A Place in the Sun presenter Craig Rowe has named a “bargain” spot to buy when looking abroad. While many Brits might instantly turn to Spain when thinking about buying a home outside of the UK, Craig says another destination has “amazing prices”.
The star recently hosted an episode where he helped a property hunter looking for a sun-soaked home with a budget of just £80,000. Even with the show’s “cheeky offers” it seemed like it could be a huge ask, reports The Express.
Craig however managed to find five properties within the price range and they weren’t all fixer uppers. He says the budget was manageable because the buyers were happy to move away from the more traditional spots and look at home slightly off the beaten path.
The expert says you can get more for your money if you consider the likes of rural France over the more traditional destinations like the Costa Del Sol.
He told Express.co.uk: “It was to be a permanent move for her and she had a £75,000 budget and £5,000 wiggle room. Southwest France, so we’re talking the likes of Nantes, La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast – that’s really popular with Brits.
“And we do quite a lot of episodes in Charente and Charente-Maritime and those areas are also really popular with Brits, and they’re quite good value. But you’re not going to get something for a very, very low budget.
“However, when you move up to Sèvres and areas of the Limousin, you can get amazing prices. We showed her five properties, pretty much all within that budget and there are a couple that needed some development, but there were a couple you could move straight into.
“I was really impressed by what we showed her and I think it’s a real surprise for people to know (these places exist). Obviously it’s gone up a little bit since we filmed, but not a huge deal.
“In that part of France, there are still good bargains to be had. The lovely thing about southwest France and that part of the coast and further inland, they still have seasons.
“So they have really nice summers. Yes, they have cold winters. But the light is lovely, the landscape is beautiful, and you still get four seasons, which I think people would like as well.”
Craig says southern Spain gets “so hot,” which “works for some people” but others want to relocate somewhere that is a bit closer to home. He now predicts people will start to look at southern France in a “different way”.
South west France has a host of things to do for visitors, including its world-famous wines. Many people travelling to the region like to take in Bordeaux, which is known for its red wines including Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The region is however becoming increasingly known for its dry whites, such as Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon as well as its sweet wines. The region also has a rich history thanks to the bastides, fortified medieval villages, such as the City of Monpazier.
The historic city of Carcassonne was made a UNESCO heritage site in 1997. The earliest-known settlements in the area are said to have dated back to the pre-Roman period.
Unesco says: “Since the pre-Roman period, a fortified settlement has existed on the hill where Carcassonne now stands.
“In its present form it is an outstanding example of a medieval fortified town, with its massive defences encircling the castle and the surrounding buildings, its streets and its fine Gothic cathedral.
“Carcassonne is also of exceptional importance because of the lengthy restoration campaign undertaken by Viollet-le-Duc, one of the founders of the modern science of conservation.”