We have regional guides to France – to help you decide where to buy!

We have a new writer who has a wry sense of humour – so you can learn and enjoy at the same time!

Some extracts:

France Regional Guides

Writing about Provence (PACA): “The Alps of Provence are home to the marmot, a 5kg mountaineering hamster, which wards off predators by chattering its teeth. Must try that. Marmots hibernate for nine months of the year and seal their burrow with faeces. Marmots are an endangered species because they’re so slow at breeding. Your love-life would probably suffer too if your front door was sealed with faeces.” For more from this guide – Provence Guide

Limousin Guide: “Limousin is slap in the middle of France (and left a bit). It’s very rural and is the second least populated region after Corsica. It is also the only French region to have given its name to a 20′ car with a jacuzzi in the back. Historians claim the association comes from the very long cloaks worn by Limousin shepherds, though what shepherds were doing driving limos is anyone’s guess.”

Poitou-Charentes Guide: “Her first husband was Louis VII. In 1146 they embarked together on the Second Crusade, referred to in subsequent accounts as ‘Ye Terminal Fyve of Crusades’. Half way across the Phrygian mountains, Eleanor and Louis started a ‘domestic’ over the amount of luggage she’d brought (plus ça change). While they were still bickering, the Turks attacked. Surviving the attack but somewhat discouraged, Ellie and Lou decided to go for an easier target and attacked Damascus – much to the surprise of their allies, the Damascans. An act of indiscriminate slaughter and pillage can often bring a couple closer together (Relayte Handebooke, 1178) but not the Aquitaines, who eventually returned to Poitiers on separate ships.”

Rhone-Alpes Guide: “The capital of Rhône-Alpes is France’s third largest city Lyon. (We spell it Lyons, possibly through confusion with the tea-rooms). Lyon’s international airport is named after the writer and pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who hasn’t been seen since he took off in his monoplane in 1944. Some consider this naming unfortunate for an airport – like Titanic Cruises or The John Prescott Diet.”

Enjoy!

….sorry for the pun but apparently Global warming is having an affect on the quality of the Champagne vineyards. As tempertatures increase by 0.5 degrees, this will have a deleterious effect on the quality.

As a result the big Champagne houses are looking to buy up large quantities of land in Southern England. Buy some land now before the French invasion!

Investors considering obtaining a French mortgage could not have picked a better time, according to the experts.

Financial analyst Consultancy Global Insight has said that the French property market is likely to remain “dynamic” in 2007.

The firm insisted that although there had been reports that the number of new home building projects in the country had dipped by 15.1 per cent from February 2006 to the same month in 2007, a crash was “unlikely”.

French property proving popular

Research from the Federation Nationale de l’Immobilier revealed that house and flat prices across the country rose by one per cent and two per cent respectively in February, compared to a month earlier.

Economist Sonia Pangusion said: “With the economic expansion seen in 2006 likely to remain broadly on track in 2007 and with continued favourable credit conditions, the French housing market will remain dynamic in 2007.”

Brits get French mortgages

Meanwhile, a recent survey by currency firm HiFX has revealed that France is still the most popular destination when it comes to buying property abroad.

Perks like the French railway which helps people to travel in France with ease means that families are still flocking to buy holiday homes and older couples heading there to retire.

They are often prepared to travel further but like the convenience of low cost airfare destinations to all parts of France. So a Provence Property is less than 90 minutes away.

More articles on France >> French Articles

Luxury French Property

These are France’s dream properties to own – from fabulous chateaux to luxury villas on the Cote d’Azur. Live like a movie star in your French pad. Buy one today! Mere pocket money for some……enjoy:

[kqf=5]Click titles for full details.

This list updates automatically so bookmark!

Many more – click here >> Luxury French Property

Here are the results of our quarterly review of top French regions in terms of property buying! Our sample is based on 190,000 visitors to 1st for French Property during the period January to March 2007. Here is the breakdown of visitors to the website. Not surprisingly the majority of English speaking visitors come from the UK.

The most popular region is once again Brittany. The table also shows the movement in % visitors for the 2 periods.

 

Our previous results are discussed here: Top 10 (Oct to Dec 2006)

 

French Villa Rentals can be an excellent source of revenue! So they can be an excellent investment. July and August rental income can even cover the mortgage payments! The Med coast has seen significant price rises on Villas in the last 5 years so capital growth on your investment could be top rate. Of course, historical rises cannot be guaranteed in the future.
Where to buy a Villa for investment?

In France the most important destination in the summer is the Mediterranean coast – Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon. French Villa rentals in July and August command top rentals. A modern villa with swimming pool can rent out for 1500 euros to 2000 euros per week. If you want to do some research find some French villa rentals on the rentals section at 1st-for-french-property.co.uk. Choose Provence, for example, click through for more details on a property, and on the details page click on the “Check Prices and Availability” Button. On the Calendar page, hover your mouse over a week in July and August and see the prices! Do your research well to pick an area for invesment. Do not forget the income tax, local taxes, advertising and servicing charges in your calculations!
It is quite usual for Villas to be fully booked during the high season. June and September can be good too! Where else to look? Biarritz and Bayonne, Arcachon, La Rochelle, Ide de Re on the Atlantic coast are also very popular.

We have over 800 French Villas for sale on 1st for French Property for further perusal.

Other markets:

Prague Hotels -
Prague Accommodation in Prague hotels and apartments in all price and type categories, mostly in historical center.

Siesta Key Vacation Condo Rentals – Luxury vacation condo for rent by owner in Siesta Key near Sarasota, Florida.  Private access to Crescent Beach.