Buying property in Nord-Pas de Calais
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Articles on France
Officially the world's number one tourist destination, France is undoubtedly a great place to holiday, and it is also a popular retirement spot, as rising numbers of older folk setting up home across the Channel testify. However, the latest French property trend is not about vacation homes or spending your golden years on the Riviera: it’s about living the ooh-la-la lifestyle without giving up your day job.
Thanks to the UK’s first high-speed train link, northern France is a highly feasible option for folk who want to live abroad but continue a career in Blighty. In November 2007 Calais saw the arrival of the faster Eurostar service, shaving 20 minutes off the UK-France journey time, and since then, according to estate agents selling in the area, Brits have been streaming into the north of France in droves.
It’s easy to understand why: at just under an hour from Saint Pancras International, Calais is an easy commute from London and the south of England; by buying property in Nord-Pas de Calais, Brits can live on UK salaries while enjoying the French quality of life.
The attractions of living across the Channel are many. Those buying property in Nord-Pas de Calais cite the “more maison for less money incentive”, plus the laid-back lifestyle, quieter roads, lower crime rates, better schools, a safer environment in which to raise a family - not forgetting the fab food and wine. Penny Zoldan of Latitudes observes: “British families considering buying property in Nord-Pas de Calais will find cheaper housing, in more pleasant surroundings. Life in rural, northern France gives people peace of mind, and more time to enjoy being with their family. With easy travel back to the UK for work or to visit family and friends, it really offers the best of both worlds.”
It’s true that the travel is a breeze. Board the Eurostar in London on a Friday afternoon and you can be walking through your front door in France in under two hours. Besides door-to-door convenience, the train is a more eco-friendly option. Prices for a single journey London-Calais start from £55; there are three daily departures from London and two returning, bringing Calais ever-closer to the UK. Car drivers can motor across via Eurotunnel for as little as £39 for an off-peak single trip on frequent traveller rates, and the Folkestone-Calais journey time is a nifty 35 minutes.
One thing people buying property in Nord-Pas de Calais cannot claim is better weather - but then, Brits are used to spot of rain. No-one could call Calais the prettiest part of France either, nevertheless, the town and surrounding areas are fast becoming a hot spot for anglophone house-hunters. Peter Wheelton of VEF’s Calais office confirms that young, London-based professionals living in modest accommodation in the suburbs are buying character properties Nord-Pas de Calais, and he claims increasing numbers of Brits have been buying commuter properties in Nord-Pas de Calais over the last year.
Having lived in Calais for over a decade, Wheelton is well placed to sing its praises. “Calais offers a great, varied lifestyle for British relocators,” he says. “Whether it’s schools, shopping facilities, leisure, sports or cultural activities, there’s a lot on offer. For families with children, there’s a good choice of public and private education, at all age levels, and nearby Lille offers the best range of further education opportunities anywhere in northern France. There’s a huge Cite Europe retail complex near the Tunnel, and a new shopping centre called 4 Boulevards opened in town in 2007. Sports-wise, there’s everything from badminton to parachuting; the town has a brand new swimming pool complex, a health spa centre has recently opened, and an all-seater football stadium is currently being built.”
All this, and culture, too: Calais’ Le Channel is a contemporary culture complex that houses the National Theatre of Calais, while film buffs have the choice of 12 screens at the Cite Europe complex. For a flutter, a drink or a meal, the north of the town boasts a casino and a host of bars and restaurants, making it the hub of local nightlife.
Buying property in Nord-Pas de Calais in, the old, walled Calais town to the north is a popular option with expats, but the seafront and newer parts of south Calais are also worth a look. Most highly prized are the late 19th-century town houses, priced in the €320,000 to €500,000 bracket (£240,000 to £375,000). With four to six bedrooms and period features, they make spacious family homes; more modestly priced are three-bedroom flats in the centre of town, hovering around €200,000 (£150,000).
Further afield, rural detached houses with large gardens can be picked up for around €320,000 to €350,000 (£240,000 to £263,000), or, for a little more, there are farms with plenty of land. Cottages (fermettes) and impressive period residences (maisons bourgeoises) abound. Moving west along the Opal Coast towards Boulogne are sandy beaches, cliffs and valleys; this is good hunting ground for farmhouses and cottages. The pretty seaside resorts are busy in summer, and well-heeled Le Touquet is popular with Parisians, hence the jaw-dropping house prices; nearby Berck is a better-priced alternative. To the south, the Forest of Guines is the perfect place for young families to run free. East of Calais is the fishing port and marina of Gravelines; the stretch from here to Lille is dotted with attractive villages and towns.
Realistically, relocators hopping back to Britain on a regular basis will want to buy property in Nord-Pas de Calais within half an hour of Eurostar’s Calais-Frethun terminal. Although the coastal towns either side of Calais have risen in popularity in recent years, their prices are still quite accessible for Brits who are paid in sterling, at London rates; cheaper still are homes inland. As commuter locations, Liz Oliver of Francophiles suggests: “Attractive towns within striking distance of Calais include Hesdin, Montreuil-sur-Mer and St. Omer, where a three- or four-bedroom family home can be bought from €155,000 [£116,000]. On our books is a fully renovated farmhouse with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and land, in a village near Hesdin, priced at €248,400 [£187,000] it’s a snip at UK prices.” A brick-built fermette in the same area with beams, fireplaces and a vaulted cellar is for sale at €335,000 [£252,000], or there’s a stone farmhouse in the Canche valley with five bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, exposed beams and landscaped gardens, selling for €430,000 [£323,000] - the same price as a modern estate house in Kent.
Of course, money is not the only motivator: given the choice, how many of us wouldn't trade St. Albans for St. Omer? As the saying goes, you never know how many friends you've got until you buy a home in France. With access this easy, homeowners in northern France should be prepared for an onslaught of visitors.
Read our other articles about buying property in France:
as well as our overseas property news stories affecting the property market in France, the Homes Overseas Guide to Buying Property in France or view our range of property for sale in France.
First published in Homes Overseas Magazine April 2008.
Some information contained within this article may have changed since it was first published. Homes Overseas strongly advises you to seek current legal and financial advise from a qualified professional.
