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Townhouse Character townhouses in communes in Languedoc- Roussillon off er easy access to shops and restaurants and there are as many types of property as there are towns. If there’s no garden, don’t despair: many of these houses have been granted permission for a rooſt op terrace. Depending on the location and condition of the property, allow for a purchase price of between €120,000 and €350,000.


Vineyard properties You can’t spend time in this region without marvelling at the vineyards, and you might even choose to buy one – to manage the vines yourself or simply enjoy the setting. A viable vineyard and home starts around €500,000, but you can also look for the workers’ cottages, usually in the village centre. These off er a large, ground-fl oor garage for storing agricultural gear but don’t always have outdoor space.


Fortifi ed city Carcassonne in Aude is one of the most famous destinations in France


WHY WE MOVED HERE


Originally from Kent, Honor Davis-Marks moved to Languedoc- Roussillon in


2007, where she now runs midlife retreats and atypical gîtes at Maison de la Roche, 40km from Carcassonne. “France was initially about


more sunshine and that elusive lifestyle, so my ex-husband and I started with the southernmost


part of France. This area has everything: it’s the largest wine-producing region in the world, with both the mountains and the Mediterranean, as well as rivers and lakes. You can ski in the morning and be on the beach in the aſt ernoon and we get amazing weather here as early as March. “The region is full of


medieval villages, Cathar castles and great cities for shopping, such as Narbonne


and Montpellier. Where I live in Aude, it also has a great number of Michelin-starred restaurants. I wanted to start a holiday business, so it ticked loads of boxes including decent airports nearby. “In terms of househunting,


we arrived in February 2007 and spent every day searching until we found the right place; it was ours by June. Don’t just rely on the estate agents, you need to be


proactive, but we found that this area off ers all the sunny advantages of southern France at more aff ordable prices than Provence or the French Riviera. “Most people don’t know


much about the Languedoc and tend to assume it’s rather provincial – which it might be in the tiny, remote villages – but visitors are always pleasantly surprised when they realise how beautiful it is and how friendly the people are.”


Villas Modern villas are very popular in this region, particularly as their recent construction means that they off er convenience features such as air conditioning or reversible heating. Many come with a pool and covered terrace, making them the perfect house for summer barbecue evenings. Depending on the size of the house and the plot and the location, villas cost an average of €250,000 to €500,000.


Ski chalets The Pyrénées are certainly more aff ordable than the Alps, and can be your way into owning a chalet that can be used for winter sports as well as the summer season. Your choice of resort will depend on the elevation, access and aff ordability, but a 35m2 apartment in Puyvalador starts at €170,000 while in Les Angles, you’ll need at least €350,000 for a 50m2


fl at.


 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: July/August 2023 27


© SHUTTERSTOCK


© SHUTTERSTOCK


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