Latest buying trends…

It’s been a pivotal year for the French market overall with the weak euro driving the return of buyers from the UK – and also the USA. But what areas did we sell the most in last month?

Well in some ways no big surprises there with the ever-popular Poitou-Charentes leading the way comfortably, showing that that sunny little pocket of south-west France still has much to offer in terms of affordability, lifestyle and chocolate-box pretty villages. The average house price of €138,000 is pretty alluring, plus the sunshine hours in this part of France are matched only by those on the Cote d’Azur.

Next up are three very different regions that are all enjoying similar popularity: Brittany, Aquitaine and the Limousin. We reported on Brittany’s jump in popularity in September, but its stunning coastline and accessibility from the UK continues to draw buyers.

Aquitaine? Well it’s an old favourite with vast diversity, from the winelands of the Bordeaux region to the hot spots of the Lot et Garonne and the Dordogne to some real gems close to the Spanish border in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques; and the wonderfully rural Limousin, full of so much potential for farm properties and incredibly good value.

Next up is the sunny Languedoc-Roussillon that includes the dynamic city of Montpellier, the historic Carcassonne surrounded by all those wine-growing villages.  The neighbouring Midi-Pyrenees – with Toulouse its vibrant hub – comes in next, followed by Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur (PACA) – where you can pick up a property for less than you would think – and then Normandy, Pays-de-la-Loire, Bourgogne and the French Alps. With the ski season just starting, it’s likely that many of those winter sports fans will be on the look out for a ski home.