86 wineries on the doorstep... 2,000-square-foot country villa |
There's a hidden corner of France few
people know about...
Dear International Living Reader,
This $89,000 village house is in Champagne-Ardenne, a region of France that has lakes, woodlands, and medieval art towns with half-timbered houses. Flowers are everywhere. And did I mention its champagne vineyards?
Everyone seems to think they know France. They assume that because its property market is mature, it holds no surprises. That all homes cost eye-watering amounts... and that you get a lot less home for your money than in the States.
Well, here are three Stateside properties to scratch that myth. All cost $89,000 too.
- A 1,288 square-foot weather-board house in Sioux Falls, SD
- A 1,392-square-foot foreclosure home in Mifflin, PA
- A 1,412 square-foot house needing rehab in Marietta, GA
French property doesn't have to come with a ridiculous price tag. I'm not knocking Mifflin, Marietta or Sioux Falls, but not even the most unscrupulous realtor would dare say they're fabled for their champagnes.
I know where I would rather live... or buy a vacation home.
Maybe you also think you know France pretty well. But do you really?
There's another famous French wine-growing region where farmhouses sell for just $53,000. Plus there's a lovely town that's just an hour from Paris—where a 2-bedroom apartment costs just $145,000.
If this is news to you, then you don't know the same France that we do.
Whether you dream of a city pied-a-terre... or a rambling farmhouse among the sunflowers... or a village house wrapped in wisteria-hung memories of long ago, France is more than affordable.
In fact, there are many parts of the country where habitable homes in storybook settings cost under $100,000. We know, because we found them. Lots of them.
Even today, we're finding $21,500 price tags. And yes, that's for a countryside property, not a case of vintage champagne!
Fixing up a stone barn won't be for everyone, of course—and that's what this $21,500 place is. It's on two levels and ready for renovation, with water and electricity already connected.
Again, it's in a dreamy rural setting in the foothills of the Central Massif, a region that inspired Monet and other Impressionist painters.
As authentic a slice of France as you'll find anywhere, it has tiny hamlets scattered across the hills, sparkling lakes, and cannon-battered castles—including the one where Richard the Lionheart is buried. Its forest trails (chemins) provide some of the country's best hiking.
$21,500. Imagine it. Your own French property—and all the good things that go with living here—for exactly the same price as you'll pay for a trailer home in Rock Falls, Illinois.
And it's by no means the only ‘under $30,000' fixer-upper. The hidden France we'll introduce you to abounds in such temptations.
And we'll show you exactly where to find them in the updated 2008 edition of France: The Owner's Manual. There have been many changes in France since we last published our authoritative manual four years ago.
In fact, I'm going to clear up the first misconception many people have about France right here...
It's more affordable than you think…
Sunlight gilds the spires and rooftops of the City of Light. Above a yacht-filled bay on the Côte d'Azur, a glass of chilled rosé tastes as good as ever. Behind a canopy of lush green woodlands, ancient châteaux continue to murmur their troubadour songs of chivalry and romance...
Now, I can guess what you're saying.
"Here it comes, French romance heaped on with a shovel. All very well, but I'm concerned about how far my dollars will stretch if I buy a property...
...and although poets wasting away in garrets may be romantic to IL's European crowd, it's not what I had in mind from a new life overseas."
Non, non, non! No poets, no garrets.
But nobody on earth does good living quite like the French. And we believe you can never have too much of a good thing. So why settle for the mediocre when your life could be magnifique?
Here at IL, we know that the unsurpassed quality of life the French enjoy doesn't have to cost astronomical amounts. Even in Paris, you can enjoy tasty 2-course lunches for around $10—if you know where to go.
Vacationers rarely investigate supermarkets. So here are some prices from a common French supermarket—taken in September, 2008.
- A half pound of Camembert cheese: $2.45
- A half pound of garlic sausage: $1.60
- Around a quarter pound of paté de campagne: $0.87
- 12 croissants: $2.97
- Bottle of Grenache Gris rosé wine: $4.12
- Hubert de Claminger Champagne brut: $16.98
With prices like these, there is no good reason for you to waste away in a garret!
Or take healthcare…
Doctors set standard fees—less than $30 for a visit to a general practitioner, and under $40 to see a specialist. If you're in good health, monthly premiums for private healthcare average just $125.
Surprised? Like I said. Even if you think you know France, maybe you should think again.
In France... quality counts
"France, and the whole of Europe have a great culture and an amazing history. Most important thing though, is that people there know how to live." |
Well, anybody can be a philosopher in France. It doesn't surprise me that Captain Jack's alter ego has fallen under its spell. After all, arty America's love affair with France has been going on for decades.
Think of Hemingway... of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry Miller, and Gertrude Stein who declared that while America was her country, "Paris is my hometown."
I think one reason for the attraction is that nobody does quality of life quite like the French. In fact, France has topped International Living's annual Quality of Life Index for the past three years running.
You see, although France may have higher living costs than some other of IL's favorite retirement locations, the ‘quality' scale takes in different considerations.
France has the best healthcare system in the world, a first-rate infrastructure, incomparable cultural amenities, a high level of safety, and a strong economy.
And then there's Paris—the most bewitching and beautiful city on earth. Stack it all up, and if quality of life is important to you, you'll understand why we think France is the world's best place to live.
Here's our Managing Editor Laura Sheridan's take on why France takes prime position on IL's 2008 Quality of Life Index.
"France has much to offer: the world's best medical care... fast trains and its Eurostar service across the Channel. Paris blooms with museums, cafés, galleries, antiques shops, restaurants, boutiques, jazz clubs, theaters, bakeries, and cheese shops, as well as her multitude of parks and gardens, some tended for hundreds of years. Three capital city airports provide easy and cheap air access to the rest of Europe and the world beyond. And what's not to like about the country's four seasons, none too severe?" |
Prices are down and the market is stable.
France is a buyer's market
Today, France is a buyer's market. Owners are often willing to negotiate.
In some cases, they're dropping prices before it even gets to negotiation stage.
It's true, some second-home owners are over-stretched. But unlike the property markets in the US, it's unlikely you'll ever witness the same property crash in France.
Unlike in the US, France has never experienced a housing bubble. There the property prices increased gradually, over many decades.
Even so, this is a good time to position yourself to take advantage of the situation. It's certainly not a fire sale, but here are some September 'price cuts'...
- In the Poitou-Charentes region, a four-bedroom stone farmhouse with outbuildings and a large garden. Price reduced from $201,000 to $186,000.
- In the Dordogne, (long one of rural France's most expensive pockets) an immaculate 2-bedroom stone house with lots of character and a nice garden. Price slashed from $304,000 to $230,000.
- A renovated gem of a stone cottage in the heart of a Brittany village popular with tourist vacationers—reduced from $131,500 to $117,000.
But overall, the keyword is stability. France doesn't experience unrealistic booms followed by an all-too-realistic bust. On the whole, it's a mature market, not some highly-speculative ‘hot new destination' for gamblers.
Take Paris. Property prices for the city as a whole rose a healthy 8.7% in 2007, attracting as many investors as romantic dreamers. As a long-term investment, Paris property is low risk and has always appreciated steadily.
There are investment plays for sure—and I'll tell you about one guaranteed by the French Government shortly.
But the driving force for most foreigners who purchase rural properties is emotional gain. Of course, like everywhere else in Europe, these properties have also risen in value over the past decade.
And although the overall French market is currently flat, in certain pockets such as Paris, Provence, and the Alps it's still on the rise. As the London Times says:
"In times of trouble and insecurity there is always a flight to quality, so our old favourite, France, is an obvious choice. We feel secure in France. And, importantly, we know there are enough potential purchasers just like us keen to buy our home should we ever choose to sell." |
Already, some British escapees are finding competition from the new buyers on the block. For the first time in history, they're no longer the largest single group of foreign purchasers. The cash-rich Russians have taken over, especially at the top end.
This means bargain-hungry Brits are scouring further afield, to inland regions like Limousin. This time next year, you may not find properties under $50,000... let alone under $30,000.
The strong euro certainly isn't impacting investors. “Personally, I have seen no difference at all,” said Simon Kerridge, of Languedoc Property Finders in that Times interview. “If anything, the quality of the buyers we're seeing is going up.”
Sharing a border with Spain, Languedoc-Roussillon is one of my own favorite areas. Daydreaming through the centuries, this hypnotically beautiful alternative to Provence and the Côte d'Azur is the land of sun, song, and troubadours. Dotted with hilltop castles and fortified medieval towns, it's steeped in stories of the mysterious Cathars.
In our 2004 edition of France: The Owner's Manual, we spoke about why the
Languedoc may be the next Provence. Our predictions were right, and prices have gone up steadily in the past few years, and are only now stabilizing.
Yet you can still dig up some amazing bargains for under $70,000 here. And we'll show you exactly where they are in the updated version of France: The Owner's Manual.
But the manual is about much more than finding the best property deals...
The good life, lived to the full
France's sensual allure leaves nobody untouched. Spend even a few months here and you will never again regard life in quite the same way.
For me, (it's Steenie Harvey here) it was love at first sight. I can't get enough of its culture, fashion, stunning architecture, and intoxicating history. As for the food and wine—well, even thinking about it makes me salivate.
OK. I'll admit to some amorous flings with other countries, but my long-time French love affair endures.
But be warned. Foreigners who spend any amount of time here rapidly go native. They acquire both the art de vivre (the art of living) and the joie de vivre—the joy of living life to the full. Life doesn't have to be a frenetic round of stress, hard work, and hurry.
Every day is a pleasure to be slowly savored—and lingering at the dinner table for three hours in conversation isn't considered abnormal.
Family, friends, and good food are all vitally important to the French—and so is having enough time to appreciate them all.
When time is measured on the French clock, weekends are almost sacrosanct... Here precious free time isn't about making extra money to get by... to pay bloated healthcare premiums... to fuel the merry-go-round of excess materialism.
Going on vacation for the entire month of August seems perfectly reasonable if you're French. Come to think of it, so does spending 30 minutes deciding on the correct wine to go with a carefully planned meal.
Why not, when even day-to-day shopping is such a treat?
In both city and countryside, markets deliver up their bounty of seasonal produce. An endless bounty of golden chanterelle mushrooms and crusty rustic loaves... mounds of apricots, strawberries, and vats of thick cream... delicately salted butters, goats' cheeses, and honey the color of liquid sunshine.
Close your eyes, breathe it all in...
France is for grown-ups. By that, I mean Europe's most sophisticated and cultured country has a grown-up attitude to life and its foibles.
We can't say what friends back home will think, but embrace the French lifestyle and you'll probably start arguing there's nothing remotely odd about philosophy as a career choice.
That a politician's mistress isn't anything to get scandalized over. That a glass of lunchtime red wine does not indicate a descent into depravity. That the sight of eels, blood sausage, and even snails slithering around in a bucket really can tantalize the taste buds.
Come live here—even if it's on a part-time basis—and you'll get to understand why the smell and taste of a madeleine (a sugary cake) inspired Marcel Proust to write a seven-volume novel in praise of nostalgia: In Search of Lost Time. You might not get through its 4300 pages, but you'll now thoroughly appreciate the sense of smell...
It's true... France does smell.
Don't run away in horror. Let me explain. These are wonderful smells—a rich bouquet that evokes everything that's heavenly.
Thing is, if you've only ever experienced the almost sterile environment of Stateside malls and supermarkets, France's indisputably different odor can be something of a culture shock.
But if you could smell sun-splashed Provence right now, you would be begging to be culture shocked! This southern region delivers the heady perfume of cut lemons, flower markets, and lavender fields... garlic cloves and herbes de Provence... the saffron-laden aroma of fishy bouillabaisse in the port of Marseilles.
Wafting over its gray slate rooftops, Paris is permeated by the buttery fragrances of croissants and pain au chocolat fresh from the oven. Along the street might be the whiff of ripe cheeses... the musty odor of an antiquarian bookshop... the sharp smell of oil paint from an artist's studio.
Ah, those smells! Perfume and cologne in every bus, train, and Metro carriage... Steak frites drifting from a corner bistro... wintertime's hot roasted chestnuts.
In port towns from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, it's essence of salt-air... the tang of grilled fish, sun-tan oil, and seaweed... of oysters and sugary crepes cooked on outdoor stalls.
And to the north, Normandy rings the nasal changes with the heady delights of cider apple orchards. High in snowy Alpine villages, its pine needles and winter wood smoke rising in coiled blue spirals.
You'll experience all the sensory pleasures France has to offer in France: The Owner's Manual.
We'll always have Paris...
"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast." |
Paris really is special. Think of all that urban quality of life... the café culture... the museums, the parks, and restaurants. Think of the romance factor...
It is impossible not to be mesmerized by the City of Light—and property here always holds its value. Every year, more than 80 million foreign and home-grown tourists come to tread the well-worn cobbles by the Louvre, browse the booksellers' wares on the banks of the Seine, or get dazzled by the Eiffel Tower at night.
In some areas of the city, not far outside the center, sizable apartments cost $300,000 or less. Of course, the more desirable the area and the nicer the apartment, the more expensive it is—apartments in Paris mostly range anywhere from $200,000 to $2,000,000 plus.
But you can sometimes get an apartment for much less. Admittedly it will be cozy, but you can still buy a place in Paris' arty district of Montmartre for under $200,000.
Of course, there's no obligation to buy. You could rent. You'll find furnished one-bedroom apartments ranging from $340 to $950 per week; two-bedroom units from $950 to $1,250.
In France: The Owner's Manual, we'll take you around Paris and show you the up-and-coming districts where property values are still low... as well as its hidden treasures that few tourists ever find...
Nobody knows Paris like an insider...
“The sunset on Paris' skyline from the Pont Neuf is one of the most beautiful sights in the world—and it's mine whenever I want.” |
Leigh, a long-time resident of the City of Light, explains why she lives here—and why you may want to consider joining her.
"For me the good life must have fine food and wine at reasonable prices, public transport that works well, plenty of culture, and a city landscape of beauty. My corner of Paris, in the northeastern 20th arrondissement (district), has all this. And more."
"On a typical day, I gaze at the Eiffel Tower from my window before going down to buy a newspaper. Everyone in the building says hello on the stairs—Paris is not the cold city you hear about. I read the funnies at a local café and enjoy flaking my warm croissant into a steaming espresso or hot chocolate."
"This neighborhood has one of the best boulangeries (bakeries) I've found, baking fresh organic loaves, outstanding baguettes, and an irresistible pear-and-chocolate dessert doused in liqueur. I don't resist. I do all my shopping—from specialist stores, markets, or supermarkets—within five minutes' walk of my home."
"When I'm done writing for the morning, lunch could be half a fresh-roast chicken ($5) to eat at home with salad, or a two-course lunch in a workers' café ($10). If I'm flush, I'll go with a friend to a restaurant where the manager serves champagne from her grandmother's estate."
"I'm spoiled for things to do: this corner alone has more than a dozen theaters, as well as a cinema screening the latest movies, and plenty of bars with live music. And I'm within striking distance of a great science museum and music school. The landscaped greenery of the Buttes-Chaumont park is close by, where lovers kiss, newly-weds pose for photos, and kids play ball. This district also has the highest concentration of artists' studios in Europe, and there are always open days for free viewings."
"When I'm done with the bustle of the main avenues, I dodge into a side street to indulge in people-watching from a café terrace over tea and macaroons or a glass of Pouilly-Fumé. If I have no evening class to go to (subjects on offer ranging from IT to yoga, and many are in English), I can hop on a bus or Metro for more bookstores, museums, and exhibitions. Or I can stroll the banks of the Seine in less than 15 minutes."
Nobody knows Paris like an insider—and Leigh is our eyes and ears on the ground. Whether you are looking for a second home or an investment opportunity, she knows that Paris offers a whole host of options.
- Leigh knows exactly where to get into the Paris property market for under $150,000.
- Three districts that are due for a face lift—and thus a subsequent rise in value.
- Upcoming areas that will reap the most rewards.
And also where to go if you love Paris, but want more space than in the city and more fresh air than in the suburbs.
These are just some of Leigh's secrets you'll discover in the 2008 edition of France: The Owner's Manual. In it, you'll also discover where a central two-bedroom apartment is only $145,000... and where a two-bedroom country house with a garden will cost you no more than $195,000.
Get on the Fast Track to
France's Property Bargains
Of course, there's far more to France than Paris and its environs. With so wide a choice of locations (as well as types of property) it can be challenging tracking down that dream French home. Daunting, even.
Farmhouses, ski chalets, city apartments. Villas with flowery balustrades and village houses with a garden. Seaside retreats and hill-town hideaways. Maybe a chateau or a vineyard...
Brittany, the Dordogne, Burgundy... Aquitaine, Provence, the Languedoc. The maquis-scented island of Corsica. Metropolitan France has 22 regions, so where do you start?
Well, you don't need to spend an entire year or more catching TGV trains to get on the fast track to France's best property bargains. As always, we're here to help.
In International Living's newly updated and hot-off-the presses France: The Owner's Manual, you'll find every last ounce of the information you need to make an informed decision about living, renting, investing, and buying a home in Europe's most sophisticated and desirable country.
With over 200 pages, it was a mammoth undertaking. It's no exaggeration to say that it would take you months—if not years—to uncover and get to grips with all this information yourself.
So let me lay out the feast...
Sandy beaches... secret bays... pirate strongholds
In the first three chapters you'll discover France's historical regions. Whether it's Paris or the provinces, everyone has their own idea of what makes for a dream home and a dream location.
So we'll help you decide which part of France might appeal to you—and how much properties are likely cost in these localities. Believe me, this is no cursory glance. This section of the manual alone runs to 74 pages.
For instance, one chapter covers Paris. It has 20 separate neighborhoods, known as arrondissements. Prices within each are generally figured by the square meter. Some neighborhoods are undeniably expensive, but in the manual you'll discover others that offer a good value.
Where's hot and where's not? Should it be the Marais or Montmartre? Bercy or the Bastille? You'll find details of each arrondissement. You'll get the flavor of each... as well as the lowdown on current costs.
We'll also introduce you to regions like Brittany, the land of a thousand legends.
It's France's most westerly region, full of little cottages built of stone and slate... their gray granite walls enhanced by the golden splash of gorse (a dense evergreen shrub with fragrant golden-yellow flowers), or the cloudy blue of a mop-headed hydrangea.
But it's not just the architecture that suggests Brittany (Bretagne) is a land apart. A peninsula thrusting into the Atlantic like the head of some bizarre sea monster, this is where France seems to fade out and the bewitching Celtic world takes over.
No place is more than an hour's drive from the ocean. Stunning rock formations... secret bays... little harbor towns that in a former lifetime were feared as pirate strongholds... huge expanses of sandy beaches. Inland are lakes, forests, and moors where meandering lanes lead you back in time to numerous secluded villages and hamlets.
In this forgotten corner of France, house prices remain astoundingly low. It's easy to pick up renovation projects for $40,000, and there are plenty of affordable move-into properties too. By affordable, I mean some really pretty cottages for less than $105,000.
We'll supply you with detailed information and trusted contacts in France: The Owner's Manual...
France's best-kept property secrets
Inexpensive gems turn up everywhere but obviously rural localities deliver a wider choice of homes under $100,000. In Chapter Four, we'll tell you how to seek out these real estate bargains and the very best places to find them.
In one lovely green region for instance, unrenovated farmhouses and barns are plentiful, as are village homes which just need a little TLC and brightening up. Such as...
• A group of old buildings close to a very popular tourist town on a 5,000-square-foot plot of land. Price: $65,000. (To discover where this town is, see page 78.)
• An even better bargain is a two-bedroom house that just needs redecorating, with a garden and sizable barn near a market village. Price: $90,000.
Obviously these particularly properties may soon be snapped up, but they're not one-offs. The agents we recommend have plenty in the same price range.
Buy-to-let on the Riviera for just $140,000 Luxury yachts and the star-studded cast of the annual film festival, palm trees, pretty Mediterranean houses, azure skies—legendary Saint-Tropez is back in fashion once again. But no matter how diligently you search, it's almost impossible to track down a quality apartment here for a sensible price—not through the usual agents' listings anyway. But there is still a way to afford a home in this glitzy town without breaking the bank. And on pages 94-96, you'll learn how. Imagine owning an apartment on the French Riviera for just $140,000... |
How to… step by step
Buying overseas can be complicated when you have to contend with unfamiliar laws and a foreign language. So in Chapter Five, you'll find all the nuts-and-bolts information you need to buy a home in France including...
• Issues you should investigate before you buy… surefire ways to save yourself time and money (these cautionary measures could save you thousands of dollars).
• How best to finance your French home… where to look for a loan or mortgage (even if you're not a resident).
Then, Chapter Six profiles how much it costs to live in France, and gives practical advice about daily life -- how to get a telephone installed… buy a car and get a French driving license… go to school… send your children to school, etc.
And for some, the idea of ordering in a restaurant leaves their knees trembling. So Chapter Seven helps you get versed in the basics of French—and recommends language schools.
You want to be in good hands should you get sick, of course. France is listed as the number one healthcare system in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Chapter Eight gives you the rundown on doctors, pharmacies, and hospital treatment in France.
And Chapter Nine is for those that want to stay in France for longer than 90 days. (Note: As with all things bureaucratic, there is a certain amount of hoop jumping involved. We make it easy for you to untangle the red tape.)
If you're not quite ready to retire, you may want to consider the idea of running a chambre d'hôte, the French equivalent of a B&B. Or maybe you'd like to own your own vineyard and bottle your own vin du pays. Much like the real estate buying process, working and investing in France can be a tricky affair.
So in Chapters Ten and Eleven, we'll take you through the ins-and-outs of banking, the French taxation system, requirements for working, including those who are self-employed. We will also tell you about setting up a company in France, and the investment climate.
"This Entire Package Is Yours
for The Next 30 Days…
… for only $79!"
It would take a lifetime to see and experience all France has to offer.
But I assure you -- whatever attracts you to France—the food, the wine, the affordable real estate or that undeniable French je ne sais quoi—you'll find all the information you need inside your copy of France: The Owner's Manual.
We've removed the guesswork and hassle of buying (or renting) the home you dream of... and we take you as close to living and investing in France as you can get without our buying a ticket, flying you there, and hiring a private guide for you.
Without question, we could charge $500 or more for this guide and it would be worth every penny.
But it won't cost you anywhere near that much.
And you'll sleep soundly knowing that your modest investment today will save you thousands of dollars in the weeks and months to come… and save you hours of time and frustration trying to go it alone.
But beyond that, let me sweeten this pot just a little more…
When you order today, you'll also get…
Two great bonus gifts
As a bonus gift, I have two great giveaways for you.
One is a detailed report on the French Leaseback Program (value: $49).
Think about this. In the South of France, the area around Avignon is undeniably expensive. Yet you could own an apartment here for just $100,000.
And it's not just any old apartment. This one is in a complex with a heated swimming pool, a bar, a sports ground, and spa with jacuzzi, sauna, and gym. The automatic entry gate is equipped with remote control.
With the French Leaseback Program, you can use this type of property to get a guaranteed annual return and a refund of the sales tax levied on all new properties.
What I like most, is that in many cases, you can use the property yourself for two to four weeks a year.
A property in the South of France for $100,000? Who wouldn't want to grab this special report detailing how you too can take advantage of a French leaseback?
To be candid, I think IL should charge much more than $49 for this report —but we'll give it to you with our compliments, simply for trying France: The Owner's Manual.
Your second bonus gift
But I mentioned two bonus gifts. The other is the current Paris Property Opportunities Report (value: $29.97).
The Paris authorities are working on revamping certain areas of their city, perfect if you are looking for a potential investment property. Where development goes, good value real estate usually follows. But where are these makeovers happening—and what exactly will it mean for the areas?
In this second report, you'll find out all the details. We outline a number of big projects that are going to reshape certain areas of the city and impact on the immediate neighborhoods. Areas where you could get in early to reap the most rewards.
That's almost $80 worth of reports, yours free, when you test-drive France: The Owner's Manual for $79.
An invaluable source of contacts...
Purchasing France: The Owner's Manual is the beginning of untold adventure and benefits. You'll get the assistance and friendship of fellow expatriates who've already chosen France as their retirement and business haven.
Any question, any request you might have, just get in touch with International Living. We've been helping readers move and set up in France for many years now.
Plus we'll also rush you your FREE copy of the two invaluable reports (an almost $80 value), The French Leaseback Program, and Paris Property Opportunities Report..
I hope I've convinced you now—that you ought to give France a closer look.
Yours sincerely,
Steenie Harvey
Roving Europe Editor
Get your France: The Owner's Manual Now
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