WHERE TO BUY Hotspots French Charente
A sunny climate, views across sunfl ower fi elds or vineyards, and attractive property at very reasonable prices have all made Charente a favourite with British buyers. The River Charente winds through the department, and there are many charming riverside towns including Angoulême (the capital), Cognac, Jarnac, Verteuil-sur-Charente, Confolens, Aubeterre- sur-Dronne and Ruff ec. It’s an easy area to reach – within a day’s drive
Verteuil-sur-Charente
of Channel ferry ports and with airports at Poitiers, La Rochelle, Bordeaux and Limoges. The coast is fairly close too; La Rochelle is around 130km from Angoulême. Buyers have a wide choice of village and town houses and lovely country properties including the ‘Charentaise’, a symmetrical stone style of property typically with pale blue or green shutters. The average house price is €1,320/m2 popular towns (e.g. Angoulême €1,680/m2 €1,710/m2 €1,120/m2 €870/m2
) but very aff ordable elsewhere (Ruff ec , Confolens €820/m2 , Aigre €710/m2
).
France offers such a huge variety of scenery, culture, gastronomy and climate that it can be hard to know where to start looking for a property! Karen Tait picks out eight popular but very different departments
Corrèze
Staying in Nouvelle-Aquitaine but heading inland a little, you come to Corrèze, once part of the Limousin region. This is an area that has become better known by househunters in recent years, off ering a green and tranquil landscape, rivers and recreational lakes, traditional market towns and villages, and aff ordable property – the departmental average is €1,270/m2
The main towns are Tulle (€910/m2 Brive-la-Gaillarde (€1,630/m2
) and Ussel (€1,240/m2 ), and the department is also
home to six Plus Beaux Villages: Collonges- la-Rouge (where the ‘most beautiful villages’ organisation was founded), Turenne, Curemonte, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Ségur- le-Château and St-Robert. Corrèze is relatively sparsely populated, with just 41 people per square kilometre, so if you’re looking for unspoilt countryside, you won’t be disappointed here. This includes the scenic Millevaches regional natural park, popular for outdoor activities such as hiking and horse-riding, while the Dordogne and Vezère rivers provide plenty of fi shing opportunities. Despite being relatively remote and
Collonges-la-Rouge 6 l Expert Guide
diffi cult to access in the past, there are airports off ering UK connections at Brive and Limoges.
Le Bono Morbihan
There has long been a strong link between Britain and Brittany, and it’s a well-loved holiday home spot as well as being popular with expats. Easy to reach from the UK, with several Channel ferry ports, it off ers an appealing mix of coast and country and a rich culture. The Morbihan department is literally
a hotspot within Brittany, boasting a sunny and warm microclimate that’s appreciated by its residents. The most outstanding feature of the department
), , Nanteuil-en-Vallée
, higher in the , Cognac
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© 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
