EXPERT
to take your time to locate the best option for you to buy a property in. Your first point of call should be a local estate agent to gather basic information such as property prices, details about the most appealing neighbourhoods and the buying process in general. To find out whether the
area is popular with tourists to generate a rental income, we recommend contacting the local tourism office, which should have access to the latest tourism statistics. Most importantly, however,
to determine if the nearby beach is an attractive destination and healthy environment, we often refer our clients to the Blue Flag programme for information.
THE BLUES Recognising the most sought- after waterside locations, the Blue Flag Awards are one of the world’s most recognised voluntary awards for beaches, marinas and sustainable tourism, and are organised by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), based in Copenhagen. The flag guarantees clean
beaches and marinas, excellent quality of bathing water and evident efforts towards sustainable tourism and environmental awareness. Earlier this year, the
foundation released its latest list of Blue Flag beaches with France being awarded a total of 512 Blue Flags, making it one of the top five countries in the programme. The Blue Flag criteria
are grouped into four large families. For municipalities and beaches, judges evaluate environmental education (public awareness of environmental issues), waste management, water management and general environment (safe, ethical and sustainable). For marinas, judges base their decision on environmental education, waste management, environmental management and site management. ■
Matthieu Cany is a director at Sextant Properties Tel: 0207 428 4910
sextantproperties.com
UP-AND-COMING LOCATIONS 4 Plage de la Chambrette (Estuaire), Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine: Another
favourite with families and sports enthusiasts alike, this beach appeals to a wide demographic but be aware that pets are not allowed, which can put off some visitors.
5 Lac Vert in Catus Plage, Lot, Occitainie: An unexpected contestant as this beach
On top of the existing Blue Flag beaches, the programme announced eight new additions to this year’s list.
1 Plage du Trez Goarem in Audierne, Finistère, Brittany: Situated in an
environmentally protected area west of Quimper, this beach is almost 1km long and is home to dunes and wildlife.
2 Plage du Trez in Bénodet, Finistère, Brittany: Located near the five-star beach
resort of Bénodet, this beach is a favourite for families; particularly as it features its very own kids’ club providing plenty of sporting and entertainment activities.
3 Plage de Porsman in Plouarzel, Finistère, Brittany: Confirming that good things can
come in small packages is Plage de Porsman. Although not the biggest of beaches, it has secured a 4.7 star rating on Google due to being simply beautiful with stunning sunsets.
On the market
is not near any ocean, but is in fact located along the Lac Vert, a popular destination where visitors can partake in lots of water sports or enjoy a barbecue or picnic.
6 Plan d’eau in Presqu’île, Vendée, Pays de la Loire: This beach has a lot going for it.
Being close to the town centre, visitors are not far from shops and eateries, while the beach itself offers stunning ocean views and is perfect for a walk or other beachside activities for the young and the young at heart.
7 Flandre Dunkerque in La Tranche-sur-Mer, Vendée, Pays de la Loire: Another
family-friendly (and dog-friendly) beach that appeals to families as much as it appeals to sporty types, with visitors benefitting from a number of on-site activities including water-skiing.
8 Porto Pollo, Corsica: The fiſth Blue Flag beach in Corsica, Porto Pollo wows with
turquoise waters but due to almost half of the island falling within a park, visitors can also easily venture away from the beach for inland activities such as cycling and hiking.
FIND MORE PROPERTIES ON
FRANCEPROPERTYSHOP.COM
€213,000, Charente- Maritime: Two-bedroom house in a charming coastal village, with a large living room with beams and fireplace, terrace and sea view (Sextant Properties)
€675,000 Landes: Ten minutes from the beach, this house built in 2018 has a spacious living room, fitted kitchen, five bedrooms, garage, two terraces and garden (Sextant Properties)
€1.69m, Var: This three- bedroom, two-bathroom villa has sea views, large swimming pool, sunbathing terraces and garage – all just 600m from the Golf de Beauvallon (Sextant Properties)
€248,000,Charente- Maritime: In a coastal village, this three-bedroom house has a living room with fireplace, cellar, and outbuildings, all set on 1,257m2 (Sextant Properties)
60 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: January/February 2024
€1.26m, Alpes-Maritimes: Three-bedroom villa on a 3,000m2
plot in Roquebrune-
Cap-Martin, with open-plan kitchen, terrace, outbuildings and sea view (Sextant Properties)
€3.15m, Var: Beautiful villa with panoramic sea view, three ensuite bedrooms, master suite, large living-dining room, terrace, infinity pool plus one-bedroom guesthouse (Sextant Properties)
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