If you’re looking to buy a property in France, one of the big major cities could make for a sound investment and fun holiday home or all-year-round base. French cities generally have good infrastructure, attractive architecture, great restaurants and the city centres make for great places to live.
Generally, when people think of a French city, Paris immediately springs to mind, however it’s not the only interesting place to live or buy. Lyon is a very popular place to live and work due to its strategic geographical location just 1hr30 from Paris by TGV, 2hrs drive from the Alps and 3hrs from the Mediterranean Sea. The wine villages of The Beaujolais are just an hour away too.
Lyon has a reputation for excellent gastronomy and is a very pretty city, in addition to having a great nightlife and property is less expensive to buy in Lyon than Paris.
Marseille is the second biggest city in France and has the advantage of being on The Mediterranean Coast. The city has invested heavily into the quality of living of its citizens over the past few years. A bustling port town with a great fish market, pretty beaches, coastal paths and cultural activities. Further towards the West, Montpellier, a pretty student town, is attractive for its historic centre and proximity to the beaches on The Mediterranean Coast. Price point is a lot less expensive than Paris, or Lyon for example, making for a great value for money investment.
Further West and inland, Toulouse is also an attractive student city, renowned for its aeronautical industry, with Airbus being based there. An attractive centre with red brick buildings, the Garonne River, and an excellent nightlife make for an interesting place to buy a home. Let’s not also forget the gastronomy and rugby culture, which is almost like a religion here.
The city of Bordeaux, famous for its wine, is also a highly agreeable place to live and has seen much investment in infrastructure and rehabilitating the old town of the last decade or so. Just a stone’s throw away from the Arcachon Basin and Cap Ferret on The Atlantic coast and 2hrs from Biarritz and The Basque Country. NB There are of course many other great towns and cities in which to buy property in France, so please contact us for more information on property searches elsewhere.
