 Brittany, in the extreme north-west of France, has long been a popular region - especially amongst the British - in which to buy French property. With its wild rocky coastline, sandy beaches, exceptional views and wide-open spaces, this spellbinding part of France makes for the perfect country escape that is only an hour or so away by air from the UK.
Compared to many other regions in Northern France though, Brittany property is rather expensive. There are few bargain-basement buys around now, most of the cheaper properties already having been procured by French and British buyers. A typical two-bed Brittany property in the department of Cotes d'Armor currently costs around 130,000 euros. For the same price, buyers of French property could snap up a 4 or 5 bedroom home in Burgundy, such is the difference in property valuation between the two regions.
However, if you're looking for a renovation project then Brittany could be ideal. There are still properties coming onto the market in need of renovation or that are ripe for conversion. Building plots are also available in Brittany should you want to build your own villa in France. A 4-bed farmhouse in a small hamlet near Malansac - 90 minutes from St Malo - requiring substantial renovation was recently on the market for 140,000 euros. Renovation costs were estimated to be in the region of 80,000 euros - not cheap, but compared to the amount of profit that could be made upon sale it would make for a wise investment choice as similar fully renovated farmhouses in the area are selling for around 300,000 euros.
So, where are the best places in Brittany to look for French property? That rather depends on what you are looking for. Coastal property and Brittany property in the countryside 5-10 minutes from the coast are very desirable. Locations such as Crozon, Camaret, Lorient and Brest in the department of Finistre are very popular, while on the Channel-facing coast Roscoff, Saint Brieuc, Dinard and St Malo are highly sought-after locations in which to buy too. The coastline along Morbihan is currently the focus for many property buyers. Here, property is still fairly reasonable in price - a 2-bed granite longere some 15-minutes from the coast was recently inviting offers in the region of 80,000 euros.
Moving further inland, there are many picturesque towns and villages to choose from in this Celtic land. The area around Heulgoat and its ancient forests is just one such beautiful location that is ideal for buying a traditional stone-built property in the heart of Brittany.
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