Autumn buyer trends reveal France’s latest property hotspots
- Limousin, Poitou-Charentes and Provence top the table for buyer enquiries (FrenchEntrée)
- Average budget falls 8% to €291,000
- Buyers seeking wide range of homes, from rural areas to the coast to the Alps
New data from specialist French property agents FrenchEntrée has revealed the top three areas that are generating buyer enquiries in France right now. Traditional favourites such as Paris and the Côte d’Azur have been eclipsed by the three latest hotspots: Limousin, Poitou-Charentes and Provence.
“With the start of autumn, we tend to see more serious property enquiries coming through, after the summer flurry of those often looking at homes on a whim after a lovely holiday. Our latest data has revealed that enquiries are focusing particularly on the Limousin, Poitou-Charentes and Provence regions.”
Alistair Lockhart, Property Director, FrenchEntrée
Limousin is known for providing excellent value for money when it comes to property. Located in France’s hilly southwest, it has been part of the new Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes region since the start of 2016. Its three departments – Corrèze, Creuse and Haute-Vienne – are some of the most sparsely populated in the country, making this a great area for buyers who are looking to reconnect with nature.
Traditional, rural properties abound in Limousin. Stone houses with plenty of land can be picked up for well under €175,000. In fact, that budget would be sufficient for a traditional house with outbuildings, mature fruit trees and an above-ground pool. Tradition and history live on in Limousin, making it the perfect escape from the excesses of the Digital Age (though with modern facilities and connectivity on tap as needed), while the serenity of all that open pastoral land provides its own form of peace.
The area also has a notable cultural offering, from the galleries of Brive to the abundance of fine art, sculpture and paintings to be found in Guéret.
Neighbouring Poitou-Charentes, meanwhile, is known as the home of vines, sunflowers and friendly locals. It’s another excellent place to buy properties with a decent parcel of land for a great price. The larger towns (Angoulême, Cognac and Saintes) offer year-round entertainment options, while the smaller towns and villages provide a wonderfully peaceful setting outside of the summer season.
“The four departments of Poitou-Charentes – Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne – provide buyers with plenty of choice when it comes to buying property in this beautiful part of France. As well as rolling rural landscapes, the area also boasts a delightful coastline, ranging from attractive sandy beaches to more rugged and wild stretches. There are communities of all shapes and sizes, from tiny, pretty hamlets to vibrant medieval towns that are bursting with life, presenting buyers with an impressive range of property options at prices comfortably below those found in some other parts of France.”
Alistair Lockhart, Property Director, FrenchEntrée
As well as its coastal areas, Poitou-Charentes is also home to a number of leisure lakes, offering swimming, walking and water sports. Properties near the lakes include some impressive rural residences. €300,000 is enough for a four-bedroom house with 11 acres of land and stream, with stables and fenced grazing land, just minutes from the lakes of Haute Charente.
Provence has, of course, been familiar to British property buyers since Peter Mayle’s famous 1989 tale of terrible weather, black market truffle dealers and the quirks of the French labour system. Mayle’s bumbling, entertaining attempts at integration inspired many British buyers to give Provence a try. Today, many of the area’s attractions remain largely the same as they did back then.
Next to the playground of the rich that is the Côte d’Azur, Provence offers a more laid-back alternative, though still with stunning surroundings. This extensive area encompasses everything from coastal settings to the Alps. Summer and winter sporting options mean that the area is popular with tourists year round, with many heading into the mountains in the summer months for lakeside frolics away from the more intense heat of the coast.
Provençal properties are considerably more expensive than those in Limousin and Poitou-Charentes. A characterful 19th century farmhouse with pool, set in 1.6 hectares of land, will set buyers back €590,000.
“What’s interesting about the top three French hotspots for autumn is the variety. We’re seeing evidence of caution in terms of budgets – which at an average of €291,000 are around 8% lower than a year ago – and with Brexit looming that is perfectly understandable. However, the fact that Provence is one of France’s three most popular areas this autumn indicates that many British buyers remain confident in their budgets – and in the French property market.”
Alistair Lockhart, Property Director, FrenchEntrée
For further information, contact FrenchEntrée on +44 (0)1225 463752 or propertysales@frenchentree.com. You can also visit https://www.frenchentree.com/property-for-sale/.