La Rochelle is right on France’s Atlantic edge – it’s a medieval harbour city full of limestone towers and more than 2,200 hours of sunshine each year, second only to the Mediterranean coast in France.
Its café-lined ports and quick TGV link to Paris mean you’ll be getting seaside calm without losing any big-city connections!
Our local lenders can offer everything from 17th-century townhouses near the market to modern apartments facing Île de Ré. Average asking prices hover around €5,900 per m², with entry-level flats startling closer to €2,300 per m².
Finance often feels like the hard part, which is why we created the Finance Passport. It lets you use your UK credit score with French lenders, so estate agents treat you as a serious buyer from day one!
Secure a French mortgage and step onto the Atlantic coast with Upscore’s Finance Passport.
See what makes this harbour city a standout choice for UK homeowners:
Maritime Buzz with Solid Tourist Demand: Roughly three million visitors pour in each year, so your short-let yields will definitely stay healthy throughout the year.
Plenty of Sun: You’ll be getting about 2,250 annual sunshine hours that outshine most of northern France!
Strong Rental Market: There’s a thriving university here, as well as France’s largest in-water boat show that consistently boosts year-round tenant demand.
Rising Capital Values: Median prices have climbed 4% in the past twelve months. Even though that’s slightly below popular Riviera towns, it means that there’s plenty of room for growth!
Yes! Non-EU citizens like Brits can quite easily secure a French mortgage up to 70% loan-to-value. But that’s provided that your income meets affordability checks. And the whole process – from offer to completion – generally takes about two to four months. It involves the following:
You’ll also need to pay some fees for stamp duty and to your notaire – roughly 7-8% of the purchase price (no different from national norms). While there’s no extra tax for foreigners, you will need a long-stay visa if you plan to spend more than 90 days in any 180-day period.
We’d recommend starting online and letting us connect you with some solid local lenders who can give you a wide range of options and prices. From there, you should try to plan at least one viewing trip – many vendors won’t accept an offer from buyers who haven’t walked the property.
Naturally, the prices here vary from street to street: a one-bed flat near Les Minimes marina might list under €200,000, whereas a four-bed stone house inside the old city walls can top €1 million.
Our bilingual agents will help you arrange surveys and negotiate in French, also lending a hand when you’re organising utilities so you can move in without missing a beat.
Weighing La Rochelle against another location in France? See where’s best for your requirements through our detailed guides!
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