Not sure where or what exactly to buy in France? Let your hobbies do the talking....


At property exhibitions we see an awful lot of people who know that they want to buy in France but cannot decide which region to settle on. Each region has its own unique characteristics from climate and culture to countryside and architecture. Should you buy something in the north that is easy to access by car or do you opt for the warmer climes of the south of France and travel by air? If you cannot decide and feel torn between various regions even after visiting the different areas then perhaps you should think more about each region in terms of what hobbies & sports they and the properties themselves offer? Below we have compiled a small list of hobbies and selected regions and properties that cater well for those specific interests to try and help you in your property search.

Golf, Swimming & Tennis

The Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur region in the South East of France and Aquitaine region in the South-West of France are probably the best places to go if you are a keen golf enthusiast. Many properties here also have tennis courts nearby and swimming pools to cool off in afterwards. Below are a couple of developments in these regions (or near the border) which offer these activities-


Pont Royal

Discover the pure essence of Provence in the charming country club of Pont Royal which benefits from a magnificent setting just a footsteps from the Luberon and against the backdrop of the Alpilles Mountains. This luxurious private village has everything to offer its residents within a few minutes walk of one another including its world famous signature 18 hole golf course by Severiano Ballesteros. Aside from playing golf Pont Royal offers numerous other activities throughout the 180 hectare domain including swimming in its numerous pools or lake, dinning in one of its five fine restaurants, wine tasting at its wine store, browsing its boutique shops, horse-riding, tennis, sailing or mountain biking. There are no less than 5 restaurants and many pools scattered throughout the domain and a central village courtyard where you can browse the shops, eat or sip an aperitif while admiring the fantastic views over the lake.

Eauze

A collection of just 16 detached 3 or 4 bedroom villas with their own private pools and landscaped gardens on an 18 hole golf course just 10 mins from the medievel town of Eauze. The area of Armagnac is highly regarded for its charming 15th century villages, its rich architecturial, cultural and historical heritage and its many fetes and festivals. Access is easy via Toulouse, Bordeaux, Biarritz or Pau airports, by train to Agen or Auch stations or by car. Choose from a classic purchase where you just rent it out if and when you like to a leaseback purchase which gives you a guaranteed rental income.

 

Hiking, Biking, Fishing, Windsurfing

The Limousin region offers the perfect rural retreat with no shortage of lakes and rivers to fish in or enjoy water-sports and Forests and hills to explore on hiking trips and by Mountain Bike. There are plenty of good value character stone properties to snap up and you can still find renovation projects in good locations.


St Benoit Sault

This substantial property with approximately 4 hectares of land, has a barn attached, two other outbuildings, several fruit trees & a trout stream running past the edge of the land, where (or so I'm told) you can even catch freshwater crayfish. Ground Floor: large entrance hall with tiled floor - wooden staircase to the first floor, kitchen (18sqm), dining room (14sqm), lounge (12sqm) with wood burner, 1 bedroom (16sqm) with ensuite bathroom, WC/cloakroom. First Floor: 4 double bedrooms all with ensuite shower rooms - wooden floors throughout, staircase to attic. Second Floor: Huge attic space that with the relevant planning permission could be converted into further living space (144sqm) Outside: Large two storey barn attached to the house - the ground floor is currently used as stables. There are a further two out buildings. Large piece of land attached to the house including a small private garden, a paddock & a further field used for livestock. In addition to all this, there are a further two non-attached pieces of land close to the house, one of which was previously granted planning permission. Most of the hard work has been done for - this is definitely worth a visit.

Haute-Vienne

In the Limousin, in the Haute Vienne, this group of buildings with an enclosed courtyard has 8 buildings to renovate. The house (90 m²) has 2 bedrooms, bathroom, toilet, open kitchen, living/dining room, scullery. It is possible to extend the habitation (150 m²). There is an attached barn, bread oven, 2 cottages with septic tank, 4 attached barns (70 - 95 - 185 - 100 m²), 8 hectares of land and wood, lake of approx. 3000 m². Wood and oil heating, septic tank.

 

 

 

Wine & Cheese Tasting, Visiting Chateaux & Museums, Walking

If you enjoy a relaxed lifestyle and like to surround yourself by interesting places to visit historically and culturally the Burgundy and the Loire valley are both worth considering. They are more suitable for older couples rather than young families with children as there are less outdoor activities to enjoy but both rich in culture and history with many famous vineyards especially around Beaune. Property is still very good value here and older stone properties are still plentiful.


Precy Sous Thil

On the edge of the Morvan Regional ParkRenovated house of 150 m²Fully equipped kitchen Living Room 27m² with fireplace & alcove Dining room 30m² with fireplace & alcove 5 bedrooms Recently installed oil fired central heatingOutbuildings approx 150m² Land attached Small field opposite.

 

 

 

 


Chaillac

 This stone house was once a barn in a former life, and there is still a little work left to do inside to finish off what the current owners have started, as well as the possibility of enlarging the property by going into the attached workshop and attic space. The house sits on the edge of a hamlet with wonderful views over the surrounding countryside, almost a hectare of which is yours! The hamlet is only a two minute drive from the pretty little town of Chaillac where you will find several bars, a restaurant, a pizzeria, a butcher, bakers, hairdressers and a small general store, as well as several lovely lakes, where you can fish as well as swim as one of them has an artificial beach and play area. Inside the house there is a tiled entrance hall (12m2) containing the stairs, and leading to the kitchen/dining room (15m2) with fireplace, and to the rear, a bathroom (7m2) with space for the washing machine, and then a separate toilet. Upstairs there are three bedrooms, all in the eaves (12,14 and 15m2) and a small office space (5m2), also in the eaves. Attached to the house is a large workshop/storage area (38m2) which could potentially be incorporated into the main body of the house - after a bit of work of course! Above this room is attic space of the same size. Set at 90 degrees to the main house is another house which needs renovation. This second house is about 75m2 on the floor, and has a corresponding attic above. Both properties sit in land of almost a hectare, some of which is wooded, and some of which is quite sloping (good for mountain goats!), but this means that you have fantastic views over the surrounding countryside. NOTAIRES FEES: 17,380 Euros. Outbuildings: Workshop & second house. Property Features: Fireplace, Character, Stone Walls, Country View.

Skiing, Climbing, Hiking & Rafting

For Winter sports there are none that can compare to the French Alps- Skiing, ice climbing and sledging plus great après-ski and good facilities. The Pyrenees are also very good although the size of the ski areas do not tend to be as large as the Alps and they tend to suit beginners to intermediate standard skiiers as supposed to seasoned expert skiers. The summers in these regions are extremely pleasant with many sporty activities available and are far more peaceful and cooler than the busy seaside resorts. Summer activities include rafting, climbing, pony-trekking, hiking to name but a few and have pleasant mountain villages to visit and thermal spas (the latter at Font Romeu). 

Meribel

In the centre of Meribel, a lovely 2 bedroom apartment in a high quality residence built in 1996. It comprises an open plan living room with equipped kitchen and west facing balcony, 1 double bedroom, 1 single bedroom, a bathroom and WC. It is well presented and has a cellar, garage and ski locker. This apartment is perfect for keen skiers and those looking for a lively apres ski as it is right in the centre of Meribel with restaurants, shops, ammenities and ski lifts at your doorstep.

 

 

Cerdagne

In Cerdagne, near a ski resort, a 3 bedroom village house comprising a living room with a fireplace, a kitchen, large underground garage, little courtyard to the front and a small garden at the back. Being just 10 minutes drive from the ski resort of Font Romeu this is a perfect property if you want quick access to a good ski area, wish to be in a traditional village and don't want to spend the kind of money necessary to be in an actual ski resort. The other benefit of this type of property is that it will have people here all year round and will not go quiet in the summer months which can be the case in some ski resorts.