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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Property advertising – the truth behind the photos

By nadia, on 7th March 2019

Last year I worked on a photo shoot out here in the Pyrenees – a clothing brand so nothing to do with property; I was simply scouting locations. However it did make me realize that there are many parallels with photos for advertising fashion and photos for advertising property, namely that most of them are not real. By that, I don’t mean that they don’t exist but that they are created and curated images; much work goes on behind the scenes to present a photo that represents a covetable lifestyle to which we aspire.

With a clothing shoot, the company is trying to make us believe that, by buying their clothes we will look like that model, traversing the mountain stream without a care in the world. What the photo doesn’t show is the effort that has gone into finding the perfect location, the hours of makeup, the hairstyling, the hundreds of poses in different light to get the perfect one, the clever camera lenses, the large team of people working behind each shot and then the touching up of photos afterwards to get rid of every flaw and blemish. In other words, nobody in real-life can look like that model, not even the model. We are being sold a dream.

Which is exactly what an estate agent selling a house is trying to sell you when they advertise a property on a website, particularly a property in the south of France. So just be prepared that the gorgeous photo of a honey-coloured stone house with roses around the door and wisteria dangling over the pool may not be quite as good in reality as it looks in the photos.

If, for your property search, you don’t have time to view 100 frogs before finding your princess, get in touch and I will do the groundwork for you and make sure you know the reality behind the photos before you view: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com

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French property for sale – what do the energy efficiency graphs represent?

By nadia, on 21st February 2019

When you are looking at listings for French houses for sale, you should see two graphs at the bottom of the advertisement showing the energy efficiency; one showing the consummation of energy (DPE) and the second the energy emissions of the property (the GES).

Since 2006, anyone selling a home in France has to have it tested for energy efficiency. The results are then provided to the purchaser when the compromis de vente is signed. The tests are obligatory from the first day that the property is marketed.

To get the results, an expert takes into account the size of the house, the insulation and the heating and the seller has to supply the equivalent of three years of heating bills (oil, wood, electricity, etc.) This data is then fed into software that grades the home according to its efficiency. The results are then valid for ten years.

The grades range from A to G, with A being the most energy efficient, meaning the home requires under 50kWh to heat it. Category G means the home needs more than 451 kWh to heat it. According to the Environment Ministry, 100KWh of heating costs around €11 using electricity, €4.25 using natural gas, €8 using bottled gas and €6.50 using oil.

The test results also include details on how much carbon dioxide is produced by the house. A home in category A for example produces only 6kg per m2 of CO2 a year, while homes graded as G will produce ten times that amount or more. According to a study by the Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise de L’Energie , 80% of French homes are rated D, E or F, three of the four lowest categories on the energy performance chart. A-rated buildings account for less than 2% of France’s housing stock.

All homes are covered by the regulation except those that don’t have a heating system or are heated solely by open fires.

As for any property purchase, make sure you get professional advice when buying a house in France. If you need help, please get in touch: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com

 

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Affordable skiing in the Pyrenees

By nadia, on 7th February 2019

Following on from my last post, a new study by Locasun provides an interesting look at the comparative cost of skiing in 50 of the most popular ski resorts in France. According to the survey, the average cost of a week’s skiing varies between €400 and €800 per person when the cost of accommodation, ski lift pass and the hire of ski equipment are all taken into account.

It turns out that, not only do the Pyrenees have fantastic, friendly resorts and varied skiing for all levels but they are also the best value ski resorts in France by a long way. The cheapest resorts in the study were Guzet Neige and Cauterets, both in the Pyrenees, each coming in at just under €400 each on average for one week of skiing. Another Pyrenean station, Les Angles, came in fourth lowest at €430 a week. This is compared to the most expensive resorts which were Val d’Isère (€806), Megève (€755) and Méribel (€714).

The study showed that, not only did the cost of accommodation vary substantially; between €549 (Guzet Neige) and €1,557 (Val d’Isère) but it was the same for the cost of ski passes. Similarly, the cost of ski and boot hire ranged from €49 in the Pyrénées to €128 in Val d’Isère.

The graphic below gives a list of the stations in the study and the total cost per week per person:

 

In the ski resorts here in the Pyrenees, we currently have the most snow and best ski conditions in Europe (or so I am told). That is in the mountains however; if you are not a ski fan, don’t let that put you off. Here in the foothills and valleys it is 15 degrees and sunny right now which means that we get to enjoy the sunshine while looking at the snow against the blue sky in the distance.

If you need help with your property search in this region, get in touch: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com

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Buying ski property in the Pyrenees

By nadia, on 23rd January 2019

It is snowing in the ski resorts of the Pyrenees which means that, while much of Europe is facing months of grey cloud and rain, here in the foothills, we are looking forward to the blue skies of winter with snow-covered mountains on the horizon and, of course, skiing and winter sports.

I know that this is a time of year when many people are dreaming of snow covered slopes and cosy ski chalets because it is always January when I start getting lots of enquiries from buyers looking for ski properties. In addition, the number of people looking to buy in the Pyrenees is increasing year on year with the majority of buyers now priced out of the Alps. And although cheapness is rarely a word associated with ski property, there are still plenty of well-located and excellent value ski properties available in this region for buyers of all budgets, particularly for those people seeking bolt-holes that they can use themselves, rent out easily and hopefully reap some eventual capital gain.

The ski resorts here in the Pyrénées, many of which are only just coming onto the radar of the foreign investor, offer fantastic investments – with some great skiing thrown in. Particularly popular with my clients in the last few years has been the area around and close to Superbagnères (the ski resort attached to Bagnères de Luchon). With its restaurants, cafés, hotels, cinema, golf course, tennis courts, chocolate shops, market and spa, Luchon is one of those towns that exudes ‘old money’ and is very stylish but still very affordable. Being a popular holiday destination winter and summer (thanks to its ski resorts, thermal baths and spa, plethora of year-round activities, fantastic walking and cycling, stunning scenery and easy access from Toulouse and Pau), properties here have excellent rental potential all year round.

A one-bedroom apartment in the middle of Luchon would currently cost around 120,000 – 140,000 Euros and would rent out for around 250-400 Euros per week. For a typical example of the type of property available and possible rental potential, take a look at www.luchonlocation.com (I must declare a personal interest in this one!)

For a French holiday retreat and excellent year-round rental investment, I would have to say that the French Pyrénées are hard to beat. If you need help with your French property search, please get in touch: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com

 

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