I know I’ve written about buying French Real Estate before, but I’ve been getting lots of questions about it lately, and I thought it would be fun to talk about it again. Mostly, people are curious about what kind of properties are out there, and what are prices like.
I spent some time this week on three of my favorite local real estate sites (Hexagone, Orpi, and Century 21), and selected 8 properties to share with you that stood out to me for one reason or another. Some are in town and very walkable. Some are in the countryside with lots of land. Some need tons of work. Some need none at all, or very little.
Remember: If you click through and check out the listings, be sure to use your imagination, because “staging” houses isn’t really a thing here. In fact, I’ve seen houses for sale with photos of unmade beds, and dishes in the kitchen sink. The nice thing about that is no one is trying to sneak anything past you — it’s all very transparent and feels honest and real. What you see is what you get. : )
A little house in the country. 35,000 euros. Look at that pretty brick work! This home has two bedrooms, and an attic space that would be cool to finish. It needs lots of updating, but the price is right. It’s near the community of Haras Du Pin, which (if I understand correctly) is the most prestigious place to train horses in France. We’ve toured the grounds of Haras Du Pin and they are gorgeous.
A beautiful stone house with a big garden and cool outbuildings. 77,000 euros. This one has high ceilings, traditional “tomette” floors, and huge fireplaces. Plus a barn and lots of options for expanding. It’s got a great price tag and it’s located near the village of Carrouges, which has one of our favorite castles (and it’s the home of Carrouges Cheese, which is so delicious!).
A full-on super fancy estate. 398,000 euros. This has a huge property, a pond, a grand staircase, and tons of gorgeous details. It’s on the pricier end for this area, but that’s because it’s a whole entire mansion, and it looks like it’s in good condition too.
Right in town and doesn’t need any work at all. 282,000 euros. This was one of the first houses we looked at. I still adore it. It’s on the prettiest (and oldest!) street in town. It’s beautifully redone and you can move right in. If you want to be in a town, you can’t beat this spot — the farmer’s market is right around the corner, and you can walk to anything you need.
A very rustic property in the countryside. 26,000 euros. This reminds me a lot of our cottage. It’s rustic with a capital R. But it’s a bargain and would be really cool project. Oh man this one could be so dang charming! It’s between the towns of Sées and Argentan. Sées has one of my very favorite brocantes (antique stores), and a really gorgeous cathedral with twin spires.
It’s a house PLUS a créperie! 87,000 euros. Want a house and a business? Well, here you go. It’s a really cool historic property directly across the street from the ancient Marguerite Tower. Right in town and walkable to everything. Just imagine how many nutella-banana crepes you’re going to make.
A big formal house with great bones. 151,000 euros. Hello fancy gated house! So nice to meet you. This home has lots of rooms, wood floors, and a pretty garden. Seems like a great price for such a big house.
An ancient manor from the 15th or 16th century. 349,800 euros. This is the house pictured at top and oh my it has so many interesting little corners and details. Grand bedrooms, stone walls, fancy tiles, high ceilings, and so many textures. Definitely go look at the photos just to see.
Now I’m curious, which types of houses shown here appeal to you most. Do you picture yourself in the countryside? Or would you want to be right in town? And how do you feel about taking on a project? Is that a deal breaker for you? Would you want something you could move right into instead?
