More About France

The French population are as intriguing as their large country’s mix of geographical features. Fiercely proud of their customs, they have some of the finest culture in the world, with unbeatable wines, fantastic cuisine and great cities. And as befits a country at the heart of Europe and with a plethora of visitors from all over the world, the French are open to outside influences too, with fine restaurants serving Mexican, Chinese, Thai and Italian food. And while it is important to be able to speak a little French to live here, nonetheless there are multilingual doctors and dentists, 24-hour chemists, international schools, modern hospitals and private specialist clinics.

The Côte d’Azur

Property Investing France is pleased to present you a diverse property investment portfolio in Frances popular Cote d’Azur region. The Côte d’Azur contains places as famous as Menton, Beausoleil, Nice, Antibes, Juan les-Pins, Cannes, Mandelieu la Napoule, St Raphael, St Maxine and St Tropez, and is one of the most popular tourist coasts in the world, with regular visitors including royalty and the rich and famous. Nestled between the Alps and the Mediterranean, the Côte d’Azur is just two hours’ flight time from Europe’s main cities. Nice is the region’s capital, also being the fifth-largest city in France. There are 75 miles of coastline and 50 miles of beaches. There are 300 days of sunshine a year here, with temperatures on the coast reaching 28°C in summer and 30°C inland), and not usually dropping below 14°C in winter.

As the largest metropolitan area in France, the Côte d’Azur has strong English, Italian and Scandinavian communities. There is amazing nightlife, as well as great restaurants, bars, cafes, casinos and shopping. Glitzy hotels, beautiful long vibrant promenades, pleasure marinas and yacht clubs all add to the glamour of this famous coast. There are also world-class events such as the Cannes International Film Festival, Monaco Grand Prix and Nice carnival.

Languedoc

Property Investing France is proud to offer you an outstanding property investment portfolio in Frances’ Languedoc region. Apart from the great property and real estate investment opportunities in this emerging market, it is the promise of guaranteed rental returns and affordable South of France real estate and properties which draws people here. Languedoc-Roussillon, with a population of 3.4 million people, is the fastest-growing region of France as regards inhabitants. Major towns include Nîmes, Montpellier, Sète, Beziers and Narbonne.

The region enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year, with temperatures climbing into the thirties in summer. While there is frequent rain in winter, temperatures remain mild at 10 to 12°C. Provence is close by, and there are also beautiful nature reserves such as the Camargue and the Bassin de Thau. Languedoc-Roussillon also has nearly 100 miles of Mediterranean coastline, mostly made up of golden sandy beaches and small fishing villages.

With pleasure harbours, yacht clubs, over 20 marinas, historic medieval area, ancient cities, mountains, rivers, lakes, thermal springs, caverns and caves, museums, chateaux, fortresses, cathedrals and abbey, 10 championship 18-hole golf courses, and 12 ski resorts in the Catalan Pyrenees with over 200 runs and 150 ski lifts, this is a varied and exciting region.

Investors Fact File

• 57% of tourists come from abroad – there are 68m overnight stays a year
• 500,000 convention participants per year
• Nice is the second-largest congress city, second only to Paris
• 75 million visitors came to France in 2006 – over 18 million visitors visited the Côte d’Azur, with 14 million visiting Languedoc-Roussillon
• Nice International Airport is the second largest in France – 10 million people use it every year. Main airports serving Languedoc are Montpellier, Carcassonne, Nimes and Marseille
• French law is very protective of the buyer
• France is secure and politically stable – a tried and tested EU country
• Guaranteed rental schemes are in place, including long-term and leaseback schemes
• Capital growth is about 10% on the Côte d’Azur, up to 14% in Languedoc-Roussillon
• Building licenses are granted rarely – the land available is protected
• It is quite expensive as regards housing on the Côte d’Azur, less so in Languedoc-Roussillon. The coasts are more expensive than inland

 Key Facts - France

	Climate - The south has a climate of long, hot summers (April-October) and cool but not cold winters. The west is cooler than the Mediterranean but still sunny, and is often windy.
	Cost of Living - Loaf of bread: €1 (£0.68), bottle of wine: €2–€5 (£1.36–£3.33)
	Currency - euro. £1 = €1.26
	Getting There - Take your pick! Car, ferry, eurostar, flight – France must be the easiest location to access in Europe. Flying time is one to two hours. There are three major French airports: Nice for Provence/Monaco, Toulouse for the south-west/Midi-Pyrenees, and Paris for northern France.
	Time - GMT +1
	Population - 61 million