With land prices currently very attractive in France, a steady flow of UK farmers are heading to France to expand their holdings. Whilst northern France is best for cereal growing, Brittany is prime for pigs. Poitou-Charentes offers huge tracts of maize and sunflowers, whereas the Limousin is famous for its attractive rolling cattle and sheep grazing countryside.
How much do farms cost in France?
Hobby farmers tend to own less than the 50-hectare plus professionals and it’s possible, for example, to get a lovely house with 20-30 hectares of surrounding land for around €300,000 in the Haute-Vienne.
Farm property agent, Colin Appleyard, at Leggett Immobillier helps buyers to purchase the right property particularly in the cattle and sheep grazing areas in the Limousin. He often works closely with SAFER, the French land agency, to ensure a rapid installation procedure and rapid access to all the subsidies that are available.
“Hobby farming is a growing trend, although in such cases, to be totally self sufficient, owners would need a source of secondary income from gîtes, B&B, or indeed camping on the farm” he says. Such properties are often available, providing a great opportunity for a wonderful, peaceful lifestyle as well as self sufficiency.
By Liz Rowlinson for Legget Immobillier
Click here to see a selection of working farms for sale in France
