French Property by Department

Whatever type of property you're thinking of buying in France, whether it's a chateau, villa or house, you'll need to consider what area will meet your requirements. France is divided up into Regions and then sub-divided into Departements or Departments. For example, Languedoc-Roussillon is a region of France and is divided into 5 Departments - Pyrenees-Orientales, Aude, Herault, Lozere and Gard.

The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, and are roughly analogous to English counties. The départements are further subdivided into 342 arrondissements.

Choosing a Property by Department

No.DepartmentRegionDescription
01 Ain Rhone - Alpes Close to Italy on the Swiss border, Ain is one of the most strikingly diverse of the French rural departments. Loved by walkers due to its beautiful terrain, the department is also an agricultural centre.
02 Aisne Picardy Similar to an English climate, the agriculture again dominates the activities in Aisne - especially cereal crops.
03 Allier Auvergne Named after the river Allier which flows into the River Loire. The most productive agricultural area of the Auvergne - also some wine production in Allier.
04 Alpes-de-Hte-Prov. Provence Mountain region with peaks over 2500m, very dry and arid. You will find lavender-filled plains with snow-capped mountains and deep gorges in the Alpes de Haute Provence
06 Alpes-Maritimes Provence Alpes Maritimes has a famous coastline and is the playground of the rich & famous. Situated on the Mediterranean sea, with the well known chic towns of Cannes, Nice, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Antibes and Monaco.
07 Ardeche Rhone - Alpes The rivers and gorges have made the Ardeche famous to all canoe and kayak fans. Spectacular countryside to enjoy.
08 Ardennes Champagne - Ardenne On the Belgium frontier with heavily forested landscapes, & the river Meuse, the Ardennes is a very interesting area. Cheap property!
09 Ariege Midi-Pyrenees The Pyrenees mountains climb high to the south to reach the Spanish border. Cheap property and fabulous views in the Ariege.
10 Aube Champagne - Ardenne To the south east of Paris and named after the river Aube which flows into the Seine. Parisian week-end retreat!
11 Aude Languedoc - Roussillon In south France on the Mediterranean coast; the centre of the Cathar world. Carcassonne is the capital of Aude with its World Heritage Fortifications. An area with rich historical importance, located between the sea and mountains.
12 Aveyron Midi-Pyrenees Located inland of south west of France - Averyron is very attractive with its rugged landscapes.
67 Bas-Rhin Alsace The most eastern part of France, with a frontier with Germany & bordered by the river Rhine. Strasbourg is the capital and also a very important French City; the European parliament is located here in the Alsace.
13 Bouches-du-Rhone Provence With one of the most important ports (Marseille) in Europe, the historical importance of the Bouches du Rhone area has created a rich mixture of cultures and traditions. Good all year around weather.
14 Calvados Lower Normandy Situated in the north west of France. Famous for D-Day landing beaches during the Second World War. Famous for the fine Calvados liqueur and Cider made from local apples.
15 Cantal Auvergne Famous for its cheese, the Cantal is also a very picturesque area. Cheaper property too!
16 Charente Poitou - Charentes In western France with lovely country side, with many rivers, old mills and small villages. Good climate in the Charente.
17 Charente-Maritime Poitou - Charentes Charente Maritime is situated in south west France and facing onto the Atlantic ocean, the port of La Rochelle is a major landmark. Sandy beaches down to the Gironde estuary.
18 Cher Centre This is the physical centre of France and named after the river Cher lined with many Chateaux. The department used to known as Berry. The main city of Bourges has an annual musical festival.
19 Correze Limousin Towards the south and west of France, this landlocked department is in the heart of the Massif Central. Correze is a rural and agricultural area.
2A Corse-du-Sud Corsica Corse du Sud is the southern part of Corsica and is surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea.
21 Cote-d'Or Burgundy The "Golden Hills" of Cote d'Or - This department is rich in history and culture. The main Burgundy wines are to be found here between Dijon and Beaune.
22 Cotes-d'Armor Brittany The Cotes d'Armor looks towards SW England and the English channel. Coastline similar to Cornwall.
23 Creuse Limousin Named after the river Creuse which flows into the Loire, the Creuse leaves steep sided valleys and villages perched on hill tops.
79 Deux-Sevres Poitou - Charentes Located towards the west of France, inland from the Atlantic. Deux Sevres is rather flat but dotted with some lovely villages.
24 Dordogne Aquitaine In the south west of France, department is crossed by the river Dordogne which flows into the Atlantic. The Dordogne has become a gentle and calm area very popular with the Brits.
25 Doubs Franche-Comte Named after the river Doubs on the eastern side of France. This is the start of the main mountain region of France, the Doubs marks the foothills of the Jura mountains.
26 Drome Rhone - Alpes The Drome lies below the main mountainous area of the Alps and east bank of the Rhone river in the southern France.
91 Essonne Ile-de-France Essonne is now part of the suburbs of Paris.
27 Eure Upper Normandy In north western part of France on the south bank of the river Seine. The Eure is popular with Parisian weekenders.
28 Eure-et-Loir Centre To the south west of Paris, named after the two rivers Eure et Loir.
29 Finistere Brittany With a wild and rocky Brittany coast, Finistere faces the Atlantic ocean and storms.
30 Gard Languedoc - Roussillon Towards the south of France on the west bank of the river Rhone. Much Roman Architecture in Gard.
32 Gers Midi-Pyrenees Calm and rural with lovely countryside - the Gers is a very pleasant & agreeable part of southern France.
33 Gironde Aquitaine The largest department and located on the Atlantic coast in southern France. Outside the main cities, the industry revolves around the vineyards of the Gironde.
68 Haut-Rhin Alsace Haut Rhin is the southern part of Alsace on the banks of the river Rhine.
2B Haute-Corse Corsica Haute Corse is the northern part of Corsica and is surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea.
31 Haute-Garonne Midi-Pyrenees In southern France, Haute Garonne within a narrow strip down the mountainous border with Spain. Major city is Toulouse
43 Haute-Loire Auvergne Haute Loire with the highlands of the Massif Central, and the confluence of Loire as it begins its long journey north and then westwards through the heart of France.
52 Haute-Marne Champagne - Ardenne In eastern France - Haute Marne is very rural and cheap!
70 Haute-Saone Franche-Comte The river Saône provides an important communication route in the Haute Saone.
74 Haute-Savoie Rhone - Alpes Haute Savoie is renowned for some of the best ski slopes in France: Megeve, Chamonix, Avoriaz.
87 Haute-Vienne Limousin Bordering the Massif Central and the region of Poitou Charentes, the river Vienne runs west and then eventually north to the River Loire. Haute Vienne property is relatively cheap.
05 Hautes-Alpes Provence As the name suggest, the Hautes Alpes are part of the highlands of France. With mountains over 4000 meters high.
65 Hautes-Pyrenees Midi-Pyrenees Moving southwards the land of Hautes Pyrenees climbs high into the mountains and the border with Spain.
92 Hauts-de-Seine Ile-de-France Haute de Seine is part of the suburbs of Paris.
34 Herault Languedoc - Roussillon Herault is located on the Mediterranean coast along the Gulf of Lyon.
35 Ille-et-Vilaine Brittany The most eastern part of Brittany and Ille de Villaine has the shortest coast line.
36 Indre Centre Numerous castles and interesting area for hunters and fishermen. Gently rolling landscapes in the Indre!
37 Indre-et-Loire Centre Indre et Loire is where the river Indre flows into the Loire.
38 Isere Rhone - Alpes The university city of Grenoble is the capital in the department of Isere.
39 Jura Franche-Comte Mountains and lakes in a very beautiful French department: Jura with fine wines produced at Arbois and Poligny.
40 Landes Aquitaine Coastal area with much woodland and forest inland - long sandy beaches with sand dunes are the main features of Les Landes.
41 Loir-et-Cher Centre The rivers Loire and Cher pass through, hence the name of this department. Many famous castles along the Loire valley such as Chambord.
42 Loire Rhone - Alpes Loire was once a very important textile production location.
44 Loire-Atlantique Western Loire Loire Atlantique is the gateway to the Atlantic for France's longest river the Loire as it flows into the sea.
45 Loiret Centre The river Loire meanders through the Loiret, running to the south of Paris. The capital city is Orleans rich in French History and this is the home town for Joan of Arc.
46 Lot Midi-Pyrenees Named after the river Lot, this is an area with much history. Landscapes are popular with visitors.
47 Lot-et-Garonne Aquitaine Within the Aquitaine region, the calm countryside and many rivers make this department of Lot et Garonne very agreeable.
48 Lozere Languedoc - Roussillon The rivers Lot and Tarn cut through creating a diverse area in Lozere.
49 Maine-et-Loire Western Loire History and castles make Maine et Loire a fascinating place to visit.
50 Manche Lower Normandy The Manche is French for the English Channel. This department points to the North-West towards England. Plenty of beaches!
51 Marne Champagne - Ardenne The heart of the Champagne production with Reims and Epernay. Many famous vineyards in the Marne.
53 Mayenne Western Loire Mayenne is in western France and part of the region called Pays de Loire or Western Loire.
54 Meurthe-et-Moselle Lorraine Meurthe et Moselle is in the industrial north east of France.
55 Meuse Lorraine The Meuse is located in eastern France and is named after the river, which flows north into neighbouring Belgium.
56 Morbihan Brittany The south facing coast of Brittany, the coast line of the Morbihan is very attractive with rocks, cliffs and sand beaches. Property can be expensive.
57 Moselle Lorraine The river Moselle flows northwards though the city of Metz and then into Germany.
58 Nievre Burgundy Nievre is a quiet area of central France, rich in cereal and crop farming. The small city of Nevers nestles in the hilly countryside and looks over the Loire river.
59 Nord Nord Pas-de-Calais Nord, the most northern department of France, with the English Channel and Belgium as frontiers.
60 Oise Picardy Part of the suburbs of Paris; named after the river Oise.
61 Orne Lower Normandy Takes its name from the river Orne which flows North West and finally into the Bay of the Seine in the English Channel.
75 Paris Ile-de-France The capital of France, Paris, city of lights, art, history and romance with its famous monuments such as the Eiffel tower, Louvre, Notre Dame and the river Seine.
62 Pas-de-Calais Nord Pas-de-Calais This coastal area has excellent maritime, rail and road networks, but there are industrial areas to Pas de Calais. Greener to the south of the department.
63 Puy-de-Dome Auvergne The Puy de Dome area contains the famous extinct volcanoes (also known for the quality its spring water).
64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques Aquitaine This is the most southern department on the Atlantic coast and borders with Spain. Chic Biarritz and Bayonne are popular in the Pyrenees Atlantiques.
66 Pyrenees-Orientales Languedoc - Roussillon The most south eastern side of the Pyrenees, with a frontier with Spain. Diverse landscapes from sandy beaches to the Pyrenees make the Pyrenees Orientales a popular destination.
69 Rhone Rhone - Alpes Famous for the river Rhone and wines, but there is also much industry along the river banks.
71 Saone-et-Loire Burgundy The Saône and Loire is in the southern part of Burgundy.
72 Sarthe Western Loire The area is named after the river Sarthe which flows into the Loire.
73 Savoie Rhone - Alpes One of the principal ski vacation destinations. The mountains of the Savoie have good slopes for downhill skiing and many woodlands and plains used for cross-country skiing.
77 Seine-et-Marne Ile-de-France To the south-east of Paris, the Seine et Marne is a very densely populated area.
76 Seine-Maritime Upper Normandy Coast line with the ports of Le Havre and Dieppe, the southern boundary with the department of the Eure is defined by the river Seine. Popular beaches in Seine Maritime.
93 Seine-Saint-Denis Ile-de-France Seine Saint Denis is part of the suburbs of Paris.
80 Somme Picardy Somme is historically important with the huge military cemeteries from the Great War; there are many monuments to soldiers from many countries.
81 Tarn Midi-Pyrenees Named after the the river Tarn.
82 Tarn-et-Garonne Midi-Pyrenees To the south the hills rise with the Pyrenees mountains. The convergence of the rivers Tarn, Garonne and Aveyron, the and Canal du Midi.
90 Territoire de Belfort Franche-Comte Territoire de Belfort is the smallest department in France - on the border of Alsace and a few miles from Switzerland.
95 Val-d'Oise Ile-de-France Val d'Oise are part of the suburbs of Paris.
94 Val-de-Marne Ile-de-France Val de Marne is in the suburbs of Paris, with a high amount of development. Disneyland is here too.
83 Var Provence The Var Mediterranean coast with the famous villages of Saint Tropez, Saint Raphael, Antibes are in this 200 mile long coastal area.
84 Vaucluse Provence In the southern part of France, the Vaucluse has the Rhone River on the west and the Alps to the east.
85 Vendee Western Loire On the Atlantic coast, the Vendee area has much to offer to all sailors and boating fans. From the Sables-d'Olonne to La Roche-sur-Yon - lots of sandy beaches too!
86 Vienne Poitou - Charentes The capital is Poitiers & has played a very important role in French history. The two main rivers are the Vienne and the Clain.
88 Vosges Lorraine Vosges is famous for the huge forest and wood industries.
89 Yonne Burgundy Named after the river Yonne which flows into the Seine.
78 Yvelines Ile-de-France Yvelines is a Parisian suburb with high population density, situated to the south west of Paris.