Brittany and Normandy

Anti-Brit riots took place last year in the Breton village of Bourbriac. You’d think they’d be used to us by now: we’ve been emigrating to Brittany since Roman times. Some villages are practically British, and there are locals who resent the hike in house prices. Many concede, however, that Brits tend to buy up old ruins and have revitalised small villages that were dying.

Normandy and Brittany have more than 1,000 miles of coastline and lots of medieval towns and castles for history buffs. Rennes, the capital of Brittany, is only two hours from Paris by train. With its two universities hosting 60,000 students, historic town centre and its famous cultural festivals, it is a good city for the young.

House prices are reasonable in Brittany, apart from in the south, where they reach Riviera proportions. Bob Pearson, of Breton Homes, says some areas, such as the Blavet Valley, have quadrupled in value over the past four years. Four-bedroom houses start at £125,000.

In Normandy, the resorts of Trouville and Deauville are popular with Parisians, so properties sell at a premium. Bruno Taxy, of the Emile Garcin estate agency, says the market is thriving. “It attracts Brits who are after a permanent home but don’t want to feel too far away from England,” he says, “as well as those who are not after excessive heat.”

Burgundy

With its wines, countryside reminiscent of the Cotswolds, easy access to Paris and Lyons (the nearest airports) and fabulously rich history, Burgundy has much to offer incomers. The capital, Dijon, is a cosmopolitan city with plenty of culture, art and restaurants — and prices are still cheap if you avoid the pockets where Parisians have bought second homes.

A four-bed rural farmhouse with some land will start at £105,000. “Prices went up by 7% last year, but it is still one of the cheapest regions in France,” says Benjamin Haas, who runs the Burgundy4U estate agency. The region is popular with retirees looking for quality of life, but the winters are cold.

Languedoc-Roussillon

The world’s biggest vineyard, this is the non-posh south of France, but it’s getting posher. The climate is Mediterranean and the way of life laid-back. It is one of the healthiest places in Europe in which to live, because of the area’s lack of heavy industry and the diet, which includes lots of fish, fresh fruit, olive oil and wine.

The Languedoc is easy to reach using the TGV high-speed train from Paris to Montpellier, the capital. Local airports include Montpellier, Nîmes, Perpignan and Carcassonne. Montpellier itself is chic, offering lots of culture and great shopping. What’s not to like here? This is a region for wine- and sun-lovers, but don’t consider it if you are mad about punctuality.

The past five years have seen a 50% increase in local property prices at least. But the market is now slowing down, says Mike Monkman, from Languedoc Houses. “Prices have levelled and sellers are more conservative in their expectations,” he says.

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