Tour de france to inspire second home buyers?

Carcassonne, famous for its picturesque landscapes, is popular among second home buyers Photo: Dan Rocha

Richard Way, Editor at the Overseas Guides Company, publishers of FranceBuyingGuide.com, says: “In particular, stage 16 of the Tour starts in the Languedoc and its fortified town of Carcassonne, and ends in the town of Bagneres-de-Luchon in the Midi-Pyrenees, at the foot of the mountains."

Indeed, while property in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur is the most popular among French house hunters on TheMoveChannel.com, accounting for 15.65 per cent of enquiries in 2011, Languedoc Rousillon is close behind in the race to buyers' pockets, attracting 13.94 per cent of enquiries, as people look away from the glamour of the Coast to find a rural second home getaway.

"The countryside around Carcassonne hides picturesque villages that enjoy long summers and offer very affordable property," notes Way. "In somewhere like Fanjeaux, rustic farmhouses can be snapped up for less than £200,000."

“Like Harrogate, the finish of this year’s first stage, Bagneres is also a spa town, but it also offers skiing in the Pyrenees and paragliding," continues Way. "Prices in Bagneres are very attractive too, especially for lovers of the outdoors – apartments in the town Centre, and close to the ski lift - are available for comfortably under £100,000.”

Indeed, demand for French property recently overtook Spanish real estate on TheMoveChannel.com, driven by such affordable prices and historic low mortgage rates.