-
Britons are the largest foreign community of second-home owners in Nouvelle Aquitaine
See which other departments in the region are popular with British nationals
-
Travellers risk extra costs under new Eurotunnel ticket rule
Some fare options are less flexible and less forgiving of lateness
-
May will be difficult month for train travel in France, warns minister
Two major train unions are threatening to strike and are ‘not willing to negotiate’, he says
Average cost of French self-built home now €294,000
The average cost of building your own house in France is now €294,000, a significant rise compared to last year, despite the decrease in actual average floor space.

In 2017, the average amount needed to build your own house rose to €294,110, a rise of 5.58% compared to the €278,570 seen in 2016, according to a new study from building advice website, ForumConstruire.com.
This increase represents the rising average cost of a piece of house-building land, which has soared by 7.46% in the last 12 months, from €97,280 to €104,540, as reported by French news source Le Figaro today.
However, because land has become so expensive, the actual size of the average self-built property is actually decreasing. On average, the inhabitable space of an average self-built property today is less than 120m², compared to the 134m² average seen in 2010.
“It is difficult to say whether the trend will accelerate or reverse,” explained Thomas Modolo, communications manager at ForumConstruire.com. “[Especially] with the uncertainty surrounding zero interest loans. But we do know that houses are being built smaller and smaller.”
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France