For many of the English the lure of France runs very deep indeed. It's our closest continental neighbour, but our two countries couldn't be more different. Whilst England rushes from day-to-day, always trying to catch up with itself, France is content to slumber peacefully letting the world pass by.
England may boast a bewildering array of beautiful villages and charming countryside getaways but France is in a whole different league. A drive through French countryside will reveal miles and miles of empty roads and deserted villages, as France is truly a place in which you can lose yourself. Unlike England, large tracts of the French countryside remain undeveloped with properties ripe for renovation, extension and inhabitation. For this reason, a great many people make the move and find themselves looking for houses for sale in France.
For many, the desire to live in France stems from a love of French food and wine. The French are arguably one of the finest nations of cooks, and their cuisine has had an unparalleled impact, particularly on our English diets. French food in general is of the highest quality with far more importance placed on the role of the meal as a social occasion. For English people this is particularly attractive aspect of French culture. Each region of France is culturally diverse so its worth spending the time to find which suits your best heres some pointers to those areas where property bargains are freely available.
The Basque Country
Local airports in Biarritz and Pau provide low-cost access to this picturesque region in the south of France. In the North of this area, Landes offers opportunities for the price conscious house hunter to snap up a bargain. Renovation projects can be acquired for under 500,000e if you are willing to move inland from the coast. You may need to put in some hard work making such properties habitable but you could find yourself a farm with extensive land, set in a beautiful pine forest.
Lozere
Further along the Mediterranean coast lays the landlocked region of Lozere. It offers unspoiled traditional French living, and miles of rolling hills and winding roads. The investment property markets is tiny, meaning there are still some bargains to be found for the canny buyer. If you want a French hideaway with rustic charm it's a great option.
Poitou Charente
This region occupies a beautiful area of western France and is most famous as a producer of the world's most famous brandy, cognac. With the opening of a new airport in 2007 access to the area has been greatly enhanced and tourism is on the increase. No surprise as this is a truly beautiful of the world featuring stunning countryside and wide-open spaces.
Metz
If you want to remain closer to the action then there are several suburbs of Paris that provide attractive prices for housing investors. Metz offers a modern take on French living with handy transport links to the capital but a much cheaper cost of living.Normandy.If you fancy stretching the budget a little then this area of France combines modern living with lashings of Gallic culture. It gets crowded in the summer due to its proximity to the UK but this makes the trips home so much easier.
