REVEALED: The cheapest towns in France to buy or rent a home
While some may dream of moving to France and living in a chateau, for those people on more modest budgets location is key in making sure you get a good deal on your new home. Here are some of the most affordable places in France.
While the Paris property market remains out of reach for many, in France's smaller towns there are houses available for very reasonable prices.
Whether you're looking to buy or rent, this data from French national statistics body INSEE shows the most affordable places to do it.
France's smaller towns come out of the data best, with the list including some beautiful places to live, from the stunning medieval hilltop town of Beziers in south west France to the lovely Breton town of Quimper.
1. Saint-Quentin
Average family house price: €1,130 per square metre
Rent per square metre €8
Where: Hauts-de-France (northern France)
Population: 55,500
Weather: Cold and wet winters, mild summers
Nearby airports: Lille, Paris, Brussels
What’s on offer: Beautiful old architecture, plenty of history and culture, two hours from Paris
2. Niort
Average family house price: €1,220/sqm
Rent for sqm €9
Where: Nouvelle-Aquitaine (western France)
Population: 59,000
Weather: Cold and windy winters, warm summers
Nearby airports: La Rochelle, Poitiers, Nantes
What’s on offer: France's 4th main financial centre for insurance and banking which means that there are employment opportunities on offer. It's an hour's drive from the larger city of La Rochelle, so just about within commuting distance. It may have been described as 'ugly' by French novelist Michel Houllebecq, but actually it has some rather nice sights including a pleasant historic centre.
Situated within the Marais Poitevin national park it's great for outdoorsy types and is also close to the coast.
The Roman town of Montauban, near Toulouse in south west France. Photo: AFP
3. Montauban
Average family house price: €1,320/sqm
Rent for sqm €8
Where: Occitanie (southern France)
Population: 61,000
Weather: Mild and fairly dry winters, hot summers
Nearby airports: Toulouse
What’s on offer: Delightful Roman town with gorgeous architecture that's popular with tourists in summer but lively all year round. The mild year-round weather make it ideal for outdoor living and it's a 50 minute drive away from the thriving city of Toulouse which has many employment opportunities including a university.
READ ALSO The one place you have to visit in each French département
4. Cherbourg
Average family house price: €1,370/sqm
Rent per sqm €9
Where: Normandy (northwestern France)
Population: 80,000
Weather: Long and wet winters, windy and mild summers
Nearby airports: Caen, Dinard-Pleurtuit-Saint-Malo
What’s on offer: Beautiful beaches and picturesque countryside close by. The bustling port of Cherbourg provides employment opportunities and for Brits it's very convenient to pop back to the UK to see family. The town regularly features in lists of places with the fastest climbing property prices though, so it may not be affordable for long.
READ ALSO What you need to think about before buying that dream house in France
The beaches off Cherbourg are stunning and popular with holidaymakers. Photo: AFP
READ ALSO REVEALED: Where in France property prices are climbing the fastest
5. Saint-Étienne
Average family house price: €900/sqm
Rent per sqm €8
Where: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (east-central France)
Population: 177,000
Weather: Short warm summers, cold winters, snowiest city in France
Nearby airports: Saint-Etienne, Lyon, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand
What’s on offer: Great for nature and sports lovers, it's also near enough to commute to Lyon for work. One of the biggest places on the list it has a city vibe and a strong arts culture, plus lots of interesting architecture. It also has a remarkably successful local football team which the townsfolk are very proud of.
6. Beziers
Average family house price: €1,120/sqm
Rent for sqm €9
Where: Occitanie (southern France)
Population: 76,000
Weather: Hot and dry summers, wetter winters
Nearby airports: Montpellier, Perpignan and Carcassonne
What's on offer: Close to two national parks and also a short distance from the Mediterranean coast (including the famous Cap d'Agde if you enjoy nudism) and a stunning fortified old town with a lot of history. Unemployment in the area is high though, so you may struggle to find work.
READ ALSO Nine things to expect when renting an apartment in France
Beziers offers lots of history and pleasant town centre. Photo: AFP
7. Quimper
Average family house price: €1,320/sqm
Rent per sqm €9
Where: Brittany (northwest France)
Population: 63,000
Weather: Mild summers and cold wet winters, partly cloudy year round.
Nearby airports: Quimper, Brest, Lorient
What's on offer: Amazing medieval historical centre with some excellent museums, situated on river banks and close to the coast so ideal for seaside lovers (and by the way, the town is pronounced 'carm-pair' not kwim-per).
8. Cholet
Average family house price: €1,210/sqm
Rent for sqm €10
Where: Pays-de-la-Loire (western France)
Population: 53,000
Weather: Warm and partially cloudy summers, cold winters
Nearby airports: Nantes, Poitiers, La Rochelle
What’s on offer: Tranquil but flourishing town, natural parks nearby.
9. Brest
Average family house price: €1,240/sqm
Rent per sqm €9
Where: Brittany (northwestern France)
Population: 139,000
Weather: Pleasant summers, cold, wet and windy winters (Brittany is famous for its damp weather)
Nearby international airports: Quimper, Lannion, Lorient
What's on offer: Buzzing university city with plenty of jobs on offer including at the large ocean research centre. Situated right on the stunning coastline so perfect for maritime enthusiasts.
READ ALSO Why 2020 is set to be a good year for job hunters in France
Right on the coast, Brest is also a bustling city with lots of jobs on offer. Photo: AFP
10. Valence
Average family house price: €1,480/sqm
Rent per sqm €9
Where: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (southeast France)
Population: 64,000
Weather: Fairly cloudy all year, warm summers and cold winters
Nearby airports: Alpes-Isère, Saint-Étienne, Lyon, Le Puy-Loudes
What's on offer: Great well-priced foodie scene (and close to Lyon, the undisputed foodie capital of France). Also close to the Alps and natural parks so perfect out outdoor enthusiasts.
Paris, of course, comes bottom of this list with average prices of €10,065 per square metre to buy or €26 per square metre to rent. It does have one or two other things to recommend it though.
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While the Paris property market remains out of reach for many, in France's smaller towns there are houses available for very reasonable prices.
Whether you're looking to buy or rent, this data from French national statistics body INSEE shows the most affordable places to do it.
France's smaller towns come out of the data best, with the list including some beautiful places to live, from the stunning medieval hilltop town of Beziers in south west France to the lovely Breton town of Quimper.
1. Saint-Quentin
Average family house price: €1,130 per square metre
Rent per square metre €8
Where: Hauts-de-France (northern France)
Population: 55,500
Weather: Cold and wet winters, mild summers
Nearby airports: Lille, Paris, Brussels
What’s on offer: Beautiful old architecture, plenty of history and culture, two hours from Paris
2. Niort
Average family house price: €1,220/sqm
Rent for sqm €9
Where: Nouvelle-Aquitaine (western France)
Population: 59,000
Weather: Cold and windy winters, warm summers
Nearby airports: La Rochelle, Poitiers, Nantes
What’s on offer: France's 4th main financial centre for insurance and banking which means that there are employment opportunities on offer. It's an hour's drive from the larger city of La Rochelle, so just about within commuting distance. It may have been described as 'ugly' by French novelist Michel Houllebecq, but actually it has some rather nice sights including a pleasant historic centre.
Situated within the Marais Poitevin national park it's great for outdoorsy types and is also close to the coast.
The Roman town of Montauban, near Toulouse in south west France. Photo: AFP
3. Montauban
Average family house price: €1,320/sqm
Rent for sqm €8
Where: Occitanie (southern France)
Population: 61,000
Weather: Mild and fairly dry winters, hot summers
Nearby airports: Toulouse
What’s on offer: Delightful Roman town with gorgeous architecture that's popular with tourists in summer but lively all year round. The mild year-round weather make it ideal for outdoor living and it's a 50 minute drive away from the thriving city of Toulouse which has many employment opportunities including a university.
READ ALSO The one place you have to visit in each French département
4. Cherbourg
Average family house price: €1,370/sqm
Rent per sqm €9
Where: Normandy (northwestern France)
Population: 80,000
Weather: Long and wet winters, windy and mild summers
Nearby airports: Caen, Dinard-Pleurtuit-Saint-Malo
What’s on offer: Beautiful beaches and picturesque countryside close by. The bustling port of Cherbourg provides employment opportunities and for Brits it's very convenient to pop back to the UK to see family. The town regularly features in lists of places with the fastest climbing property prices though, so it may not be affordable for long.
READ ALSO What you need to think about before buying that dream house in France
The beaches off Cherbourg are stunning and popular with holidaymakers. Photo: AFP
READ ALSO REVEALED: Where in France property prices are climbing the fastest
5. Saint-Étienne
Average family house price: €900/sqm
Rent per sqm €8
Where: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (east-central France)
Population: 177,000
Weather: Short warm summers, cold winters, snowiest city in France
Nearby airports: Saint-Etienne, Lyon, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand
What’s on offer: Great for nature and sports lovers, it's also near enough to commute to Lyon for work. One of the biggest places on the list it has a city vibe and a strong arts culture, plus lots of interesting architecture. It also has a remarkably successful local football team which the townsfolk are very proud of.
6. Beziers
Average family house price: €1,120/sqm
Rent for sqm €9
Where: Occitanie (southern France)
Population: 76,000
Weather: Hot and dry summers, wetter winters
Nearby airports: Montpellier, Perpignan and Carcassonne
What's on offer: Close to two national parks and also a short distance from the Mediterranean coast (including the famous Cap d'Agde if you enjoy nudism) and a stunning fortified old town with a lot of history. Unemployment in the area is high though, so you may struggle to find work.
READ ALSO Nine things to expect when renting an apartment in France
Beziers offers lots of history and pleasant town centre. Photo: AFP
7. Quimper
Average family house price: €1,320/sqm
Rent per sqm €9
Where: Brittany (northwest France)
Population: 63,000
Weather: Mild summers and cold wet winters, partly cloudy year round.
Nearby airports: Quimper, Brest, Lorient
What's on offer: Amazing medieval historical centre with some excellent museums, situated on river banks and close to the coast so ideal for seaside lovers (and by the way, the town is pronounced 'carm-pair' not kwim-per).
8. Cholet
Average family house price: €1,210/sqm
Rent for sqm €10
Where: Pays-de-la-Loire (western France)
Population: 53,000
Weather: Warm and partially cloudy summers, cold winters
Nearby airports: Nantes, Poitiers, La Rochelle
What’s on offer: Tranquil but flourishing town, natural parks nearby.
9. Brest
Average family house price: €1,240/sqm
Rent per sqm €9
Where: Brittany (northwestern France)
Population: 139,000
Weather: Pleasant summers, cold, wet and windy winters (Brittany is famous for its damp weather)
Nearby international airports: Quimper, Lannion, Lorient
What's on offer: Buzzing university city with plenty of jobs on offer including at the large ocean research centre. Situated right on the stunning coastline so perfect for maritime enthusiasts.
READ ALSO Why 2020 is set to be a good year for job hunters in France
Right on the coast, Brest is also a bustling city with lots of jobs on offer. Photo: AFP
10. Valence
Average family house price: €1,480/sqm
Rent per sqm €9
Where: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (southeast France)
Population: 64,000
Weather: Fairly cloudy all year, warm summers and cold winters
Nearby airports: Alpes-Isère, Saint-Étienne, Lyon, Le Puy-Loudes
What's on offer: Great well-priced foodie scene (and close to Lyon, the undisputed foodie capital of France). Also close to the Alps and natural parks so perfect out outdoor enthusiasts.
Paris, of course, comes bottom of this list with average prices of €10,065 per square metre to buy or €26 per square metre to rent. It does have one or two other things to recommend it though.
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