Property with Land in France

For the purposes of these pages we have defined a French property with land as one which comes with at least 2 acres or 8,000m2.

France is geographically the largest country in Western Europe and its 551,500 k² of land dwarfs England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland’s combined total of 242,900k². With a similar population and the same laws of supply and demand in vigour, it is no surprise that land in France is so much cheaper than in the UK.

You might want your French property to come with parkland, farmland, pineforests, woodland, vineyards, orchards or a lake; you might want it isolated or near a town; you might need it to come with a CU (outline planning permission) and with nearby services to connect to; you might be looking for a working farm or want to build an equestrian centre or a golf course.

Whatever you want, land requires upkeep and maintenance so make sure you’re prepared for either putting in the hard work or shelling out the hard cash to meet the responsibilities of becoming ‘landed gentry’!

When buying French property with land, you should be aware that notaires are obliged by law to notify SAFER (La Société d’Aménagement Foncier et d’Établissement Rural) of the sale of any land over 5,000m2 or the sale of any agricultural buildings. If SAFER considers that the land or building is essential to the survival of a local farming concern then it can pre-empt the sale and offer it to that local farmer instead. In most instances this is a mere formality, but should SAFER exercise its right then you are automatically protected by the Compromis de Vente which will ensure that your deposit is returned.

So, whether you’re looking for a rural idyll with a couple of acres for the sheer pleasure of being master of all you survey; or whether you want to make your land work for you and run a business, these pages are for you.