regions and their departments into 15 sections under the headings and in the order outlined below (the names in brackets are the official French versions)
Brittany (Bretagne)
Côtes-d-Armor (22), Finistère (29), Ille-et-Vilaine (35), Morbihan (56. Brittany is France’s main agricultural producer and has a strong agricultural and livestock industry. The area is most loved due to its rolling fields and moors, long jagged coastline and magnificent beaches. Nicknamed "Little Britain" due to the popularity of the region by the British, Brittany remains one of the cheapest and most convenient areas in France to buy.
Normandy (Basse-Normandie, Haute-Normandie)
Calvados (14), Manche (50), Orne(61) (Basse-Normandie); Eure (27), Seine-Maritime (76)(Haute-Normandie). Normandy is the land if the Bocage, of farmlands, hedgerows and enclosed fields which prospers from its production of meat, milk, butter, cheese and cider apples. The area of Normandy is peaceful and pastoral with endless countryside and clean and sandy beaches offering something for everyone to enjoy.
Nord-Pas-De-Calais & Picardy (Picardie)
Nord (59), Pas-de-Calais (62), (Nord-Pas-de-Calais); Aisne (02), Oise (60), Somme (80) (Picardie). Industry and commerce form the mainstays of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais economy, which is the European centre for mass retailing. The idea that Calais is overrun by British commuters is a myth; there is also a strong local interest. The region exemplifies a historic feel with gothic cathedrals, memorials and battlefields and you will never be far away from a fantastic restaurant.
Ile-De-France
Ville de Paris (75), Seine-et-Marne (77), Yvelines (78), Essonne (91), Hauts-de-Seine (92), Seine-Saint-Denis (93), Val-de-Marne (94), Val-d’Oise (95). This area is the established centre of luxury, art, publishing, high fashion clothes and jewellery, with a quarter of France’s manufacturing industry situated in Paris. With comfortable ban lieu and elegant apartments the area is hugely popular with the foreign buyer, but do not come without high price tags.
Champagne-Ardenne
Ardennes (08), Aube (10), Marne (51), Haute-Marne (52). Wine and champagne (including Moet et Chandon) production has dominated this region, and specifically Epernay and Reims, since the 16th Century. Thriving employment markets in this area make it the ideal location for relocators planning to live and work the French way. The region contains magnificent architecture surrounded by woods and water meadows. Champagne’s association with luxury means that foreign buyers are willing to pay more than the norm for property.
Alsace, Lorraine & Franche-Comte
Bas-Rhin (67), Haut-Rhin (68) (Alsace); Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Meuse (55), Moselle (57), Vosges (88) (Lorraine); Doubs (25), Jura (39), Haute-Saone (70), Territoire de Belfort (90) (Franche-Comté). This region has a thriving property market, with prices continually rising and demand exceeding supply. There is great buy-to-let investment potential as the constant flow of European workers ensures future profit from sales.
The Loire (Centre, Pays De La Loire)
Cher (18), Eure-et-Loir (28), Indre (36), Indre-et-Loire (37), Loir-et-Cher (41), Loiret (45) (Centre); Loire-Atlantique (44), Maine-et-Loire (49), Mayenne (53), Sarthe (72), Vendée (85) (Pays de la Loire). A landscape of forests, small towns and villages dotted along Loire’s river lends itself particularly to Gité tourism. This region is famous for its lush and verdant valleys, gastronomic delights and elegant chateaux and the popularity of the Loire’s holiday market makes it a safe investment for those seeking rental income.
Burgundy (Bourgogne)
Côte-d-Or (21), Nièvre (58), Saône-et-Loire (71), Yonne (89). Burgundy is renowned for its abundance of Michelin-starred restaurants and the production of fine wines, which are produced primarily in the Cote d’Or vineyard area. The regions property market is extremely fast moving due to the gastronomic delights, world-renowned vineyards and diverse landscapes.
Poitou-Charentes
Charente (16), Charente-Maritime (17), Deux-Sèvres (79), Vienne (86). A series of town or inter-regional cottage industries supports this area, whose economy leans mainly towards agricultural production. The traditional country towns, famous for its historic Atlantic ports and rolling plains and bocage, are speckled throughout with Gités but are mainly dominated by renovation properties.
Limousin & Auvergne
Corrèze (19), Creuse (23), Haute-Vienne (87) (Limousin); Allier (03), Cantal (15), Haute-Loire (43), Puy-de-Dôme (63) (Auvergne). Tourism and the technological industry, including the production of electrical fittings, dominate Limoges’ economy. The region exists of untamed countryside, hot springs and spas and volcanic mountain ranges so many buyers are drawn here to pursue an outdoor life. With an excellent rental potential and a tourist driven economy, Limousin is a good place to invest.
The Rhone-Alps (Rhone-Alpes)
Ain (01), Ardeche (07), Drôme (26), Isère (38), Loire (42), Rhône (69), Savoie (73), Haute-Savoie (74). The Rhone-Alpes are surrounded by snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, lakes and rivers. The ski resorts around Mont-Blanc have a tourism-based economy, with international stars like Chamonix trading off its cosmopolitan restaurants and exclusive boutiques. This extends to the Lake Annecy villages and the popular resorts of Annecy, Talloires and Thonon-les-Bains. Foreign buyers are reminded that demand outstrips supply, rendering property expensive.
Aquitaine
Dordogne (24), Gironde (33), Landes (40), Lot-et-Garonne (47), Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64). Renowned for producing some of France’s finest wines, the Aquitaine region owes its wealth to its vineyards and pine forests. The area’s industry has grown, and the strikingly beautiful coastline has aided development of the tourist industry. The area is hugely popular with the imposing Atlantic coastline offering the property hotspots.
The Midi-Pyrenees
Ariège (09), Aveyron (12), Haute-Garonne (31), Gers (32), Lot (46), Hautes-Pyrenees (65), Tarn (81), Tarn-et-Garonne (82). Traditionally an agricultural area, and despite recent depopulation, this region’s economy has regenerated. Averyon is an up and coming departement with a rugged landscape and fairly inexpensive properties, while Toulouse is ideal for the buyer seeking a thriving city location. Famous for its strong southern sun and beautiful landscapes, the area is in popular demand, and easier access has provided an inevitable rise in property prices.
Languedoc-Roussillon
Aude (11), Gard (30), Hérault (34), Lozère (48), Pyrénées-Orientales (66). The Languedoc region offers endless coastal resorts and acres of vineyards. Attractive towns can be found posing Catalan traditions, which has led to tourism as a major contributor to this areas economy.
Provence, Cote D’Azur & Corsica (Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, Corse)
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04), Hautes-Alpes (05), Alpes-Maritimes (06), Bouches-du-Rhône (13), Var (83), Vaucluse (84) (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur); Corse-du-Sud (2A), Haute-Corse (2B) (Corse). The Côte d’Azur’s Mediterranean climate, endless sandy beaches and international kudos have created a tourist-based economy in Cannes, Saint-Tropez and Nice, which in turn has encouraged a thriving property buying and rental market, both for permanent movers and second-home buyers. Fuelled by international investment, a seemingly boundless property market has grown up, leading to foreign buyers a guaranteed return on their property investment.
