HOUSES AND PROPERTY FOR SALE IN Pays-de-la-Loire

Family friendly beaches, authentic French towns, some lovely chateaux, and bargain property prices. Property in the Pays de la Loire is exceptional value for money, and is easy to get to from Paris, the UK, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. Perhaps this is why so many international buyers have a holiday home here.

Situated on the Atlantic coast, the region has an excellent climate with mild winters and warm (but not stifling hot) summers. This means that the beautiful, sandy, beaches in the Vendée are popular with families who enjoy the warm sea, and pretty seaside resorts. Inland the ancient Duchy of Anjou straddles the Loire River, and it is here that you will find the rolling vineyards that produce the famous aromatic rosé wine. Expect to see your neighbours enjoying many a sunset, with a glass of local wine in their hands.

The capital of the region, Nantes, has been cited as offering the highest quality of life in France. The medieval core of the city has narrow streets and half-timbered houses, and the city has a real energy about it, as you find the tourists mixing with the university students. Buy a property in the Pays de la Loire and you really will be opening the door to an exceptional quality of life.

The main airport in the region is Nantes Atlantique, which is easily accessed to the south of the city. You can catch direct flights to over 80 destinations throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North America. This is a particularly popular airport with buyers from the UK as it has flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Dublin.

The TGV between Nantes and Paris takes around 2hrs 20 mins, and from here you can get the Eurostar to London, or travel onwards to Brussels, Amsterdam and other major European cities. Don’t forget too that there are over 250 SNCF stations across the region.

The A11 motorway connects Nantes, Angers and Le Mans with Paris Orly airport, and then Paris centre. Heading north, the RN137 takes you to Rennes and the Brittany ferry ports, whilst the A83 heads south to Niort and from there to La Rochelle and Bordeaux. Why not take the smaller roads though, and head along the valley to Angers and Saumur, taking in the pretty riverside villages.

For an in-depth analysis, read our latest Grand Ouest market comment (below), which includes average prices in nine of the major towns and resorts, as well as expert comment from our local agents in the region.

This is a popular region for holiday homes as property prices are so reasonable. It is estimated that 11% of the 1.9m homes in the region are holiday-homes. The Pays de la Loire has seen some of the biggest house price rises in France over recent years, although they are beginning to stabilise now. Price rises in the five departments have been: Loire Atlantique 2.2%, Maine-et-Loire 3.1%, Mayenne 6.2%, Sarthe 6.2% and Vendée 7.3%.

Country property has been particularly popular in recent years, with high demand but low supply. There have simply not been enough new properties coming onto the market to satisfy the number of domestic and overseas buyers. Older property, with plenty of space and large gardens has been at the top of many buyers lists. Despite recent rises, you will find that property prices are generally lower than elsewhere in France (particularly in Sarthe and Mayenne).