The First-Timer's Guide to Buying Land in France 

I've just bought a plot of land in France for a renovation and self-build project, Buying land overseas for the first time involves a steep learning curve. This is what I learned. It may help you avoid the mistakes I made…

Begin by checking the boundaries

The problem in rural France and elsewhere no doubt is that boundaries are not always clearly drawn on title deeds, especially when you have woodland as part of your land. Do not take what the agent says at face value!

I was advised to ask the agent for a copy of the title deeds. What I should have done was to go to the departmental office of the Land Registry (le cadastre) to see the relevant section (un extrait) of the local land registry plan (le plan or releve cadastral).

Land in France is divided into plots (une parcelle) and these are marked on the cadastral plan. This shows a map of the area with each plot numbered and sometimes named as well. An accompanying register lists the owner of each plot.

In due course, you will want to verify the precise boundaries of the land. You will need to employ what's known as a geometre expert.  The local town hall will advise.

Consider the services

You can often pick up land at ridiculously low prices in France and elsewhere - usually because it has no basic facilities. You are looking for the phrase 'viabilise' on the particulars; indicating that the land has water, sewerage, electricity, gas and telephone services in place. Even so, you do need to check, and that they are operational.

It is not always easy to spot the mains supplies. What you are looking for are the meters. I found mine in a concrete box near to the boundary of the land. They are not always easy to locate. Water and sewerage are key concerns.

Many rural properties such as the one I've bought to part-demolish and renovate aren't actually connected to the main sewerage system at all. Instead they use septic tanks. Check this and the electricity, gas and telephone services and the costs of their connection, if relevant.
       
Don't forget the practicalities

You need to check the condition of any walls, fences or hedges, especially alongside the boundaries of the land. Find out who owns these and who is responsible for their upkeep.

Think too about the state of the land. You may have woodland where you wish to build. Check that you can remove trees to do so. If possible, assess the land in different weather conditions. I found my plot looked very waterlogged in winter; something I'd never noticed in the dry autumn. Even grass and weeds are worth considering. These can grow quickly if left unchecked.

Badly overgrown land can take years to restore into an attractive state. If you are planning to build or renovate, the practicalities of getting vehicles, equipment and machinery and materials on to and off the land may be an issue.  Consider entrances, the size and shape of the land, the presence of adjoining properties, the proximity of overhead cables and similar. 

Think about the rights and restrictions

You may assume, as many people do, that rural land away from neighbours is relatively free from restrictions. However, that is not always the case. At the local town hall, you should check for any rights of way across the land. You may well find that ramblers have rights of access, for example. The fact that you cannot see a path does not mean that a right of way doesn't exist.

If your land contains or is close to a river or a lake, you may find that there is an issue with fishing rights and access. You may also discover that there are hunting rights on or adjacent to the land.

You should also check to see if you can put up any fencing or walling on your land. You should avoid any alterations that might affect the right of access on public paths. That can even extend to the repair or maintenance of such paths. Public paths must also be kept free of parked cars and any other obstructions.   

Look at the locality

At the town hall, check what is known as the zoning plan - the plan d'occupation des sols. Many rural properties are in an 'NC' zone, meaning 'non-constructible'. Renovations and extensions may be severely restricted.

There are other documents to check too - le certificate d'urbanisme (showing plans for building of roads, houses etc) and loi d'alignement (similar to a compulsory order in the UK). Complete a form known as the renseignements d'urbanisme and you will find out what you need to know.

The local town hall is also obliged to regularly analyse the water from the local utility company and make the results (hard water, soft water, high-nitrate content, low nitrate content etc) available to the public. Check as the quality of French mains water supplies varies considerably.

Do check the local noise regulations. Most communes restrict the times at which noise such as drilling and hammering is allowed. You may discover that you can only do noisy renovation work at the weekends on a Saturday morning.