Buying property in Hauts-de-France
Hauts-de-France, literally “the heights of France”, is the northernmost region, from north of Paris, up to the Belgian border and including the Channel ports of Dunkirk, Calais and Boulogne. The coast here is named the Opal Coast (Côte d’Opale) and its 120 kilometres includes resorts like Le Touquet.
Inland is a region that British have fought with and against the French, with evocative place names like Agincourt, the valley of the Somme and Dunkirk.
Hauts-de-France includes the departments of the Pas-de-Calais, Oise and Aisne.
It’s a place where Parisians come on holiday – often buying holiday homes – with quite a few British, Belgian and other nationalities too. It’s just a short hop across the Channel but offers that rural French lifestyle with no need to fly, and in marginally better weather than the UK.
It’s also a cultural area. Victor Hugo wrote Les Miserables in Montreuil while the French impressionists set up their easels along this coast to capture the light and sea.
Hauts-de-France
Why buy a home in Hauts-de-France?
An often-overlooked gem which Brits speed through from the Channel points, Hauts-de-France has so much to offer international residents, who currently number less than 1% of the population.
All the pleasures of rural, village and small-town France but easy to reach, whether internationally via a flight to Paris, Eurostar from London, or loading up the car for the ferry ride (so much more civilised than negotiating easyJet’s luggage policy).
There are historic towns, including Montreuil-sur-Mer, Boulogne, St Omer and Arras (home to the Musée des Beaux-Arts). Cities in the region include Lille with its grand architecture and museums, and Amiens with its canals and floating markets.
For active residents, there’s plenty to keep you busy in Hauts-de-France. Whether it’s hiking in the five regional parks, golf (with 42 golf courses) or exploring the hills and coast which mimic the South Downs on the other side of the Channel. Cycling is a big thing here, along the coast with the new coastal route, the Vélomaritime.
Aerial view of the Belfry of Boulogne-sur-Mer in the Pas-de-Calais département of Northern France
The property market in Hauts-de-France
Hauts-de-France is made up of five departments: Nord, Pas-de-Calais, Somme, Oise and Aisne.
Overall, property prices in Hauts-de-France tend to be relatively affordable, with the average property price being significantly lower than in regions like Île-de-France.
For city dwellers, the property market in the capital city, Lille, may be of interest. There, you’ll find urban apartments, traditional townhouses, warehouses converted into lofts-style residences, modern villas and a range of investment properties. It is relatively expensive, however, at around €3,800 per square metre for an apartment, according to Notaires de France.
For those searching for a small-town home in France, discover Arras and Montreuil-sur-Mer. The latter is a fortified town on a hillside, awash with history, if not the sea, which has now retreated several miles away. Historic houses in Arras typically cost from €250,000.
Away from the urban areas, there’s a vast countryside to be discovered in Hauts-de-France where you’ll find everything from spacious barns to be renovated to farmhouses and detached homes. If you’re looking for a farmhouse, prices start from €150,000.
The coast is a huge attraction, with the promise of a cottage by the sea, easily reachable from a Channel port starting at around €200,000. For properties in resorts like Le Touquet you will compete with Parisians, and beachfront properties go from €500,000
Bellay Castle in Montreuil,
Steps to buying property in Hauts-de-France
- Define your criteria: Determine what you’re looking for in terms of property type, location, budget and must-have features.
- Research: Use online resources, visit local real estate agencies and explore the area to find properties that match your criteria. Book your place at the Your Overseas Home Virtual Event.
- Speak to a currency expert: Moving exchange rates are a risk in international property purchases, so discuss managing that risk with a forward contract that fixes your exchange rate.
- Legal considerations: Familiarise yourself with the French property buying process, including the role of the notaire , who handles the legal aspects of the sale. Contact an independent lawyer at this stage.
- Financing: Investigate mortgage options if required. French banks offer loans to non-residents, but it’s advisable to compare rates and terms.
- Book your viewing/scouting trip: Download the guide, contact estate agents an book your tickets.
- Making an offer: Once you find a property you like, you can make an offer. If accepted, you’ll sign a preliminary contract (compromis de vente or a promesse de vente) and pay a deposit.
- Completion: The final sale is completed when the acte de vente is signed at the notaire’s office, and the balance of the purchase price is paid.
Associated costs
When buying property in Hauts-de-France or wider France, the buyer is responsible for notaire fees, which average 7-8% of the property price (or 2-3% for new homes) and will have to also consider estate agent fees (although often included in the property price) and homeowner taxes.
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