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 31st July 2010
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 Charente Maritime - a property finder's viewThe Area and ClimateCharente Maritime boasts the second longest hours of sunshine after the Côte d’Azur and summer here seems to stretch from April to October. With over 70 beaches to enjoy you will rarely feel crowded and you can almost have the place to yourself out of season. The local seafood (oysters, mussels, crab and fish) is always fresh and plentiful and there are many good local wines to accompany your meal. Further inland, behind the salt marshes the land becomes green and rolling. The route to Santiago de Compostela passes through the area and there are many exquisite Romanesque churches along the way. Traditional markets are still held on a regular basis in most towns and the Saturday morning market in Rochefort is not to be missed. For centuries, life here has focused around the waterways, the Boutonne and Charente rivers, which carried regional produce (limestone, salt, cognac, wine) to the coast for onward transportation all over the world. Now the rivers lend themselves to canoeing or pleasure boat trips, fishing and bird watching Properties The local limestone houses with their colourful shutters are set amidst the fields of sunflowers and maize. The abiding image of this area is the creamy rendered walls, the pale blue shutters and the red Roman roof tiles, the clear blue sky and field upon field of sunny yellow sunflowers.
Modern properties are very popular with the French and retired incomers. The style of these houses blends the old with the latest in high-tech insulation, glazing and heating and with prices starting from 60,000 euro for a new build (plus land costs) it is a very tempting option. Most villages and towns have building plots (lotissements) on the outskirts, with services laid on ready to start building and land prices can be as low as 10 euro a square metre (again, much more expensive nearer the coast and major towns).  Property ranges in price from about 30,000 euro for an unconverted barn with some land, from 50,000 euro for a small house with garden in need of modernisation, through 250,000 euro for a farmhouse with an acre and some barns to convert and 300,000 euro upwards for a fully modernised character property with a few acres. Inevitably, properties nearer the coast command a premium, as do those in towns with a TGV station (2.5 hours to Paris from La Rochelle). Property prices rose 26% in the last year, and really good properties don’t stay on the agent’s books for long. Properties with swimming pools are very popular because of the long hot summers, and adding a pool to your rental property will almost double the income potential.
Activities Many Brits move to here for the climate and to make an income from holiday accommodation. This is an area with plenty to see and do : Cognac, La Rochelle, Rochefort, Royan, Saintes, the Marais Poitevin, and miles of beautiful unspoilt, undeveloped coastline with many islands to explore (Aix, Oleron, Ré, Madame). Sailing, wind surfing, water skiing and diving are all easily available on the coast and fresh water angling, kayaking, horse riding and golf further inland. Other entertainments include tours of the local wine growing areas and the brandy houses in Cognac, trips on the river Charente or a boat ride out to Fort Boyard and the islands of the Atlantic coast. Bird watching is also a very popular attraction as the is on the migratory route north/south and the marshes of the Marais Poitevin provide a year round home to many waders. On a good day you can see herons, harriers, buzzards and many smaller raptors, egrets, storks, spoonbills, stone curlews, lapwings, hoopoes, stonechats, warblers. Angie Moore Charente-Maritime Granny cmaritimegranny@aol.com www.grannynetwork.info Tel : +33(0)5 46 59 73 38 Fax : +33(0)5 46 59 97 34 Enjoyed this Article? Read the best of FrenchEntrée each month by registering for our French Property Tips newsletter. FEEDBACK Want to comment on this article? We value all helpful feedback. If you simply want to let us know about something related to this article please email feedback@frenchentree.com. If you have something you would like to contribute please follow the instructions on our (weblet 8 "Contributors Page") and don’t forget to mention which article you are referring to at the top of your text. Thank you. Regions Home Page Looking for a property in France? Use FrenchEntrée's Property Finders to help you find your property and to help you through the buying process 
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