View from the Foothills of France

Some personal views on living, working,
bringing up family and making the dream happen in the most beautiful region of France. View from the Foothills of France also includes some personal and professional thoughts and tips on finding and buying the perfect property in the Ariège and Haute Garonne regions.

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Why buy property in France?

By nadia, on 16th February 2023

France is known for its rich culture, beautiful landscapes, and quality of life but it also offers a range of benefits for those looking to buy a property. Below (not in any particular order) are the most important factors that my clients tell me led to their decision to buy a house in France:

Better Quality of Life
France is renowned for its high standard of living. From its delicious cuisine to its beautiful landscapes, France offers a quality of life that is hard to match; it is a great place to call home.

Location
France has easy access, excellent travel routes, well-maintained infrastructure and numerous airports, hence it is both easy to get to and a great location for travelling to the rest of Europe.

Climate
France offers a variety of climates, from the warm Mediterranean climate in the south to the cooler temperatures in the north and a continental climate to the east. This allows for weather that will suit most people.

Affordable property prices
Compared to many other countries, property prices in France are relatively affordable. This makes it a great option for those looking to buy a house who are priced out of other property markets around the world.

Strong rental market
France has a strong rental market, which makes it an attractive option for those looking to rent out a property to help pay for running costs. With a large number of tourists visiting France each year, the demand for rental properties is high, making it a great investment opportunity.

Stable economy
France has a stable economy, with a strong banking system and an excellent healthcare and social security structure. This makes it a secure option for those looking to invest in property or move permanently to France.

Cultural and historical significance
France is home to a rich cultural and historical heritage, with numerous castles, churches, and museum making it an ideal place for those who love to explore.

Gastronomic excellence
Wherever you choose to be in France, you are likely to find excellent food and wine and lovely places to eat with a focus on local and seasonal produce and weekly markets in nearly every town.

So whether you’re looking to invest in property, or simply want to live in a beautiful and culturally rich country, you are likely to find what you are looking for in France

If you would like help with your property search, please get in touch: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com

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French property prices – how much to pay for the perfect French property

By nadia, on 24th January 2023


In France, it is always difficult to get an accurate picture of property prices, particularly across the South West France region which is so diverse.

Firstly, you are likely to see a property advertised at different prices by numerous different agencies. Secondly, particularly in rural France, it is difficult to compare the price to similar properties sold locally as most properties are very different from each other and they also do not change hands very often. Thirdly, there is no set formula for valuing property in France; some agents value purely on the square meterage of the house or the number of bedrooms, others on the average price for property in the region.

Hence it is very tricky, particularly as a foreigner, to get an accurate picture of property prices in the area you are looking and whether the type of property you are looking for is indeed within your budget and whether you are paying the right price.

So how do you work out what price you will need to pay and whether it is a good price?

Well firstly, make sure you look at lots of houses advertised online in the same area and get a feel for prices and what you can get for your budget. Research is the key initially to get an idea of local property prices.

Secondly view a number of houses and, if you love one, go back and view it a second time and ask lots of questions.

Thirdly, if you view a house that ticks most of your search criteria boxes, this property is most likely worth your budget, especially if a large part of your motivation in buying in France is a lifestyle choice. You will know if a house is going to offer the quality of life you are looking for and this is hard to put a price on.

Fourthly, how much work does it need to make it into the home you are looking for? Get an idea of how much you think you will need to spend on it and add it to the asking price and then decide if it matches your budget.

Finally, it is a cliché but a true one that the location is the most important element in assessing the price. If the house is in a good location, one that is always in demand, if it has good views and good access, near mountains or coast and near a good size and nice town or city, then it will generally be worth what you pay for it because there will always be someone else who wants this same location.

Above all, if you love the house the minute you walk in – in other words if it has that something special, that wow factor (whatever that happens to be) and it is within your budget, then it is most likely worth the price. No matter what the research says, no matter how much you have studied the market, it is impossible to put a value on what a house means to you. If you know the house is right for you, that feeling is priceless so don’t ignore it.

If you would like help with your property search, please get in touch: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com

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Ten reasons to choose the Occitanie region of France

By nadia, on 9th January 2023

 

1) A more laid-back lifestyle, focused on quality of life

2) A slower pace of life (apart from the odd madman behind the wheel!)

3) Lovely climate without extremes; lots of sunshine, warm summers, and sunny, bright winters, no wildfires, plenty of rainfall.

4) Variety of landscape and culture on your door; a change of cuisine, scenery, architecture, and climate is all right here as well as year-round access to both sea and mountains

5) Equally easy to access the whole of Europe if you fancy a change of language and country

6) Excellent, organic food and wine and local, seasonal fruit and vegetables with shopping in local markets, small shops and boulangeries rather than just supermarkets

7) Great health service

8) Low crime rate; very safe and secure place to live

9) Empty roads with beautiful views and not a traffic jam in sight

10) Steadily rising French property market but still offering great value for money

If you would like some help with your French property search, please get in touch nadia@foothillsoffrance.com

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A French-style Christmas

By nadia, on 20th December 2022

I love the fact that every European country has its own Christmas traditions and, having lived in France now for almost 20 years, we tend to have a hybrid Christmas adopting and adapting our favourite traditions from the UK and France and throwing in a few of our own as well.

Christmas in France is quite low-key (compared to the UK and the US) and, unsurprisingly, is centred around food and drink shared with family. Each region has its specialities but nearly everywhere, seafood plays a large part, particularly oysters, smoked salmon, and scallops. For the main course, although turkey has become popular for the Christmas meal, many families still enjoy the more traditional chapon (castrated chicken!) Pudding is usually a Bûche de Noël in one of its many guises and, of course, the traditional coupe de champagne (or some sort of sparkling like the Cremant de Limoux from this part of the world) is almost always served. Vin chaud is also very popular during the run up to Christmas, especially at the Christmas markets, on café terraces and in the ski resorts.

The Christmas meal in France takes place on the 24th of December, which is known as the Réveillon de Noël and the eating and drinking goes on for many hours. And instead of hanging stockings by the fireplace for Père Noël, the children leave slippers, often with a small gift of food inside. Father Christmas will always reply to any letter in France; you just address your envelope to Père Noël making sure to give your address and he will reply (this French Father Christmas lives in Libourne, near Bordeaux).

Surprisingly for a Catholic country, church attendance is not widespread at Christmas but there is a big emphasis in every commune on the Crèche which, as well as the usual suspects, also features santons (wooden figures) representing the local population. So often there will be a postman and a butcher, some farmers, and peasants and, in our part of the world rather controversially, often a bear (they used to be indigenous in the Pyrénées and have been reintroduced against the wishes of many local farmers). You won’t see Jesus himself until after midnight on the 24th because he is placed ceremonially in the crib in time for midnight mass.

The Boxing Day bank holiday doesn’t exist in France, so it is straight back to work on the 26th for most people; one tradition that we have not adopted! Usually it is warm and sunny in our part of France over Christmas and New Year (we nearly always have our Christmas apèro outside on the terrace) so we head off for a walk in foothills or up to the mountains if we want to find some snow.

Christmas officially comes to an end at Epiphany (6th January) which celebrates the arrival of the Three Kings. This is recognized by the serving of the Galette de Roi (cake of the kings), typically made of pastry and marzipan and which includes a fève (literally a bean but, nowadays, a charm or figurine) that one lucky recipient will find in their slice (hopefully before they break their teeth on it) and will be crowned king or queen for the day.

However, you celebrate Christmas, I wish you a very bonnes fêtes and I look forward to helping you with your French property search in 2023: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com

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