Buying Property in the Languedoc: Types of House

The days of astonishingly cheap property in the Languedoc are already gone. Encouraged by television holiday programmes and newspaper articles, foreigners have been buying up property, and pushing up prices. Until now the locals have been delighted by this.  Foreigners, especially the Brits, tend to buy property that would never sell otherwise.  While most "Anglo-Saxons" want a crumbling ancient picturesque stone-built farmhouse, the average local would only consider a smart, small, modern, pink, brick villa with a small garden, commonly found in modern suburban estates on the outskirts of towns.  Before the flights to Carcassonne you could buy an old farm for less than the ugliest modern concrete suburban horror. But no longer.  All the farms are gone, and when new ones come on the market they sell for many times what they would have fetched three years ago.  Prices are well on their way to Provence.

All this has had knock-on effects.  For one thing the French who laughed so much at foolish foreigners buying ruins have had second thoughts.  Seeing what can be done with decaying old farmhouse has revolutionised popular opinion.  Perhaps those Anglo Saxons weren't quite as stupid as everyone thought.  The charm of a traditional building, hardly recognised five years ago, is now seen as a most desirable feature.  Also, the rash of suburban modern pink cement villas on the outskirts of nearby towns is being halted by new planning regulation.  All these trends are pushing in the same direction.  If the farms have been sold, and modern suburban developments are not available, what's left?

The answer is stone built village houses that have been falling into ruin for years.  French families and foreign ones are now buying them up.  They're relatively cheap if they don't have a garden - and most don't.  Expect to pay a 100% premium for the few that do, because that's what every one else is looking for too.

Buying Property in the Languedoc: Types of House

Some types of property that you will find in the Languedoc:

• Château. Not so many medieval castles available now, but you might find anything from a late medieval - early Renaissance chateau fort to a victorian country house. Châteaux for sale ...... Château for sale
• Manoir. "Manor": Grand two or three story country house. Manoirs for sale ...... Manoir for sale
• Maison de Maître. Large houses, generally in towns. Built by the grand bourgoisie. Three or four stories high. Typically double fronted and symetrical. Maisons de Maître for sale ...... Maison de Maître for sale
• Ferme. Farm, or small farm "Fermet", often with extra goodies like outbuildings and (redundant) wine making equipment.
• Mas. Stone walls, canal tile roof, asymetric arragement of doors & windows. Often rendered in ochre or beige. Often built next to farm buildings of different hights.
• Grange. Barn (conversion)
• Maison du Village. Easy to find as long as you don't want an attached garden.
• Chalet Found in mountain areas. Made of Wood, with decorative balconies. Roofs designed to withstand snow. Suitable for nearby winter sports.
• Presbyteres Presbyteries (rectories / vicarages). Superior houses. The priest (curé) was generally the most affluent figure in a small community.
• Moulins. Water Mills. Lovely in Summer. Often grim in winter.
• Modern Villas. Perfect for people who like pink, and don't mind two year guarantees about structural soundness.
• Coastal Appartments. Perfect for people who like white, don't mind two year guarantees about structural soundness, and are prepareed to pay twice the price for a similar property inland. If ugly apartment blocks appeal to you, you will find like-minded souls in Argeles-sur-Mer, Gruissan, Saint Cyprien, Port Bacares, Port Leucate and Cap d'Agde.
• Hameaux. Hamlets. A few years ago it was possible to buy whole hamlets. You're probably too late now, but on ne sait jamais.