PROPERTY FOR SALE IN FRANCE : FRENCH PROPERTY : PROPERTY IN FRANCE
Sarl Bacchus is a professional estate agency in the French Property market. We have pleasure in offering some excellent value properties for your consideration. We are based in France and all our properties have been officially registered and mandated with the relevant owners. We cover most of the popular regions for property in France and our service to clients includes guidance with the French administration for a property purchase or a property for sale in France. We hope you will enjoy browsing our website of property in France and we will be pleased to answer any queries you may have and to discuss any particular French property of interest to you.

Regions of France - NORMANDY

Normandy took its name from the Northern (Vikings) who settled there from Scandinavia in the 10th Century by agreement with the king of France. Normandy has always had an enormous appeal for the English since William the Conqueror united it with England in 1066.

For more than a century the tourist trade has been part of the life of the seaside resorts, in all their variety, little creeks with shingle beaches cutting into high cliffs, beaches of fine sand behind which spread charming inland areas, rocky coves, the immense sweep of the Bay of Mont St Michel in which the sea sometimes goes out so far that it is lost from view. There are numerous attractive places where one can idle away many happy hours.

The patrons of these resorts, whether fashionable or family, are drawn by the diversity of attractions offered by the coast and the immense variety of inland countryside. Contrasting with the climate of leisure that reigns during the Summer is the lively atmosphere of the ports, overflowing with activity and the picturesque comings and goings of the fishing fleets.

The countryside is deservedly celebrated for its many apple trees with their beautiful Spring blossom, its abundant fields, peaceful herds of cattle, wooded hills and fresh valleys. Often the outline of a château or pleasant manor house adds a fine dramatic touch. The most striking impression is made by the River Seine coiling in great loops through its lower courses. Normandy's forests cover magnificent beech woods and firs.

For the lover of art, Normandy provides great joys. There are the great cathedrals of Rouen, Coutances, Bayeaux, Evreux and Lisieux; the abbeys of Caen, Jumieges or Fécamp, heritage of the building genius of the Benedictines. Town planning has been particularly careful to integrate old and new.

Regions of France - ATLANTIC COAST

This central Western area enjoys a particularly mild climate from Spring to Autumn. Long sandy beaches along the Atlantic coast, a pleasant hinterland of infinite variety, little villages and historic cities, testimonies of art, especially Romanesque, and an original gastronomy are some of the many reasons why a visit to this region could prove worthwhile.

Within the area is a region called the Poitou-Charentes, which comprises the Departments of the Duex Sevres, Vienne, Charente and Charente-Maritime. The Deux Sevres takes its name from the two rivers crossing it. In the North and West are the wooded regions and the valley of the River Thouet, in the South the vast undulating plains of the Gatine and the country around Melle, well worth a visit. The essential farming activities are cattle breeding and cereal production.

In the Vienne history is present everywhere and the local architecture bears the marks of past civilisations. This is a Department of many rivers and streams with small hamlets of stone built houses with canal tile roofs. Relaxation, peace and rest define the qualities of a stay in this delightful region.

The Department of the Charente, where the river valley shelters the famous vineyards of Cognac, benefits from the West by the influence of the ocean. In the East the forests and woods extend the borders to the Massif Central and in the South the chestnut trees and pine and oak woods express the great variety of landscapes that one finds in this region. Click here for more detailed information about this fascinating region.

The three hundred miles of coastline and an exceptionally good climate make the Charente-Maritime a very popular tourist area. This is a region of long sandy beaches, often backed by scented pine woods, and well known resorts such as La Rochelle and Royan and the spa resort of Rochefort.

Regions of France - LOIRE VALLEY

The Départements that make up the Loire Valley, or Val de Loire, are many significantly all named after rivers, although the Département of Loire itself is not and is a long way upstream in the Massif Central.

The Loire Valley is really that section of the Loire between Nantes in the West and Orleons in the East and it is one of the most popular tourist areas of France. The reason for this is its unique endowment of beautiful Renaissance Châteaux. Its historical associations, convenience to Paris and the U.K. for weekend visits, its good food and wine and its pleasant landscapes, together with some of the most beautiful towns, make this an ideal region for holidays, offering both intellectual pursuits and all the usual leisure activities.

It would be impossible to enumerate in detail, in such a brief format, all the places of interest in this region, the following are therefore selected as being especially worthy of note: Saumur, Angers, Amboise, Chenonceau, Blois, Azay-le-Rideau. All have magnificent Châteaux, built throughout the centuries in a variety of styles.

To summarise, as the French tourist brochure puts it: The Loire is everywhere and the changing patterns of the river flowing through the region reflect grandiose moments and picturesque humble dwellings. How lovely to bathe, to fish, to let oneself glide along in a canoe, or simply to relax and enjoy strolling along the river banks.

Regions of France - BURGUNDY

Close to the great centres of Europe, at the cross-roads of the routes leading to the Mediterranean, the Alps and the Atlantic, stretch the broad horizons of Burgundy with its plains, plateaux, valleys of vineyards and the mountains to the East.

The countryside of Burgundy with its subtle colours and fine blue mists at twilight reflects memories of ancient tapestries. It has always been popular with visitors and justly so. Its cuisine is extra special, from Auxerre in the Yonne Département to Mâcon in the Saone et Loire people know how to eat well, and the wine..! Chablis, Nuits st Georges, Côtes de Beaune, who does not know these famous names ?

Tour this peaceful region and make your way in leisurely fashion through the countryside where Burgundian monuments and museums make one of the most vivid centres of European civilisation. Its lakes will charm you and hold you spellbound, as will its delicious food such as Dijon ham, coq au vin de Bourgogne, Charolais beef, and Burgundy snails.

Visit the oldest horse race in France dating back to 1339, the Beaune wine fair and the beautiful Hospice with its ornate roof. There is Avallon, which some believe gave King Arthur's Avalon its name, a wonderful town honeycombed with narrow streets and ancient houses, and then there is Dijon.

Regions of France - CÔTE D'AZUR

The Côte d'Azur, or more correctly the Département of the Alpes Maritimes, stretches from the mountains on the Northern edge of Provence to the coast, taking in Cannes, Grasse, Nice and Menton. This is the famous, or infamous, French Riviera.

The proximity of the sea, the full Southern exposure and the shield of high mountains that protect this region from the Northern winds create here a climate similar to that of California. Almost all the year round one can swim in the sea and there are always flowers in bloom, such as carnations, jasmine and roses, and everywhere you will find bougainvillea, orange trees and cactus.

For a startling contrast, in about an hour one can get from this almost tropical setting into high mountains with winter sports centres and ski slopes. As yet another contrast, from Nice one can take a trip by boat, or plane, to the beautiful island of Corsica.

A visit to Cap Ferrat should not be missed, it is the home of many famous names; Monaco is squashed in too, and it would need a strong will not to resist taking a look at this millionaires' paradise.

Cuisine along this coast just has to be good, and it is. Try pistou soup, bouillabaisse thick with fish, goats cheese flavoured with thyme and finish off with peaches, figs, melon or tangerines. A bottle of Côtes du Rhône or Côtes de Provence Rosé completes the picture and one is tempted to believe that the land of the Lotus Eaters must surely have been here.

Regions of France - BRITTANY

The most vivid memory left after a visit to Brittany is that of the coast with its red, rose, grey and mauve cliffs, scarred, rent and crumbled by a restless sea; a multitude of reefs and a chaplet of islands; tremendous piles of rocks, impressive headlands that seem truly to mark the ends of the Earth; huge bays, gracious inlets and beaches of fine sand, sometimes narrow, sometimes spreading further than the eye can see. The Breton hinterland too offers strongly marked characteristics; fields bounded by wood banks, melancholy heaths covered with brush and gorse; hilly forests; short rivers flowing through green valleys which open out into geat estuaries.

There are two large and fashionable seaside resorts, Dinard on the Channel and La Baule on the Atlantic coast. There are other resorts suitable for family holidays such as Carnac, or little out of the way places for those who seek sollitude. The chief fishing ports, with the exception of St Malo are on the Atlantic coast.

Apart from Rennes, there are no large towns inland. The regional centres are Quimper, Treguier, Morlaix and Vannes. There are market towns with their many old streets and ancient houses, and there are a geat number of hamlets and isolated farms.

Long before Christian times this was a land of religion, it contains more stone circles and remains than any other place in the world. There are nine cathedrals, thousands of churches and chapels consecrated to local Saints and many roadside crosses. Ancient festivals and customs, in which local dress is worn, are still to be found throughout the region.

In the West, Breton (derived from Celtic refugees, who fled from the Anglo-Saxon invasions, as indeed did they also to Wales and Cornwall) still flourishes, but French, of course, is spoken everywhere.

Regions of France - SOUTH WEST

A short extract from Henry Miller gives some idea of the beauty of this most popular area: "Just to glimpse the mysterious River Dordogne is something to be grateful for in all one's life... It is the nearest thing to Paradise this side of Greece".

Famous for its archeoligical remains in the painted caves of Lascaux and with traces of prehistoric man and an abundance of grottos to visit, the Dordogne has attracted visitors for some time. Twenty thousnad years of history, with an artistic heritage of incomparable wealth, make the region well worth knowing. See Perigueux with its unique cathedral looking more like a Moorish palace overlooking the river. Be sure not to miss Brantôme on the River Dronne, possibly the prettiest town in the region, the goose fair at Sarlat and Bergerac, the second town in importance and famous for its wine, Cyrano and as the capital of French tobacco production.

South of the Dordogne is the Département of Lot et Garonne. Far enough inland to enjoy the pastoral life and yet only a hundred and thirty kilometres from Bordeaux and the Atlantic beaches. This region saw many battles between the French and the English during the Hundred Years War and as a result it is dotted with many fortified towns perched on hilltops, which retain their mediaeval architecture and slow way of life. The houses cluster around solid old churches or majestic and impregnable châteaux and are to be found down tiny winding streets so narrow that neighbours can shake hands by leaning across them from their balconies.

The Lot et Garonne offers you not only sunshine and good food, but also numerous castles, mediaeval citadels, ancient monuments, equestrian sports, lakes for sailing or swimming and the famous orchards of Aquitaine. These supply a fabulous range of fruits including the Agen plums, which are later preserved in Armagnac, peaches, apples, pears and the sweet white grape known as Chasselas.

Regions of France - MIDI-PYRENEES

Bordered on the East by the Pyrénées-Orientales and on the West by the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the six and a quarter million acres of the Midi-Pyrénées region groups together eight Départements around Toulouse and comprises an area for tourism that is remarkable for its variety of sites and monuments.

From the Limoges district and the mountains of the Auvergne, through Quercy, now better known as the Lot, and Gascony, the country around Albi and the plain of the Garonne, this region reaches down to the Pyéenées, which bar the continent from one sea to another. It possesses everything to attract visitors and to retain the tourists' interest. For those who are tired and overworked it provides the ideal climate of long hot summers and mild winters. For those who are ill or handicapped it offers the benefits of its thermal stations, famous for over a thousand years. For lovers of sport it has its lofty mountains and snow fields, comparable to the best anywhere in Europe, whereas on the edges of this region the sea and the ocean provide many attractions. It is the cradle of a very ancient civilisation possessing traces of the art of many periods, from the caves decorated in prehistoric times to the imposing buildings of the classical period, not forgetting the Middle Ages, which have left an indelible mark. All this evidence of a glorious past endows the infinitely varied scenery with a deeply human character. A wide range of hotels, from the country inn to the luxury hotel, enables allcomers to find the lodging they require in regions whose culinary and gastronomic reputation is traditional.

Whether it be in the Lot or in the Tarn Valley, in the Rouergue or on the Causses, in the undulating lands of Gascony, in the verdant and fertile valley of the Garonne, in the Ariège, or in the Basque country with its typical folklore, the tourist is sure to find pleasure and relaxation, interests and culture, and the benefits of good health. In short, the real joy of living.

Regions of France - PROVENCE

Provence has the most ancient of all French civilisations. The Romans called it the Roman Province, from where it derived its name. They employed Greek artists and workmen to create monuments that remain amongst the most perfect and most ancient of our classical heritage. Rome itself has no arch as fine or as old as that to be found in Orange and the arena at Arles was built a century before the Colosseum.

Gaugin, Renoir, Van Gogh and Cezanne have immortalised the brilliance of its colours and the purity of its skies, but for each of us there remains the personal pictures of cypress, oak, and pine and the air perfumed with thyme, rosemary and lavender.

Visit Avignon, not only famous for its nursery song, but also for its Palace of the Popes, once described as \"the most beautiful and mightiest house in the world\", or Cassis, a colourful little fishing port nestling in a bay. Sunbathe on the beaches of La Ciotat, Bandol, Le Lavandou or Cavalaire, or take a cruise to the golden isles of Port-Cros, or the Ile du Levant from Hyères. Visit Toulon, the largest naval base in France, but which also has numerous old and picturesque streets and wonderful floral fountains.

Nobody needs to be told of the delights of St Tropez nowadays, but leaving the town and its beaches behind, there are to the East vast forests of pine and cork oaks that cover the summits and ravines, whilst along the sea shore there are a whole series of beaches, some set in small rocky bays, others broad and sandy. Fréjus is further along the coast where there still remains the ruins of the town walls, an aquaduct and an amphitheatre. About fifty kilometres inland is the magnificent Gorge du Verdon, sometimes called the Grand Canyon of Europe, and the Lac de Ste Croix, the largest artificial lake in France, where one can swim, windsurf and fish in its amazing blue waters.

The traditional cuisine of Provence - dishes seasoned with garlic, basil, thyme, tomatoes and olives, seems to distill the very aroma of its sun drenched lands.

Regions of France - RHÔNE VALLEY

The Drôme and the Ardèche are the two principl Départements which border the Rhône Valley.

The area is rich in monuments and the traces of civilization as it has developed over the centuries. The early hunters settled in caves along the Rhône, Ardèche and Chassezac rivers and left beautiful animal pictures engraved in the rocks. Later the Neolithic tribes erected a number of Dolmens. The Mediaeval inhabitants of the region built many churches, together with fortified cities such as Rochemaure, Saint Montan, Aubenas and Balazuc and castles such as Thorrenc, Crussol, Rochebonne, Alba and Ventador.

In the Southern Ardèche a thriving manufacturing process was developed, that of the production of silk. Then came the development of the mining of tin, whih has since died out. Today the produce of the area is mainly wine, fruit, cement, nylon thread and electricity. Vineyards cover the region and border the Rhône, where full bodied and delicately flavoured red wines are produced. Emperor Charlemagne delayed his departure from Cornas so delighted was he with the superior quality of the local wine. Notable vineyards today produce Côtes du Rhône. In practically every village throughout the region delightful local wines are produced.

As one would expect in an area of such superabundance of fine wines, good eating is one of the pleasures of living in the Rhône Valley. A noted gastronome of the 1930's stated that he liked a dinner table \"where things taste exactly like what they are\" and he applied this praise to the regional cuisine of the Ardèche. Pork is the main meat of the region. Hogs fed on local chestnuts yield firm flesh, strong and plain. Each district has its own way of dressing this meat, with fresh herbs, with raw ham, sausages smoked over the wood fires of the mountains. Lamb and game are also favourites.

Regions of France - LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON

The two Provinces that form the Languedoc-Roussillon represent one of the most attractive Mediterranean tourist areas. The striking beauty of the Camargue, the lagoons of Thau, Marseillan, Gruissan and Leucate, the rocky coast and in addition to all these, one must mention the magnificent scenery of the Cevennes, the Corbières and Pyrénées and a great store of archiological and histprical treasures. The Roman buildings at Nîmes, the Oppidum at Ensèrune, the impressive remains from feudal times at Aigues Mortes, Carcassonne, Salses and many more. All these await the visitor, whether on foot, on horseback or in a car and even those who come by boat and have discovered the pleasures of the Canal du Midi.

If you are a sailing enthusiast, want to be near a golf course, enjoy sea bathing at its best and seek the sun either for retirement or for holidays, then this particular coastline is to be thoroughly recommended, where thanks to more than twenty harbours spread over two hundred kilometres of coast, the region has become one of the most important in Europe for pleasure boats, where over thirty thousand can be moored.

Cap d'Agde is one of the best known developments and this is the ideal resort for family holidays with numerous facilities for all age groups, including more than sixty tennis courts, a golf course, many sailing and windsurfing schools and of course, the famous naturists centre, which incidentally is set apart from the rest of the development.

Inland a few kilometres the area is one of great beauty with many thousands of acres of vines and then wooded and hilly country offering magnificent views and an abundance of rivers and lakes. Whereas the opportunity to purchase a small house for a reasonable price hardly exists any longer in Provence, the inland areas here still offer this chance.

The climate is of course truly Mediterranean and allows a long holiday season of about eight months, an important attraction if one is thinking of buying and then letting a property.

The areas are known for gastronomic specialities such as Cassoulet from Castelnaudry, soup le Bajanat made from chestnuts, ham and sausages from the Black Mountains, Bisque and Pâté from Pézènas, cod with ailloli and anchovies from Collioure and grilled mussels and mountain trout, together with excellent varieties of fruits and vegetables. the best of the wines are the Rosés Grisés.