Moving to France is a dream for many Brits, and the South of France is undoubtedly top of many people’s dream destination. Whether looking to purchase a holiday home, retirement property or family home to begin a new life in France, southern France has something for everyone.
Popular places to buy property in the South of France include Toulouse, Aix-en-Provence, Nice, Toulon and, on the West coast, Bordeaux.
Despite the economic difficulties experienced in Europe, French property is still seen as a good investment. Research published recently by a leading international estate agent found that while overall sales of French property fell according to 2009-2011 data, there was a slight increase in the percentage of overall UK homeowners taking property in France.
Still the world's most popular holiday destination, pre-recession figures showed that 26% of UK holiday home owners chose to buy in France; 2009-2011 data found this percentage increasing to 28%.
Let’s take a look at your French property options below:
Toulon
Toulon is a beautiful city on the prestigious French Riviera. It has a fantastic Mediterranean climate and is well liked by both French and overseas travellers. It has a vibrant expat community but, given its great location, is not cheap. You could be looking at paying up to 3,420€ per square metre for the best areas. Depending on your budget and your exact needs, properties are available from around 280,000€ up into the millions.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is world renowned for producing some of the best wines in the world. The city itself is chic and cosmopolitan, while the surrounding countryside is dotted with famous vineyards, chateaus and beautiful scenery. Little wonder then than it is so popular with Brits. As a rough guide for buying a property in Bordeaux, such as a city centre apartment, it will cost approximately £2,615.70 per square metre; away from the city centre you could be looking at paying around £2,180 per square metre, depending on the exchange rate and the state of the property. Outside the city, you could purchase a two or three bedroom property, sometimes with a pool, for less than 275,000€.
Nice
Nice is the fifth largest city in France and is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes département and the second biggest city of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region after Marseille. It is a popular city full of numerous historic, cultural and entertainment delights. Brits moving to the city looking for a low cost alternative to the UK may soon find themselves disappointed, however.
A city centre apartment could cost as much as £3,720 per square metre. A nice two-bedroom apartment in the city would cost around 250,000€. Remember that if you do decide to buy a similar property such as this, you should also consider contents insurance . To insurance a two-bedroom holiday property in Nice could cost around £500 per year.
Aix-en-Provence
A small city just north of Marseille in the popular French region of the Provence-Alpes- Côte d'Azur region, Aix in many ways is the embodiment of the French expat dream. With average summer temperatures of 29C, fantastic restaurants, history and cultural sights it is a great place to buy a property. If you are looking to buy a property in the city you could be looking at paying as much as £5,231.40 per square metre in the city centre; but still as much as £4,359 per square metre for a less central location. Depending on your budget and your exact needs properties are available from around 300,000€ up to the millions.
Insurance
Remember that if you are purchasing a property abroad that you will also need to consider adequate insurance, even if you only use the property as a holiday home. It’s worth remembering that a holiday home or second home is an insurance risk when the property is occupied as a weekend or holiday home, or is let commercially on a short term basis as holiday accommodation. Always look for the best French holiday home insurance quotes and ensure that you and your home are comprehensively protected.
This article has been submitted by Policy Expert - insurance specialists, providing house insurance to homeowners in the UK. You can use their website to compare quotes and buy online.