Le Marais
Paris
€13,500/ sqm
−2.1% YoY
Historic 3rd–4th arrondissements. Period hôtels particuliers, premium pricing, deep international demand. Among the few Parisian areas to hold value through 2024.
🇫🇷France
France welcomes foreign buyers and tenants without restriction. Paris compresses yields under heavy rent control while Lyon, Bordeaux and Nice run looser. The notaire-led process clears in 8–12 weeks with a 10-day statutory cooling-off period. Pick what you're here for below.
Foreign ownership
Fully allowed
No restrictions on non-EU buyers
Avg price / sqm
€3,000–9,500
National median to central Paris, 2024
Transaction timeline
8–12 weeks
Compromis to acte de vente
Total closing costs
7–10%
Frais de notaire on existing property
How to buy
Three steps from offer to keys
A typical French purchase clears in 8–12 weeks. The notaire — who represents the State, not either party — drives every step.
- 1Weeks 1–2
Offer & compromis de vente
Make a written offer through the agent. Once accepted, sign a compromis de vente (preliminary contract) with a 5–10% deposit held in escrow. A 10-day statutory cooling-off period (loi SRU) lets you walk away with no penalty.
- 2Weeks 3–8
Conditions & survey
The notaire orders title searches, mandatory diagnostics (asbestos, lead, energy, termites), and verifies the urbanism file. If you're financing, this is when the bank locks the mortgage offer (offre de prêt) — itself subject to a 10-day reflection period.
- 3Weeks 8–12
Acte de vente at the notaire
Final deed signed at the notaire's office. You pay the balance plus all frais de notaire on the day; keys are handed over immediately. Title is registered with the Service de la Publicité Foncière in the weeks after.
What it costs
Costs to budget for
One-time costs at purchase, then recurring annual costs while you own.
One-time closing costs
Droits de mutation (transfer tax)
Set by département; up to 5.0% top rate from April 2025
5.09–5.81%
Notaire émoluments
Fixed scale, regulated by decree
≈ 1%
Disbursements & registry
Searches, mortgage filing, contributions
0.5–1%
Total typical closing (existing)
On a €500k apartment: ≈ €38–48k
7–10% of price
New-build alternative
Reduced frais de notaire on logements neufs
≈ 2% + 20% VAT
Annual ownership costs
Taxe foncière
Owner tax — set by commune, rising in many cities
€800–2,500 / yr
Taxe d'habitation
Abolished on primary residences from 2023
Second homes only
Charges de copropriété
Building maintenance + reserves
€20–45 / sqm / yr
Building insurance
€200–500 / yr
Total typical annual
On a 70 sqm Paris apartment
€2,500–5,500
Where to buy
Neighbourhoods worth knowing
A starting set across Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux and Nice. Prices are per square metre, growth is year-on-year — note 2024 was a correction year nationally.
Croix-Rousse
Lyon
€4,900/ sqm
−3.5% YoY
Lyon's hilltop former silk-weavers' quarter. Period buildings, village feel, walkable to Presqu'île. Best value among Lyon's premium districts.
Chartrons
Bordeaux
€5,200/ sqm
−4.5% YoY
Bordeaux's old wine-merchant quarter, now its most fashionable address. Stone façades, Sunday markets, walking distance to the Garonne.
Vieux Nice
Nice
€6,500/ sqm
+1.2% YoY
Old-town Nice. Pastel façades, pedestrian alleys, strong short-let demand all year — one of the few French markets that grew through 2024.
Living there
Cost of living, language & residency
What day-to-day life looks like — relevant whether you're renting, buying, or investing.
Language
French
English usable in Paris central, less so elsewhere; A2–B1 advised
Basic budget
€1,000 / mo
Single person, mid-size city outside Paris
Comfortable
€2,500–3,500 / mo
Couple, central Paris or Lyon
Healthcare
Universal (PUMa)
Sécurité Sociale after 3 months' residence; private top-up €40–80 / mo
International schools
30+ in Paris
British, American, IB, German, Lycée bilingue options
Visa routes
Talent Passport · Visiteur · Salarié
Talent Passport Investor needs €300k+ creating jobs; property alone does not grant residency
FAQ
Common questions
Ready when you are
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