British rush to the French countryside

The French property market is attracting increasing numbers of foreign investors. Indeed, the fall in the euro and the decline in prices for French second homes have significantly favoured the arrival of foreign buyers. Due to the rising prices on the British property market, the English have become the leading foreign clients of French agencies. However, they are highly demanding and purchase specific types of properties in regions they particularly appreciate. Which regions are most popular with our British friends and what types of properties do they purchase?

Which regions do the English invest in? The Normandy and Brittany coasts represent a major attraction for the English. Indeed, the sense of displacement is not total there and they can find the cliffs of the southern English coasts there. The British are also highly attracted by the calm and beauty of the French countryside. The Dordogne department is among the most sought-after by our neighbours from across the Channel, true lovers of its flat and open landscapes. For proof, in Eymet, a small village in the Périgord region, 30% of inhabitants are British. The southern and south-western regions are also highly appreciated by the British. The warm climate and gastronomy are certainly what attracts them most there. In general, English migrants like small remote villages in France where calm, tranquility and wellbeing are the key words. Most of them live in urbanised areas and wish, just like many French people, to flee the oppressive frenzy of the city, traffic congestion, the high cost of living and the feeling of insecurity. They therefore invest in a second home in rural areas in search of a better quality of life.

What types of acquisitions do they make? In 2013, 6.3% of buyers of French property were of foreign nationality, English for the vast majority. Since the global economic crisis of 2008, the English had deserted French soil but are beginning to return thanks to the pound-euro exchange rate which is distinctly advantageous for them. However, the English are not impulsive buyers for all that. Indeed, they are very demanding clients and rational buyers for whom purchasing a home represents a significant investment. Fond of the calm and landscapes of the French countryside, the English particularly appreciate old traditional provincial houses. Attracted by old stone beams, wooden beams and large spaces, they clearly favour the warmth and character of period homes over the coldness of modern residences. Many of them even opt for old properties requiring renovation that they can adapt to their tastes.