Burgundy (Bourgogne in French) offers some of France’s most gorgeous countryside. Rolling green hills peppered with medieval villages and the architecturally and culturally gorgeous capital, Dijon. Great wine and food are important components of daily life here and it’s a great place to live.
We talk to local Benjamin Haas of France4U about expat life in Burgundy.
Why buy a house in Burgundy?
“Burgundy offers affordable character property in a beautiful countryside location. Here you’ll find the best of France: great food and wine, culture and history. The people are welcoming and it’s an area that’s not spoiled by too many tourists” says Benjamin. He adds that many people know Burgundy only from the motorway. Zipping past on their way to the Mediterranean shores in the summer and the Alps in the winter, “they don’t stop to discover the wonders of Burgundy. We never planned to live here but fell in love with it on our first visit” says Benjamin, originally from Holland “we feel like we truly belong, it’s a very friendly place”.
One of the main reasons to love Burgundy is the beautiful countryside. The characterful stone houses with coloured tiles are typical of the area. The Morvan regional park in the middle of the region is forested and filled with lakes of pure water, reservoirs that provide the drinking water in Paris. The hillsides are a sea of vineyards with ever-changing colours, especially in autumn when they resemble a colourful tapestry of earthy colours.
Flourishing region of Burgundy
The area is thriving thanks to the wine produced there making for a vibrant industry. Its central location in France has attracted many distribution companies such as Amazon, it’s easy for them to reach out to Germany, Spain, and Benelux countries. The economic health of Burgundy makes this a flourishing area of varied commerce.
Nevertheless, house prices are affordable, largely because towns in Burgundy are not influenced by the presence of a large city metropolis. There are few commuters to Paris or Lyon though the TGV takes you to Paris in just 1 hour 20 minutes or Lyon in 30 minutes from the centrally located Le Creusot TGV station.
Culturally and historically the region has a rich history and the legacy of the Dukes of Burgundy is seen in the presence of many period houses. Those seeking a property here will find that houses close to the wine villages are at a premium. But, if you are prepared to travel even short distances, prices are dramatically lower.
A typical house of the region will have a vaulted cellar, be built from local stone which is a wonderful warm colour. Roofs often are with small clay tiles. Inside large chimneys are common as are beautiful Burgundy flag stone floors.
“There are plenty of houses ripe for renovation” says Benjamin. “Unlike the Dordogne, this area hasn’t received the same level of attention from the British and Dutch. The region is very much real France”, UNESCO world heritage site status protects the wine areas and the regional natural park du Morvan also limits what can be built.
If you’re looking for a home in France where you’ll find plenty of property choice, beautiful countryside, cultural towns and marvellous markets, Burgundy might be the answer to your dreams…
Visit www.france4u.eu to see properties for sale in Burgundy
