Since Francois Hollande edged to victory in the French presidential elections we have received numerous requests from journalists asking what impact it could have on the country’s luxury property market.

After a quick chat with Mark Harvey, who is currently running our French desk in London, the prosaic answer seems to be: not much.

To start with, Monsieur Hollande cannot enact his election promises without parliamentary approval, so the outcome of the country’s parliament elections next month could be a better indication of the direction future policy might take. Although his proposed 75% tax on those earning over €1m a year could be an incentive for some to seek out a more benign tax jurisdiction, relatively few people in France actually earn this much.

Whatever happens, it seems unlikely that property taxes will increase to the point where a significant proportion of wealthy residents will look to sell up and flee the country. Hollande is an experienced politician and while he will increase taxes on the rich, he knows he still needs entrepreneurs and business people to help propel the country out of its current economic woes.

Property taxes currently only kick in where a property is worth over €1.25m. Even then the annual tax levied is just 0.25%. This increases to 0.4% once values exceed €3m. Mark says these rates are historically very low so most owners will be able to stomach any potential hikes. Owners can also avoid most of the tax by taking out a loan against the property – the tax only applies to the actual equity held.

French property taxes are also competitive with other popular second-home destinations such as Spain and Italy, he adds.

The fate of the euro could be more instrumental in driving property markets, and its ongoing slide against the pound and US dollar is making purchases ever-more attractive for anybody backed by those currencies.

The euro has slid by around 10% against the dollar over the past 12 months and we have detected a definite upturn in enquiries from those with greenbacks to spend. On average, the monthly number of people from the US using our Global Property Search website to look for French property has increased by 15% so far this year, compared with the same period in 2011.

This doesn’t just apply to those based in the US – many Asia-Pacific businesses are paid in dollars and there have been more enquiries from this part of the world as well. With Greece seemingly closer than ever to a forced exit from the euro, the single currency looks like it could weaken further.

Apart from currency issues, France offers a number of advantages to overseas purchasers that outweigh concerns about the political aspirations of Francois Hollande. For example, like London, Paris is seen as a safe-haven location (although significantly cheaper) by wealthy Russians and Eastern Europeans who would rather keep their fortunes abroad.

It would be wrong to be too glib about the impact a concerted attack on wealth could have on the French property market, but the country will always be attractive to wealthy overseas buyers who account for an increasingly large share of the prime market, especially in Paris and the Riviera.

Admittedly, our London offices have already detected an increase in enquiries from French residents worried about living under a socialist government, but any outflow is likely to be more than matched by an influx of international buyers taking advantage of favourable exchange rates.

Article source: 10 May 2012, Andrew Shirley, Knight Frank Global Briefing

Nice International Airport links into most of central Europe’s main cities. The airport itself is a pure delight to commute in and out of and caters for both the low cost airlines plus private air transport for the executive business traveller. The is also the private air field of Cannes Mandelieu for private jets. During the peak seasons there are also extra choices from Merseille Provence airport.

Travelling to the South of France via train can also be a great option. The TGV runs at regular intervals and can be a relaxing way to travel to Cannes or Nice. Connecting upto the euro tunnel is also an option. The train is a superb way of travelling if you’re planning to stop off on route if time is on your side.

If you’re more comfortable on 4 wheels the regions main arterial road is the A8. The road passes through the Departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and Alpes-Maritimes and is 224 kilometers long starting to the west of Aix-en-Provence. It crosses the mountain ranges between Aix-en-Provence and Fréjus and Massif de l’Ésterel between Saint-Raphaël and Cannes. It serves the towns of Aix-en-Provence, Fréjus, Saint-Raphaël, Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Monaco and Menton before crossing the border where it becomes the A10 in Italy. Following the Grande Corniche the road offers wonderful panoramas of the sea between Nice and Menton. Although a tolled road, it is actually worth the money – outside of rush hour the roads are a pleasure to drive on.

If time is on your side then the coastal roads offer a more relaxing tour along the coast and give you the ability to pull over and admire the view at any time. The roads hug the coast and offer unparalleled views of the French Riviera with the spectacular coast on none side and the dramatic mountains on the other.

The ability to intersperse a game of golf with some culture, gastronomic and liquid delights puts Golf in the South of France way ahead of the more traditional destinations such as Portugal and the Costa Brava. From beginners to those looking to tackle championship courses, the South of France and its many golf courses are ready and waiting.

World renowned and championship golf courses in the South of France include Cannes Mougins, Royal Mougins, Taulane designed by Gary Player, La Grande Motte, Four Seasons, Barbaroux, Saint Endreol, Gassin, Fregate, Saint Donat designed by one of the worlds most prolific course designers Trent Jones snr, Pont Royal and Nimes Campagne. With more than a dozen enthralling 18 hole golf courses in the South of France all you need to think about is accommodation.

Villa rental in the south of France close to a golf course is a great choice if you fancy a bit more freedom than a hotel can offer, plus it can indeed be far better value in the long run. Dependent on the number of people in your golf party there are many beautiful and magnificent villas to choose from. If there are non-golfing partners, the location of the rental villa is important too, because whilst the golfers are spoiling a nice walk in the country, the other members of the party will want to have easy access to other locations of interest and the major towns in the areas such as Cannes, Antibes, Mougins and Nice.

Choosing the time of year is also an important factor for your villa rental on the French Riviera. The region regularly enjoys temperatures of over 30ºC during July and August, and when you add in the number of tourists – these are probably the months to miss. Spring or late September are perfect! The day time temperatures are in the early 20’s, evening temperatures are mild (requiring a light jumper perhaps) and you’ll find plenty of freedom on the fairways. Plus, when visiting the other cultural delights the South of France has to offer you won’t be battling against the throngs of tourists present in July and August. The weather is a serious bonus in the South of France and an important element for your golfing trip – the area can boast 300 days of sunshine a year ensuring year round golfing opportunities.

Travel to your golf holiday  in the South of France and rental villa is quick and easy. Nice International airport is efficient and well connected to all the major hubs and city airports in Europe. The airport is well serviced and a pure delight to travel in and out of. Another option if time is on your side is the TGV. A regular service from Paris, the TGV has great connections and can be a very pleasant way to travel down to the South of France en-route to your favourite golf courses.

Last but not least the ‘après golf’ will not let you down. With Cannes, Antibes or Nice offering you gastronomic delights and entertainment abound. While if you’re looking for a slightly quieter après golf experience the villages of Valbonne, Mougins or Biot can offer their own spectacular gastronomic and lively village experiences.

For pure value for money, renting a villa as part of your golfing holiday in the South of France is unbeatable. It ticks all the boxes for the golfer and if required the non-golfing partners. To get the ball rolling you should make contact with a trusted and reputable villa rental specialist in the area, they will be familiar with the golf courses you might want to play and will be able to offer you the best villas to suit your specific requirements. The villa rental agent can even help with arranging transport, green fees, private catering and much more.

So, what are you waiting for? Start planning that golfing trip to the South of France now!

Créée en 1992 et associée avec Knight Frank depuis environ 8 ans, Riviera Realty a une excellente réputation en recherche de biens de prestige à vendre sur l’ensemble de la Côte d’Azur, de villas de luxe à la location sur la Riviera française et pour la qualité de sa relation clients. Notre succès résulte de notre expérience et de notre travail acharné, ainsi que de l’écoute et de la compréhension des demandes de nos clients afin de localiser la propriété idéale à la vente sur la Côte d’Azur correspondant à leurs critères spécifiques.

 Notre association avec Knight Frank nous donne accès à l’ensemble des propriétés de prestige à la vente sur la Côte d’Azur. De plus, nous disposons d’une exposition internationale dans plus de 43 pays partout dans le monde grâce au réseau des 207 agences Knight Frank.