NEWS WHERE TO LIVE? BASQUE IS BEST!
Bayonne is set at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, between the Atlantic sea and the Pyrénées mountains
I
n a new ranking of the best places to live in France, four of the top five towns are within the Basque country.
While Angers in Pays de la Loire takes the first place, it’s followed by Guéthary, Bayenne, Biarritz and Anglet, all in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. What makes this area such a
great place to live? Long sandy beaches, rolling Atlantic waves, the vast Landes pine forest... the natural environment is hard to beat. Then there’s the excellent quality of life indices as well as it being a safe place with relatively low crime rates.
The area particularly appeals to those relocating from Paris and Bordeaux wishing to be closer to the coast and seeking a healthier living environment. Average property prices
in these popular towns are €10,630/m2 €4,950/m2
in Guéthary, in Bayonne, €8,741/ m2 in Biarritz and €6,562/m2
in Anglet. This compares to €3,789/m2
across the Pyrénées-
Atlantiques department. Fellow Basque towns St-Jean-
de-Luz and Bidart were also praised in the report from Le Journal du Dimanche, which added the new criteria of
WHAT’S ON IN MAY/JUNE 2024
local finances and taxes to the ranking for 2024. For British buyers, the region
is relatively easy to access, despite being in the deep south, with flights to Bordeaux, Biarritz and Lourdes, as well as a good rail and road network. While the ranking is great
news for the Basque region, there is a downside too, as Jakes Larre of the Basque Cultural Institute points out. He is concerned that the influx of newcomers could come at the expense of Basque culture and language, which is the oldest in Europe.
ENERGY AUDIT France’s finance minister Christophe Béchu has announced a relxation of the rules on selling or renting properties with a low F or G energy rating. Owners of such homes have to pay for an extra report detailing where there are energy issues and what it would cost to put them right, while landlords are restricted on how much rent they can charge for F and G-rated properties. There are also plans for a ban on renting G-rated properties from 1 January 2025; F-rated properties from 1 January 2028; and E-rated properties from 1 January 2034. Although the current restrictions will stay in place, the finance minister has initiated a change in the way properties are rated, which should enable 140,000 properties, in particular smaller apartments, to move out of the poorer F and G categories.
12 MAY BEAULIEU-SUR-DORDOGNE FÊTE DE LA FRAISE This beautiful medieval village in the Dordogne valley will be decked out in its finery to host a festival of scarlet flavours... from fresh fruit to delicious pastries, and entertainment to meetings with producers. Strawberries have been the village emblem since they replaced local vines ravaged by phylloxera in the 19th century.
vallee-dordogne.com
ALL SEASON 35KM NORTH OF PARIS PARC ASTÉRIX A brand new musical – C’est du Délire! – a new attraction – the 40m-high Tower of Numérobis – new characters, a new float for the Gaulish Parade... for 2024, Parc Astérix has a whole host of new attractions to surprise its visitors as it celebrates its 35th birthday. Plus free admission for children under 12 years old until 3 May.
parcasterix.fr/en
12 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: May/June 2024
22-23 JUNE BESANÇON, DOUBS LES 24 HEURES DU TEMPS Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this festival dedicated to watchmaking offers a programme full of activities for young and old. The courtyard of the Musée du Temps in the Palais Granvelle, will welcome some 30 watch brands, creators and craftsmen, with workshops for all.
les24hdutemps.fr
JUNE NORMANDY D-DAY ANNIVERSARY 6 June 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the WWII D-Day landings along the Normandy coast. On 1 June, over 20 huge firework displays will light up the sky over the five landing beaches. An unprecedented programme of events will follow, commemorating this tragic period of history while emphasising the spirit of hope.
en.normandie-tourisme.fr
© YOAN JEUDY
©SHUTTERSTOCK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148
