Normandy in Northern France
The beautiful Normandy region lies in the north-west of France, and comprises of five distinct regions: Manche, Calvados, Seine-Maritime, Eure and Orne. Property prices on average increased by 7.76% in 2017 and France is still the world's most visited country in terms of tourism. With a budget of around 125,000 euros investors can buy a traditional farm house with 1.5 hectares of land in some parts of Manche and Orne.
The main tourist attractions are Mont-St-Michel and the Bayeux Tapestry, the lovely coastal town of Honfleur, Caen and Rouen, as well as Deauville and the Pays d'Auge cider route in the Calvados region. The latter is an area where apple and pear orchards dominate the landscape, where sleepy villages full of thatched and half-timbered houses beckon visitors to linger. This is Calvados and cider country, and visiting a Calvados distillery is a must when travelling along the Pays d'Auge route.
The principle town of the region is Lisieux, where Normandy's first Gothic cathedral, St-Pierre de Lisieux, still dominates the town centre. The Route de Cidre links the region's principle cider-making villages, which include charming, picturesque places like Bonnebosq and Cambremer.
Created in the 1860s by three wealthy entrepreneurs, the seaside resort of Deauville and La Côte Fleurie make for a perfect holiday. Located between lovely Honfleur and Cabourg, this stretch of the Normandy coastline became fashionable in the 1920s. Deauville has its own race course, where horse-racing takes place, a famous casino and the luxurious Hôtel Normandy. The resort is brimming with boutiques and chic cafés, extravagant villas and a feeling of joie de vivre prevails.
Honfleur is a picture-book dream of a seaside town, with cobbled streets and half-timbered houses. First mentioned in the 11th century, Honfleur is still a fishing port today, but visitors will also find modern attractions such as Musée Eugène Boudin, which houses 19th and 20th century art.
In the Seine-Maritime, Rouen and the famous Cathédrale Notre-Dame are the star attraction for many pilgrims who travel to Normandy every year. Its stunning Gothic facade is famous, because the painter Monet depicted it in one of his paintings. Rouen Cathedral's construction began first in the middle of the 12th century, but destruction by fire meant that the present building dates mostly back to the 16th century.
Travelling by bus or train is relatively easy in Normandy, thanks to an efficient and extensive bus and SNFC rail network. This makes Normany easily accessible for overseas tourist. The region has a robust private holiday lettings market.
However, Normandy still offers first-time investors opportunities that are affordable. Village houses in need of modernisation can often be found for around 40,000 euros in the Orne region, which lies in the south of Normandy.
