(1888PressRelease)
June 22, 2007 - So why France? One of the major reasons might be that the country was recently voted the best place in the world to live - for the second year running. International Living magazine evaluated a range of factors such as cost of living and life expectancy to assess the quality of life in more than 140 countries and France was the clear winner.
There are many things about French life that appeal to both the casual visitor and the buyer looking for a second home, or considering relocating completely. For starters, the country has an infrastructure that works.
Trains are quick and relatively cheap, post arrives when it is supposed to and the healthcare is second to none.
For the bon viveur, France is attractive because of the quality of its cuisine - and the native drinks. Cognac originates in the French region of the same name and was a favourite drink of Napoleon, one of the most famous Frenchmen in history. Also, some of the finest wines in the world are produced in France, including champagne, which also takes its name from a French region.
These luxury products are exported all over the world, but also find eager buyers on the domestic market. Places such as the Cote d'Azur and Cannes have a much higher than average rate of champagne consumption, in much the same way that wealthy footballers haunt Alderly Edge does in Cheshire.
The Cote d'Azur is one of the favourite playgrounds of the world's rich and famous and as such, property prices can be expensive. However, the rents are also high and yields can be generous if an investor owns the right property in the right area. A high point of the season is the Cannes film festival, which results in properties being booked up well in advance for miles around the area.
Other areas in the south of France that have recently begun to open up to the tourist market are places like Carcassonne, Montpellier, and Perpignan. These have benefited from the opening of new budget airline routes which have made it easier than ever for visitors to access them.
Each of these areas also boasts significant tourist potential, especially the old walled city of Carcassonne, which is very popular with tourists that have an interest in history and archaeology.
