HOUSES AND PROPERTY FOR SALE IN Normandy

Historically, the region was split into Lower and Upper Normandy, but these were merged in 2016 when the Grand Ouest region was formed. Many locals still refer to Basse and Haute Normandie. They are also very proud of their history, and you can expect to find some of the finest “patrimoine” in France, including cathedrals, abbeys, and churches. The Bay of Mont Saint-Michel alone has more than 60 protected monuments historiques.

You can also expect to find the very best equestrian property that France has to offer. From the houses, outbuildings and stabling to the grazing land and equestrian support network, this is a region that is perfect for equine lovers. Indeed, Normandy has well over 300 horse riding centres and 31 hippodromes.

The capital, Rouen, sits on the river Seine and has an important history. The famous cathedral has been built and rebuilt over a period of 800 years, which is why it has gothic, flamboyant and renaissance elements. These have been perfectly captured in many paintings by the impressionist artist Claude Monet. You will find many other historic buildings in the pretty city centre, and the streets are thronged with a lively student population, as well as tourists and locals.

The Normandy coast has some lovely, upmarket, resorts. These are popular with Parisians, many of whom have holiday-homes here. Deauville is one, and hosts an annual American movie festival, which is only second to Cannes in terms of prestige. The “les planches” boardwalk here was built out of exotic wood in 1923 so that the wealthy could promenade along the seafront, without getting sand on their elegant clothing. Expect to find the great and good still doing this, then uploading the photos to their Instagram accounts!

Normandy is surrounded by three main airports: Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly and Nantes Atlantique. This means that regular direct flights are available to all international destinations, including low-cost flights to the UK and Europe.

The train time between Rouen and Paris is around 1hr 20mins, from where you can take the Eurostar, or TGV to all major European cities. Of course, the SNCF train network also runs throughout Normandy. The A13 connects Rouen to Paris in under two hours, the port at Le Havre in just over an hour, or Caen in around an hour and a half.

The ferry ports at Ouistreham/Caen, Cherbourg, Dieppe, and Le Havre are all popular, visit https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk for latest sailing times.

For an in-depth analysis, read our latest Grand Ouest market comment (below), which includes average prices in all of the major towns and resorts, as well as expert comment from our local agents in the region.

Normandy is a popular region for holiday homes, particularly with Parisians, and buyers from the UK, Belgium and Netherlands who can reach their properties with relative ease.

Demand for property in all five departments has been strong over recent years. Prices have been rising steadily although they are beginning to level off now. Over the last 12 months the average house price has fluctuated in each department: Calvados +3.3%, Eure -0.7%, Manche -0.7%, Orne -0.7% and Seine-Maritime +3.4%.

You will pay a premium price on the coast, particularly in the popular resorts like Deauville. You will also find that prices are higher in and around the bigger towns and cities (particularly Rouen, where the high student population means that rental property is always in demand), and the closer you get to Paris. As an example, thousands of visitors’ flock from Paris to Giverny, to visit Monet’s house and garden, but many people also commute the other way, as it is under an hour by car into central Paris.

Equestrian property is also a speciality in Normandy, which is home to Le Pin National Stud. The grounds stretch throughout Haras de Pin and its neighbouring towns, and all are classified as national monuments. The second national stud is at St Lo, and there is a 190km trail which links the two. Around 40% of all French racehorses are bred in Normandy, by 8,300 horse breeders. The small airport at Deauville specialises in transporting horses. No wonder equestrian related properties are so popular throughout the region.