Most people thinking of buying a Breton home or a House in Normandy are excited by a great education system...a health service that, by many accounts, makes the UK version look like it's standing still...They will be thrilled by a country without road tax...as well as one with a great road network - where the words 'traffic jam' are rarely used or heard. And that'a just scratching the surface of the benefits of life in Northwest France...
If that isn't enough - all Northern French ports are just a few hours away from friends, family and loved ones in the UK who can't be with you the whole of the time. But like all the Celtic regions throughout the European Continent and islands, Brittany is a land of legend, myth and culture...with a fascinating history...which brings along with it its culture, customs, trade & manufacturing specialities, music and the arts, crafts and cuisine, as well as architecture which is cherished and restored The Bretons and Normans are proud folk and rightly so...The whole intertwines to become something very recogniseable to the British (not surprisingly as Brittany was originally settled by those fleeing tyrrany in England and the Normans moved in to 'look after' England after 1066). It evokes a time when life was very much simpler in our own country. And the Bretons manage to live life on a fine balance between pastoral and hi-tech....rural and agricultural to cutting edge. The one thing the Bretons & Normans definitely know how to do as a 'nation' ...is enjoy themselves...with each hamlet, village, town and city bursting with enthusiasm and talent to display their music, dance, drama and visual arts to each other...and now - the world.
The Geography, as you might guess (because we used to be joined up!) is very like the South of England and is always likened to Devon and Cornwall (look out for the place names which ooze the Celtic connection) with rugged coasts and sweeping beaches. Brittany was founded on its reliance on the sea...Explorers and Merchants out of St. Malo and fishing around its coastline to feed the population whilst waiting for the return of the seafarerers with new and innovative goods and finds from around the world. Hand in hand with the sea is the hinterland, the interior where life relied on the forests and lakes for fuel, food and building materials. Listen out - especially in March (it's 'chainsaw' month) when farmers and foresters husband the timber to ensure its continual renewal.
The pride that the Bretons and Normans show in their towns and cities is astounding...You won't hear of buildings of significance being demolished to put up a supermarket or commercial buildings here. And, whilst we're at it - the out of town shopping is great, leaving the town centres for speciality shopping, banking and eating out!
It's hardly surprising that there is a 'slight' rush from the British to buy property in Brittany and Normandy, with its sometimes amazing price differentials (especially on old buildings, which abound, because of the Agricultural Revolution)... Speak French to your neighbour and he will respect you for it. The Bretons and Normans are very warm and naturally friendly people. After all they either used to - rule over us - be part of us - or ruled by us - so we're almost family!
A House in Brittany Ltd can help you in hunting for your Brittany or Normandy property across Brittany (Finistere, Cotes d'Armor, Morbihan, Il et Villaine and Southern Normandy).
...from Ruin to Renovation, from Petite to Palatial, from Maison to Manoir...from "Ooh" and "Ahh" to "Oooh-la-lah".
You will find plenty of properties on our site and, obviously, many also within the portfolios of our associates - which you will have the opportunity to peruse on arrival for your appointment(s). We believe, in our position as a UK introducing agent offering properties across Brittany and Normandy from 10 offices, that 'THE PROPERTY IS THE KEY'. If you see a house on our site that you would like to view we will check its availability (we endeavour to keep our site as up to date as possible - but we are in the hands of our agents to inform us when properties have sold - at which point we mark them as such on our site). We then make an appointment or a well balanced string of appointments to view properties that interest you from the site. We place as much information and as many photographs as we are supplied with on the site. Sometimes information is scant and photo's few - but we use as many as we are given by the agent on the ground (we leave out the 'fuzzy' ones).
When you have viewed, and hopefully chosen to buy a house in Brittany or a house in Normandy, our agents will assist you in the signing of the Compromis de vente (at this point you must provide a 10% deposit - which can be paid by Eurocheque or bank transfer - backed by your birth certificate and marriage certificate if applicable). There is a 7 day 'cooling off' period during which, if you have a change of heart for any reason, you may withdraw from the agreement. But observance of this 7 day element is strict over there and your withdrawal must be in writing and in the hands of the agent/notaire within the specified period. They will also inform you of the date for signing at the Acte Finale. At this time the agent will assist you through the signing of the final documentation (acting as interpreter if required) and ensuring in any event, that you fully understand the document and agreeing that it contains all of the clauses which you have discussed and specified (eg:- clause tontine - which deals with specific inheritance procedures and, if required a certificate of urbanism when there will be building work to develop the property you are purchasing. The agent will also assist with the provision of services...Electricity, Water, Telephone, Gas (if applicable). So you are not left high & dry when taking possession of your property.
We work closely with a network of agents which is being built carefully to be sympathetic to the needs of our, predominantly, British market. All agents are English speaking if not English themselves; having taken their knowledge and marketing skills to the places we would all like to live or to enjoy and profit from a maison secondaire.
The use of our service to provide and link appointments across the whole of our Brittany and Normandy area
costs you no more than if you were to arrange your own viewings directly with agents in France. So with us you make just one UK call in English and we, with the help of our network will do the rest to introduce you to
From East to West our current working areas are:
Lisieux in Normandy, serving the area around Deauville, Honfleur, Pont-l'Eveque (best Ferry ports Caen, Le Havre, Dieppe).
Orbec in Normandy, serving the area around Broglie, Bernay, Livarot, Vimoutiers Thiberville (best Ferry ports Caen, Le Havre, Dieppe).
Vire in SE Normandy, serving the area around Vire, St Sever, Calvados, Swiss Normandy, Bocage Virois, Villedieu (best Ferry ports Caen, St Malo).
Mortain in Normandy, serving the area around Domfront, Sourdeval, St Hilaire de Harcouet, Juvigny le Tertre (best Ferry ports Caen, Le Havre, Dieppe).
Fougere in Il et Villaine (coming soon!), serving the area around Mayenne, Laval, Comburg, Ernée, Vitré, St James, St Hilaire du Harcouet, Pontorson (best Ferry ports St Malo, Caen...airport Dinard).
Dinan, serving the Cotes d'Armor area around Dinan, Dinard, Dol de-Bretagne, Caulnes (best Ferry ports St Malo...airport Dinard).
Merdrignac, serving the Cotes d'Armor area around the north coast, Jugon le Lac, Broons, Merdrignac, St Meen le Grand, Moncontour, St Brieuc (best Ferry ports St Malo...airport Dinard, Rennes).
Loudeac, serving the Cotes d'Armor area around Loudeac, Trinite Porhoet, Plessala, Laurenen, Mur de Bretagne etc., (best Ferry ports St Malo...airport Dinard).
Locminé, serving the Morbihan area around Josselin, Rohan, Pontivy, Guémené sur Scorf, Pontivy, Vannes (best Ferry ports St Malo...airport Dinard).
Malestroit, serving the Morbihan, the south coast and an area around Ploermel, Questembert, Rochéfort en-Terre, la Gacilly, Péaule, Béganne, La Roche Bernard (best Ferry ports St Malo...airport Dinard, Rennes).
Baud, serving the Morbihan area around Auray, Lorient, Plouay, Hennebont (best Ferry ports St Malo, Roscoff...airport Lorient, Dinard, Rennes).
Morlaix, serving the Finistere, the north coast and an area around Guingamp, Lannion, Morlaix, Carhaix-Plouguer, Chateulin (best Ferry ports St Malo, Roscoff...airport, Brest, Lorient, Dinard, Rennes).
All in all there are not many areas that are not covered by our agents.
If you are a Brittany or Normandy based Immobilier reading this and you would like wider representation through A House in Brittany or A House in Normandy - then contact us to discuss how we can help in bringing more buyers to your area.
