Buying property in Pyrenees-Atlantiques
Pyrenees-Atlantiques is a department in the southwest corner of Nouvelle-Aquitaine in France. It’s where France meets Spain on the Atlantic side, named after the mountains that tower over it and the west side on the Bay of Biscay.
Although as far away as you can get in France, the area has long been a popular choice for international buyers, especially British and American. The town of Pau, for example, had British buyers as soon as the Napoleonic wars ended, starting a foxhunt, and Abraham Lincoln’s widow moved here in the 1870s.
Today, international buyers come to Pyrenees-Atlantiques for its diverse landscape. With one foot in the mountains and another in the Atlantic, it offers a wide choice of lifestyles, properties and activities.
Why buy a property in Pyrenees-Atlantiques?
Like many large departments in France, where you live in Pyrenees-Atlantiques determines the kind of life you’ll lead.
Life in the prefecture of Pau is extremely diverse due to the city’s proximity to the Spanish border. Residents there enjoy a melange of urban sophistication with easy access to outdoor adventures within the department.
If you live on the Atlantic coast of the department, for example in Biarritz or St-Jean-de-Luz, they offer a traditional ‘Basque’ lifestyle with coastal charm. Residents there are encouraged to explore rugged cliffs, surf the waves in the Bay of Biscay and enjoy fresh seafood.
Further inland you’ll find a plethora of quaint villages which are spotted throughout the Basque country. There you can enjoy lively markets, traditional festivals and a small-town community.
For those more at one with nature, the Pyrenees offer endless possibilities. You can ski in winter, hike in summer and enjoy the crisp mountain air all year round. The mountainous areas have lots of places to be explored from picturesque valleys to ancient forests and hidden lakes.
What can you buy for your money in Pyrenees-Atlantiques?
Home to just over half a million residents, Pyrenees-Atlantiques is a coastal department that also offers countryside appeal. Saying that the department is clearly split into two halves. To the west, is the Pays Basque Nord (or French Basque Country) and to the east is the Bearn which is more rural.
Pau is the prefecture of Pyrenees-Atlantiques. It’s a small city that’s been named one of the best places in France for expats on numerous occasions due to its welcoming community, hot summers and mild winters.
The department’s other main cities include Biarritz, Bayonne and Anglet which are seaside towns not far from the rolling countryside. There, you’ll find lots of apartments and very popular ‘Maison Basques’, which feature bright timber window frames and woodwork – often in green or dark red. It’s quite rare to see a Basque home up for sale as their uniqueness has meant they’ve been passed down for generations.
In the east of Pyrenees-Atlantiques, you’ll find traditional Bearn houses with tiled or stone roofs, pebbled facades and usually a courtyard and outbuildings.
Recent prices from MeilleursAgents suggest that the average apartment price per square metre costs €4,219 and the average home per square metre costs €3,380. Expect prices to be considerably lower in more peaceful areas like Allier or Billere, whereas popular cities like Biarritz and communes like Urrugne are more expensive.
Steps to buying property in Pyrenees-Atlantiques
- 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.
Costs of buying property in Pyrenees-Atlantiques
When buying property in Pyrenees-Atlantiques, 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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