French property watch: September 2019

DEPARTMENTS: Aude, Gard, Hérault, Lozère, Pyrénées-Orientales

MAIN CITIES: Montpellier, Béziers, Lodève, Carcassonne, Limoux, Narbonne, Nîmes, Alès, Le Vigan, Mende, Florac, Perpignan, Céret, Prades

With a history as dramatic as its landscape, the eastern portion of the French super-region of Occitanie – made up of the former administrative regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées – has much to tempt anyone in search of a new life in France.

The Romans left their mark across the region, in cities and towns such as Narbonne, Perpignan and Nîmes.

The Cathars built fortresses in the mountains and foothills, while the medieval walled citadel of Carcassonne is just one of a number of Unesco World Heritage Sites in the region.

There’s a reason that it is sometimes known as the thinking person’s Riviera. It is impossible to ignore the fact it has everything the Year in Provence dreamer might want, without the accompanying Provencal price tag.

The sun shines 300 days a year. It boasts countless lovely sun-soaked, warm-hued villages, bustling towns and prosperous cities in which to live out your French idyll.

It can be breathtakingly pretty.

The region is well-served by airports in Montpellier, Carcassonne, Béziers, Nîmes and Perpignan – all of which offer seasonal or year-round flights to the UK.

An older house in Montpellier – the former regional capital of the old Languedoc-Roussillon region – will cost on average €323,100, boosted by the so-called seaside premium that regularly sees asking prices leap above €3,000/m².

Meanwhile, in Nîmes, in the Gard, you should expect to pay about €199,000, and in Béziers €169,000.