Where Brits Prefer to Buy Property in France

Summary: The four main corners of France where British property buyers are looking for holiday houses, investment property or a new home overseas

According to a recent survey undertaken by Homes Overseas magazine, Brits favouring France all tend to favour a similar part of the nation when it comes to their property purchases.  Unsurprisingly really us Brits head south in search of a French pad because of the weather – but instead of being lured to live in large towns and cities, most Britons dream of owning a relatively rural retreat in south western France.

If you want to know where not to buy property in France if you want to avoid your fellow countrymen or you’re intrigued to find out where the most popular real estate hotspots are, read on to discover the corners of France favoured by Brits in search of that place in the sun.

As stated, south western France is the most popular part of the country with Brits, and when you consider that almost two thirds of all properties in France that are sold to foreigners are sold to Brits, one can only begin to imagine how over populated south western France will eventually become by the English! 

In reality though, south western France is a broad area physically and it covers a range of diverse geographies...so where should you be looking?

Well, the number one region at the current time is Creuse in Limousin which is serviced by Limoges airport to which Ryanair fly for example.  The region is rural, it has the lowest crime rate in France, the climate is fabulous in the summer and for about EUR 200,000 you can get a really decent and sizable property with a piece of land.  This region is especially popular with Britons who want a holiday home for just their own personal use, and those who want to go and live the dream in France.  It is an unsuitable location for those seeking massive volumes of tourism traffic or who will require employment within the local community to sustain themselves though.

The benefits of buying a property in France in Creuse is that you can really get away from it all – you can enjoy the countryside, take walks in forests, dips in rivers and eat out at small cafes and restaurants in the tiny, widely dispersed communities.

Charente and the Dordogne are equally popular among Brits who prefer to shop for property in France.  Both regions are serviced by Limoges airport as well, and you can fly to Poitiers, La Rochelle and Angouleme to Charente - and you can fly to Bergerac and Bordeaux if you want to visit the Dordogne.  Check out the likes of Easyjet and Ryanair for cheap flights…

Charente has a stunning and sunny climate which is a massive plus point when you’re thinking about buying a property abroad, and what’s more, where once the vendors of real estate in the region were a little greedy, the global property slowdown has seen a downward adjustment of over priced homes meaning that if you like the region, you might be able to negotiate yourself a bargain. 

The Dordogne on the other hand is still expensive because demand for property and land in the region is intense among locals and international buyers.  So you get less for your money – but if you want an investment property the Dordogne can be good as it is the most popular inland region of France for tourism.

Coming up hot on the heels of the Dordogne in terms of the region’s popularity and therefore prices is Haute-Vienne – this is a location being selected by relocating Britons because of its excellent transport links and now property prices are rising fast.  Haute-Vienne no longer offers good value for money – but it is beautiful and charming and therefore a great place to consider buying a second home or even a brand new home for all the family in France.

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