Are you thinking of buying one? The question says it all: THINK. Think long and hard before you jump in your car with your hard-earned savings to buy that beautiful cottage high in the hills of Provence. I’d recommend that you don’t even start thinking about booking a trip over until you’ve thought about WHY.
Why is probably the most important question. Do you want a place simply for the holidays or maybe you are thinking of relocating or retiring there eventually? Or is this second home really just an investment?
If it is just a holiday home then you have to ask yourself who will be using it and what sort of holidays they want. It is a waste of money buying a pretty cottage lost in the lavender fields of Provence if you like holidays packed with adventure or nightlife. The next question to ask is how often you will use the property. Investing in a second home, with all its hidden costs, is just not worth it for two weeks a year. And don’t forget that those two weeks will probably be spent fixing up the house or garden, not what I call a holiday!
Another fundamental question to ask is if you really want to go to the same place every holiday? Personally I wouldn’t, but I do have lots of friends who have been going to the same place, even the same rental cottage, for many years. If you have fallen in love with a place and do want to go back again and again, is it really worth buying property? I’m sorry but you’re going to have to do your maths and calculate whether it would be cheaper, easier and less of a headache, just to rent somewhere for those two weeks. That would give you the flexibility to have different types of holiday when you felt like a change or when the children get older. It would also take away the stress of worrying about the property when you weren’t there.
Of course you can rent out your property when you don’t want to use it but then you have to factor in management costs, cleaning and repairs. There will always be something that needs your attention. And don’t forget, you’ll have to deal with all this in a foreign language!
Do you see your holiday home as an investment? True, property is usually a sound investment, prices do generally rise but then, over the years, so does the stock market. Are property prices going to rise in that lost village in the Dordogne as fast as a flat in London? So think about whether to buy that flat in London, rent it out and use your profits for holidays all over the world.

Once you’ve considered all these options and decided that buying a second home is what you really want to do, you need to look at where. That’s what we’ll look at next.

France is a big country with so much to offer. When you are looking to buy a home there, the choice is enormous. Where you buy will ultimately depend on what you want from your home. However I would suggest that there is one criterion that is common to all situations, no matter why you are buying. That criterion is access.

Whether you are simply using your property for holidays, renting it out, retiring there or relocating the whole caboodle, access is vital. Although France is relatively close to home, some parts are very hard to get to.

If it is your holiday home and you are going there for three weeks in the summer only, it doesn’t matter if it’s a twenty hour drive from your permanent home, but to make the purchase worthwhile, you’ll want to go there much more often. That means somewhere within a short drive of an airport with regular flights or just near a mainline TGV station.
If you’re planning on renting it out, access becomes even more important. One of the first things potential renters look for, after the swimming pool for summer holidays, is ease of access. And don’t forget that you may have to go out at the last minute to sort out some problem.

If, however, you are planning on retiring or moving the whole family out there, access becomes an even more important question. You may think that you are going to build your whole life out there but you will still want and need to come back on a fairly frequent basis.
I lived permanently in France, had my business there, had my children there (great child benefits etc!) but we frequently travelled back to the UK to visit friends and family or they came to see us. As grandparents got older, this became more difficult. As the children grew up, they wanted to do some of their education in the UK. I was very happy we lived near the international airport in Lyon with both British Airways and Air France doing several flights a day. Recently no-frills airlines have greatly improved the choice and price but you can’t guarantee they will fly all year round to very small airports. Because you can get there today for £50, doesn’t mean that airline will still be flying next year or at that price.
There are many different regions with a great range of things to offer. Next we’ll have a look at some so you can choose the one that will give you everything you’re looking for.

Many of us dream of living in sunnier climes, making the most of a life spent outdoors, surrounded by beautiful countryside. We want a life where we can relax and appreciate the finer things of life; good food, good wine and time to spend with friends.

To achieve this, some of us think that a move to France is the solution. France is world famous for its beauty. Who isn’t overawed by its mountains, coasts, and architecture? What’s more, it is the gastronomic centre of the world! France has managed to keep its traditions and high quality of life, yet is one of the most sophisticated modern countries with an exceptional health system, very efficient infrastructure and very reasonable property prices!

But is it so easy?

My name’s Caroline and I have lived and run my own business in France for over twenty-five years. I have bought and sold property. I have been an employee, self-employed and an employer. I can tell you everything you need to know to make your move a successful one. I’ll give you all the advice you need to find your perfect home, find a job or set up your business.

Caroline Brown

One factor must be accessibility. If you are intending to live in the UK and come across for weekends throughout the year, it makes sense to choose a location near an airport, port or station. Most budget airline routes tend to go to airports on the Western side of France and it is no coincidence that this part is so popular with British house-hunters.

A second factor must be price. Over time in France, the population has drifted away from the agricultural parts of France to the big cities such as Paris, Lyon and Marseilles. This has meant that property prices in the rural departments are much cheaper than those near the big cities. In addition, property in the main tourist zones of the beaches and the Alps will be at a premium. You are likely to find the best bargains in the parts of France where many French people have left.

A third factor is the quality of your DIY skills. If you take on an ‘old wreck’ you are going to have to spend a lot of time and/or money getting the house as you want. Do you really want to spend all your holidays for the next couple of years knee deep in dust? Do you want to project manage local workers whilst you are in the UK?

A fourth factor is the climate. Make sure you visit the area at different times of year before you buy. Some places can get unbearably hot in summer. Other places can be freezing in winter. Other places get as much rain as the UK.

But what if you want to move out permanently? If you are retired, this will be no problem but what if you are looking to work? How can you find a job if the local young French people cannot? One idea that many people do successfully is to offer holiday accommodation. Could that outhouse  be converted into accommodation you could let six months a year? Another idea is to provide a service for other English people in the region. Could you take a van across to England every week and then run a market stall in your town full of English products? (Don’t underestimate the demand for baked beans amongst the expatriate community!) Have you got a trade, particularly in the building industry, that other English arrivals are looking for? Could you run an Internet business from your home (in which case you have to make sure your chosen house has access to ADSL)?

If you have children, you will have to consider schooling. Many young English children get on really well in the French system. However, many others do not. Where is the nearest International school? How easy is it to get a place there? Two of my children ended up going to boarding school in England for their sixth form so I’d advise you to think about this problem seriously.

Finally, don’t be greedy. You can get a much bigger property for the same price as in the UK for the same money. But large houses with big grounds need a lot of looking after. You don’t want to spend half of your lovely life in France dusting and mowing.