Buying in the South of France
My experience and Story of trying to buy a place in the South of France
This is a link to my books about sailing
https://www.gentlesailing.com/
This is a link to my main YouTube channel about boats and sailing
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCHwNBRMwKc-aYYdKzYON4Q
16 Comments
Thanks Michael! French bureaucracy does seem like quite the adventure!
Hi Micheal, brilliant! I’m very pleased for you I know the area well from Sete westwards to the Spanish border, it’s a beautiful area and I hope you’ll be very happy there. I take it then you’ll be bringing your boat back from the Caribbean and keeping it at one of the many marinas along the coast. (BTW, I proposed to my wife just off Leucarte 23yrs ago). Once again your videos are very informative & in a relaxed manner. I hope all goes well for you, moving house is stressful in any country. I’m sat here planning my summer 2026 circumnavigation of Ireland, I think you’ll get the best sun 😂. Keep us informed of your progress, best wishes.
Delighted for you, Michael! Many congratulations. Paul from Flensburg
Congratulations, I hope you have many happy years in your new apartment 🙂
I always love to see my department get missed, fewer brits that way.
@Michael E in France: thank you for sharing such a complete experience and he process. Congratulations, 🍾🥂
Hello Michael, just happened by on this great video and stayed to the end. Glad I did, because I realized I already knew you through your sailing books. Fair winds.
Great video – you certainly like a challenge – Best of luck
Thank you this was so thorough and interesting as I'm looking to retire in France. Very helpful thank you
Such a great video, especially I like showing the towns on map and give a lot of info about buying process. I would not like to buy a place on resort, where there is no one out of season.
I thought only the buyer could walk away from the compromis during the cool off period….not the vendor.
I truly admire your willingness and ability to buy the property yourself. I am thinking about retiring in France, but will have to use a service
Awesome video!
If you would like to share your accountant, that would be great
Keep up the good work. You are inspirational.
I have been an owner/broker of a small real estate company here on Maui for 22 years and am retiring soon, selling my home and moving to France. This is the first "blow by blow" account of the actual search/ buying process and I absolutely love it. I enjoyed your sense of humor and tenacity in your search, knowing what you want and don't want yet continuing on. What months do you plan on staying there? Where does one find out how to reach you to possibly to rent the place? You didn't actually pay the additional 60% hopefully and somehow managed to get around that. This is most interesting and I look forward to the next segment of this story and the celebration of the day you actually own "this love of yours" 🙂 I have heard of horrific flooding in that area, do they disclose that in your purchase agreement? BTW you may want to edit out your photo of your carte as it has your birthday and full name in case of scammers
Thank you, Michael. I enjoyed your description of the process you went through to arrange purchase of your second home in France. I hope you are enjoying it now in 2026. I'll be checking out your sailing channel, too.
Blimey. What a palaver!! Still, you got the place you wanted. Hope you are enjoying it!
Absolutely fantastic! Thanks for sharing this info. I'd love a place in SoF. I'd actually not heard of those 2 property websites for some reason!