| Across the whole of the overseas property market, | | | | means either being in as location that is visited across |
| agents and developers are being forced to drop their | | | | the year, or in a city that has rental prospects for |
| prices, offer free extras and more generous term to | | | | the full 12 months of the year. |
| potential buyers in order to attract interest in the | | | | The Alps are particularly well set up for year-round |
| properties they are selling. One place that this doesn't | | | | tourism. It doesn't automatically follow that property |
| seem to be occurring quite as much as elsewhere is | | | | in a ski resort will be a great investment for summer |
| France, where some projects are still in such demand | | | | rentals as well, but in the case of the Alps, the local |
| as to have construction started early and where | | | | tourist organizations have spent time and money on |
| off-plan sales are still exceptionally strong. | | | | making sure a full range of summer activities are |
| Of course, this is not true across the board, and | | | | catered for. |
| there are areas of France where property prices are | | | | Perhaps it is partly for this reason that projects like |
| declining, interest from overseas investors has dried | | | | Les Ecrins Etoilés, a small development of 65 |
| up and the prospects for the market picking up in | | | | apartments within three chalets built on the site of a |
| 2009 are looking increasingly slim. | | | | former garage in the heart of the village of Samoens, |
| As with any investment opportunity in the current | | | | has sold 60 per cent of the properties before building |
| economic circumstances, property overseas needs to | | | | has even started. The project is being built using |
| be able to be as efficient as possible for the buyer - | | | | traditional stone masonry techniques from the |
| in terms of letting ability, viability as a second or | | | | seventeenth Century and local forest timbers. |
| permanent home, and for selling on at a later date. | | | | The other option to make your property in France |
| Add to this the fact that all airlines are currently | | | | work hard for you is to look at investing in a city |
| under increased economic pressure, and it makes | | | | apartment. Immediately, thought will turn to Paris, but |
| sense if you are looking to buy in France to consider | | | | even with the current price reductions seen in all |
| locations which are easy to reach via the extensive | | | | European capitals, it is still expensive for the |
| rail network across the country. Rail travel in France is | | | | properties on offer. At one of the major TGV |
| alive with contradictions - local trains often seem to | | | | stations in France, Marseille offers an exciting mix of |
| run on little or no timetable, most of the rolling stock | | | | city living and Cote d'Azur relaxed lifestyle, and with |
| is old and unreliable. On the other hand, the TGV | | | | the development work that is going on in the city, |
| network is the pride of the French railways and the | | | | should be a great investment for the future. |
| envy of Europe. The high-speed trains are very rarely | | | | Marseille's location, with beaches, the old port and its |
| late, technologically-advanced, and provide rapid, easy | | | | daily fish market, and the hills behind, provides the |
| transport between cities. In contrast to flying on | | | | backdrop for a city adapting to the modern age. La |
| most low-cost airlines, traveling by TGV is one of the | | | | Canebiere, the city's main street, and home to the |
| most pleasant ways to reach your French destination. | | | | busy Marche du Capacins, has recently been dug up |
| Once you have made it to Paris on the Eurostar (the | | | | for the installation of new tramlines and the whole |
| closest the UK comes to a TGV-style system), some | | | | port district is undergoing a facelift. This makes the |
| destinations can be reached without even changing | | | | renovation of the original buildings, designed by |
| trains. Eurostar operates a winter ski train heading | | | | France's pre-eminent architect Haussman, particularly |
| directly to the Alps as well a summer service to | | | | attractive, as they are situated in the heart of the |
| Avignon in the south, allowing UK visitors direct | | | | city. The redevelopment of these buildings is |
| access from St Pancras to their destination in France. | | | | delivering high-quality living to the city, at prices |
| However, outside of these seasons, the French TGV | | | | significantly less than in Paris. Prices range from 3,600 |
| system is but a short hop across Paris on the | | | | to 4,500 per square metre on the Rue de la |
| métro. | | | | Republique, putting the cost of an average two-bed |
| And then we come onto the properties in France | | | | apartment on the Rue de la Republique of 82m2 at |
| that are bucking the trend for discounts. The | | | | 295,200 (approx. £276,500). On the Quai de |
| important thing is that they should be usable for the | | | | Jolliette prices are from 5,000 to 6,000 per square |
| full year, instead of the more seasonal properties | | | | metre (two-bed apartment of 73.47m2 facing the |
| that have been popular in other parts of Europe. This | | | | sea, 411,432 or around £385,500). |