Property - French Property Finding Holidays

With the summer season hotting up and the usual influx of tourists to France, July is perhaps not the best time to try and view property – agents need a break, and vendors may well be away too – but there's no reason not to combine a little research with your French summer holiday. In this issue I want to offer some tips on how you might check out the area while enjoying your wellearned break.

Whether you’re looking for a summer house, rental investment or new home, being in France, in the region that really appeals to you, can be a bonus. It allows you to look into a wealth of practical aspects, even if you can’t go property viewing.

Take advantage of your hosts
July and August are peak rental months for apartments in the south of France; our flat in the centre of Montpellier is booked up with happy holidaymakers through the summer and beyond. Some of them are coming to check out the area before firming up their property purchasing plans, and we're always happy to answer their questions about owning property and holiday rentals – particularly as we are planning to sell our Montpellier flat to raise some capital for our next venture (full details on the Crème de Languedoc website ref: 1754).

If you are staying in a gîte or chambres d’hôte, use the opportunity to chat to your hosts about the area. Ask them to give you the inside track on local life and what it is like to live in the vicinity. What are the popular villages? Where are the best markets? When are the best summer festivals? They will probably be delighted to tell you about their own experiences and give their perspective on your plans, whatever they may be. They may also be able to recommend a good local English-speaking agent, and give some tips on the dos and don’ts of buying property in the area.

Sightseeing with a purpose
When on holiday, try to visit nearby villages and compare them against your own criteria. Take the opportunity to eat in some of the restaurants, chat to the locals and wander the streets. Seeing the area through a visitor’s eyes will help inform your decision later.You can also tour around and get a feel for the types of properties available: do you see much in the way of renovation projects? Smart, recently built villas? Brand new, ‘lock up and leave’ leaseback developments? You will quickly get a feel for the local housing stock and any developments coming onto the market.

However, do remember that if you visit in high summer, you are seeing France at one of its busiest times. Out of season, that charming restaurant down by the river may well be closed. The bustle of the local market (and traffic clogging the streets) will be replaced by peace and quiet except for the odd tractor trundling by. Bear in mind that you are seeing the country during the sunniest, warmest weather – and yes, it does rain in the south of France, even in the Languedoc.

Local amenities
While in the region, why not investigate the local amenities. How far a drive is it to your local supermarket – and once you get there, is it worth the trip? What is local public transport like (does it even exist?), and how long did it really take you to motor from the airport to your holiday destination? Perhaps the gîte you’ve rented was advertised as ‘30 minutes from the beach’ – is this true, or are you stuck in traffic in a hot car with excited children for over an hour? All this on-site, first-hand research will be so valuable when you are ready to actually start viewing houses.

Of course, if you are a family considering a permanent move to France, then schools and child-friendly facilities will become an important factor – as will how to earn a crust.

Business opportunities
If you plan to set up a business, then this is an ideal time to suss out the potential competition or spot an opportunity. See what is on offer locally and how this might inform your own decisions. You might be able to chat to some of the business owners, get the inside track and glean some pearls of wisdom. Planning to open a gîte or chambres d’hôte? Look at where you are staying. Has it met your expectations and needs? Is the presentation all that it should be? How is the location for those coming to relax? Is it child-friendly? You are in a great position to do some research from the standpoint of your future guests.

Sample local life
In France in the summer months you are hard pressed to find a local village that is not holding some sort of fête or celebration. This is your chance to see how the community relaxes and what people do to enjoy themselves. Try to join in, and sample some of the highs of village life. Be friendly, wear your best smile and you’ll be surprised how happy folk will be to respond. Ask about the weather (let’s face it, we all love to chat about the weather) and find out what it is like in the depths of winter. Does the river ever burst its banks? Are there areas designated as flood zones that you should avoid? How cold does it actually get? Are there any plans for development in the area?

Above all, relax!
When all is said and done, remember that you are on holiday. Make sure that you relax and take the time to enjoy your surroundings. There is plenty of time for the serious business of property hunting but if you take some of what I say on board, you will be so much better informed when you start to look for that house of your dreams, or come to make that final decision.

Greg Taylor is a co-founder of specialist Languedoc
Website: www.creme-de-languedoc.com

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