Selecting property

One of the most important things that you will have to take care of is to select a property that will fit all your needs. Some people might prefer a Brittany property while others like to go for properties in Cannes or other areas. Before making your decision, ensure that the property has access to utilities like electricity and water. If that is not the case, then you might have to pay a hefty amount to the concerned authorities. Also, look at the paperwork carefully to see that there are no clauses that might create problems regarding ownership of the property in the future.

Moving company

Selecting a high quality moving company is important for a smooth transition into the new place. It is easy to get overwhelmed with all the things you have to do before relocation. As a result, it is possible that you don’t approach the moving company with sufficient time on your hand. That is why, you must contact the company about 4 months before you plan to move, so that the company has enough time to prepare quotations and information.

Shortlist three or four companies and then invite them to your house for the quotation. This is done so that the moving company can get to know the volume that they will need to transport and prepare a quote accordingly. Certain companies will provide you a quote without visiting your house, if you can give them a detailed list of what needs to be moved.

Insurance while moving

Do not let the quotation be the sole criteria for selecting a moving company. You also need to look at the kind of service that the company offers. Most of the reputed international moving companies are a part of FIDI and BAR overseas. Also, you should look for an ISO certification.

But despite all the precautions you take, things can go wrong. To avoid any insurance hassles, you should look for a moving company that offers you insurance as well. Relocating to France is not a simple task, but if you take select the right Brittany property and go for a good moving company, you should not face many problems.

This is a guest article from Town Country Property France, a real estate agent who showcases a range of french property for sale

Natural Beauty

The old town of Cannes overlooks the Bay and the Lerins Islands. The Mediterranean coast line, golden sands and turquoise waters create a stunning and mesmerizing visual. The Palais des Festivals is located at the heart of the city. The city is a popular hangout of the stars, especially during the Cannes film festival. A walk down the well known La Croisette promenade may bring you face to face with a celebrity. The boulevard is lined with a number of cafes, restaurants and boutiques. Whether you are a nature lover, a shopping enthusiast or a foodie, Cannes is an ideal destination.

Connectivity

The transport facility in Cannes is very well developed. The town has its own airport at Mandelieu, which caters to privet jets. Moreover, Nice Cote d’Azur airport is located just 35 minutes drive from the city. From Cannes you can reach most European capitals including London and Berlin within 3 hours.

Value for Money

As far as Cannes real estate market is concerned, the demand is very high, while the supply is limited. As such, the property prices are much higher than those at other French locations. However, these properties offer great value for money.

Factors like natural beauty, great climate and others ensure sustained high demand in the Cannes real estate market. Given the stringent French planning restrictions, excessive development in the area is unlikely. Consequently, the value of properties in the area is only likely to appreciate with time. Moreover, the demand for Cannes villa and apartment rentals is also high. This means that you can easily rent your property while you are away and earn money from it.

Before you go ahead and start looking for a suitable Cannes property, you need to decide whether the property will be used exclusively by you or rented out seasonally. Properties in areas like Super Cannes, Le Cannet, La Basse Californie and La Californie are ideal for private use, while those in localities like La Banane, Palm Beach and Le Suquet are more suitable for renting. Although expensive, these properties command attractive rental and sale price.

The Chateau de Chambord in the Loire Valley is a classic example of the Renaissance castle. This was built by King Francois I as a hunting lodge and is the largest chateau in the region. The architecture is a combination of the Gothic, the Renaissance and a fairyland look; it is surrounded by a wall that extends to 22 miles in length. Chateau de Chambord has 440 rooms with equal number of fireplaces that are large enough to act as doorways; 13 staircases in all and a stable to house more than a thousand horses. The castle took nearly 28 years to be completed from 1519 to 1547. A particular double staircase in the Italian style and perhaps designed by Leonardo da Vinci is unique – anyone gong down cannot see any one climbing up nor can one see another climbing up or down at the same time!

The chateaux changed from being fortresses to graceful homes for the nobility and the regal families and lost their middle ages foreboding looks. The gradual change is evident in the Fontainebleau Chateau, to the Chenonceaux, to the Azay-le-Rideau castles. However, some of the medieval characteristics were retained in the newer structures like the large windows, Mansard roofs and the round corner towers. The chateau de Versailles built in 1661 by Louis XIV has lower ceilings, less rounded structures and in general resembles an elegant palace rather than a medieval castle.

Chateau de Amboise is a 15th century castle and the first of Italian styled castles in the Loire Valley. The Chateau de Cloux, which belonged to Francois I, is famous for being the last place of residence of Leonardo da Vinci. The Chateau d’Angers in the town of Angers is a Moorish castle built from 1228 to 1238. One can still see the “Apocalypse” tapestry in this castle adorning the walls of its ancient structure with its 140 meters length and 76scenes from the Book of John and the New Testament.

Regardless if you are purchasing French property like a vacation home, a property to reside in or perhaps a farm house like a DIY project, you will find various kinds of French qualities available on the market. France has all of them from barns & gites to French manor style houses and also the grand French chateaux.

Should you were not sure regardless if you are making the best relocate purchasing a property in France, as moving in the future is upheaval enough, try leasing a property in France inside a ‘try before you decide to buy’ and obtain an understanding for that different areas before purchasing a property.

Whether you would like ancient or modern French property, landscapes with flatlands or peaks, property in cities which are deserted or busy, you should also consider whether you want to rent or buy a French property inside a cold or hot climate. As you can tell, you will find many factors you have to consider before going for it which means doing plenty of homework before purchasing a property in France.

You will find also many other factors when considering purchasing a property in France. It’s not unlike purchasing a property within the United kingdom but you will find many financial factors to consider before you begin to obtain the right French property for your family.

Would you speak French? Should you choose then clearly you’ve got a jump and you’ll think it is simpler. If you possess the time you might like to buy a sound package instructing you on how you can speak French or you might want to continue a French speaking course. If you will find a French course or perhaps a personal tutor that shows you how to approach purchasing property in France then all of the better.

You will find many different ways to locate property in France that you desire to purchase. You will find the auctions, suppliers and several online French property websites which help you to get the best property for the budget.

So, with this thought it may be a concept to obtain a listing together of things you will have to research before purchasing the ideal property in France. Like several things, it is all about the look and today is a great time for you to start.

France is home to the most famous chateaux in the world, but nowhere are there as many as in the Loire Valley. One of the main reasons is because during the Middle Ages, here were located the most prosperous cities, thanks to the commerce on the Loire River, and which were protected by solid fortresses. Moreover, the fertility of this region brought to itself the name of “garden of France” which changed later into “garden of kings”.

The most original castle is Chenonceau also known as “Dame’s castle” thanks to the famous women who lived here: Catherine de Medicis (wife of King Henry II), Diane de Poitiers (mistress of the same king) and Mary, queen of Scotland. Chenonceau is built on a site of an old mill on the River Cher, and its main purpose was to be a residency for royal mistresses. Here, one can observe, perfectly preserved, furniture and tapestry from the XV century, and part of the building built over the bridge still roofs the smashing ballroom.

Among other famous chateaux in France are the castles of Azay le Rideau, Chambord and Versailles. Azay le Rideau is built in the most pure Renaissance style and it is considered a true architectural jewel. This fairytale castle built near the Indre River had a purpose to impress the guests with its luxurious decorations.

Chambord castle is the result of combining Leonardo Da Vinci’s imagination with dreams of King Francis I. This grand creation contains 440 rooms and it is the greatest castle in the Loire Valley with its 13.000 acres of woods and a 20 miles wall surrounding. Here, lied the scene for Moliere’s plays in front of King Louis XIV, the Sun King.

Last but not least, one of the famous chateaux in France is Versailles. It is being visited by 8 million tourists each year since it is being considered a true architectural masterpiece and of the greatest palaces in the world. It has become a museum in 1837; it extends on 194.000 square feet; it has 2000 windows, 700 rooms and a wide garden spread over 800 hectares.

The price of French real estate, including vineyards, may be much less than you expect. It’s possible that you’ll be able to afford your international dream property even before that huge inheritance comes in. Plus, the value of French property tends to rise with time, making a vineyard purchase a solid economic investment.

How do you stumble upon the vineyards that are for sale in France, though? Luckily, you don’t have to speak the language just yet. Even a simple Internet search will yield tons of results for current French vineyards on the market, sortable by your desired area.

Altogether, the vineyards in Bordeaux take up more than 123,000 hectares. To put this into an American perspective, one hectare is equivalent to 100 acres. Plus, Bordeaux boasts approximately 10,000 chateaux. The diverse soil and climate of the Bordeaux area means that your vineyard may produce anything from red wine or rose, to white wine or even champagne.

Your love for wine doesn’t have to stop at buying a vineyard, either. Some vineyards for sale have additional technical installations that will allow you to run your own wine shop. For example, a vineyard that was recently on sale on the left bank of Bordeaux boasted a full-on thermo-regulated winery, too. A barrel cellar, tasting room, storage cellar and equipment garage turned this vineyard into a one-stop wine experience for guests. For the more modest purchasers, you can’t get much better entertainment for your friends than to bring them into your very own tasting room where they can sample your vineyard’s wine.

2011 hasn’t been a bad year in French property with prices in and around Paris, Provence and the French Riviera increasing. Elsewhere hasn’t been so lucky with though with price falls in many other parts of thecCountry.

The recent eurozone crisis is certain to make matters worse with transaction levels predicted to fall to their lowest levels in 40 years. Many had hoped the coming year would be a period of recovery and growth but one things is certain, times ahead will be tough and pricing will be key. Properties that are priced attractively will sell and those buyers looking for a bargain will be more than happy.

There are many famous chateaux and historic castles throughout the world, especially in France and this week I noticed that the beautiful Chateau du Feuga in Gascony was featured for sale on the UK’s telegraph website.

Chateau du Feuga is a romantic 13th century chateau set at the foot of the Pyrenees in the South West of France. This 7 bedroom property is set in a lush 39.5 acres of land and stunningly beautiful gardens. It also boasts a snooker room and library and the current owners have put this property up for sale for a cool €3.5m (£3.1m).

Find out more about the Chateau Du Feuga at The Telepgraph

Amongst the five most popular regions Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur was shown to be the most popular with 25% of people looking to invest in this area, this was closely followed by Rhone-Aples with 21%, Languedoc-Roussillon with 14%, the south western region of Aquitane with 8.5% and midi-Pyrenees 7%.

The average property price in France varied from region to region. In Midi-Pyrenees buyers would find the average property price to be £279.541 while property on the Cote d’Azur rose to a cool £1,109,000.

France is a country that offers such a varied choice of properties and locations so whether property investors are looking to buy in the snow covered ski resorts or somewhere nearer to the warm medierreanan coastal resorts of Cannes, Monaco or St Tropez, France has it all.

A main contributing factor to Frances increased popularity amongst foreign buyers is the ease of access from the UK and other surrounding countries. This is helped by the wide choice of regular, low cost flights to various airports throughout the regions of France. Just another reason why France is forever becoming an increasingly popular location for buying property as a home or holiday investment.

Places to visit

Colline du Chateau is the place to visit if you are looking to experience the charm of medieval ruins. Surrounded by waterfalls, this park affords a breathtaking overhead view of Nice. Those with a love of adventure can hike to the spot. Place Massena is the most well-known square in the city. Its grandeur and beauty are unmatched by any other in Nice. The red buildings around it draw the eye to the square, as do the immaculate gardens of Massena and Albert I. Monument aux morts is a magnificent structure that you should see when you visit Nice. White stone has been used to construct the entire building. When light hits the monument, it looks captivating. The bas-reliefs, huge urn and open spaces make the structure look larger then life.

Accommodation options

Nice has some of the best luxury villa rentals in France. These are located in places that allow you to make the most of everything the city has to offer – eateries, entertainment options, amenities and much more. When you plan your holiday to the city, find out the best luxury holiday villas France has, and book one. You will surely have a wonderful time exploring the city and enjoying the excesses of your villa.

Small trips

Nice is surrounded by some of the most beautiful French cities like Cannes, Antibes, Saint-Tropez and Haute de Cagnes. Situated to the west of the city, these locations are barely a few hours away from Nice. One of the closest is Cannes, which is just 18.8 kilometers away. Plan small trips to these destinations, and you will get to experience the different cities of France in one holiday. You can start early in the morning to Cannes, relax for a few hours in one of the magnificent apartments or luxury villas in Cannes, visit a few places there, and return to Nice the next day.