The south-eastern corner of France is possibly the most varied of all the country's regions, embracing Alpine mountains, the glorious Provencal countryside, and the pulsating life of the French Riviera. As a place to live and own property there are three distinct appeals: the Alps principally for skiing; inland Provence to retire or simply enjoy a relaxed lifestyle with the best of France's food and wine; and the Cote d'Azur for those who want the beaches, the casinos, the celebrities and the nightlife.
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Starting with the skiing fraternity, the departments of Haute-Alpes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes each have some perfectly adequate resorts, but this is not the most popular part of the French Alps among Brits, and it's fair to say that the best skiing is further north. So the best reason for buying in this region is lower prices; and getting away from the crowds in Courchevel and Val D'Isere. There's also a snag in getting here: the quickest transfers are often from Turin in Italy, though Grenoble is also an option. The most interesting resorts to buy would include Montgenevre and the small family resort of Puy-St-Vincent.
For the countryside dweller, the departments of greatest interest are Vaucluse and Var. Author Peter Mayle can claim much of the credit for putting the Provencal lifestyle on the radar of the second home owner with his "A year in Provence" written some 20 years ago, about his experience of moving to the area of the Luberon. Anyone wishing to follow in his footsteps will find that prices have rocketed in the interim. Most of the classic old stone farmhouses sitting among vineyards have long since been snapped up, and today your best chance for a traditional property is to buy a village house, which are still relatively affordable though without the space. For those who want the lifestyle without the hassle, there has also been a number of new developments, especially in the Var, one or two featuring golf courses.
This is a very cosmopolitan area in which to live; as well as the natives and the expat Brits there are many residents from other parts of Europe and America. The most sought-after locations include the picturesque Aix-en-Provence and historic Avignon; but there are also many quieter places, especially as you head closer to the Alps.
The coast of Provence is one of the most desirable places in the world to own a home, whether that be for holidays or as an all-year round resident. The names of the resorts are legendary: St Tropez, Ste Maxime, Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Menton. And prices for anything close to the ocean are stratospheric, though there is a good deal of more affordable property that has been developed in the increasingly crowded hills behind the coast. The advantage of buying here is that the Cote d'Azur's property market is the strongest in France alongside central Paris; it has seen consistent growth in prices over many years when much of France was quite stagnant.
New pretenders to the crown are constantly emerging, whether that be in Croatia or Turkey, for example, but the French Riviera's appeal is enduring, and it is seen as a blue-chip property market with strong investment and rental credentials. Nowhere more so in the last few years than Nice, the unofficial capital of the region, and a city which is improving and growing in popularity as it manages to combine the best the Cote d'Azur has to offer alongside a living city that has plenty to do throughout the year.
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May 2009
Alexander Garrett is a freelance property writer who contributes regularly to The Observer and British Airways' Business Life.
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