If you are looking to take on a new project and have the know-how, time, and funds, then undertaking your own renovation can be the perfect way to buy property in France.
From a romantic old chateau to a grand family home, these five projects are all on the market for between €160,000 and €500,000.
Centuries of character - Dordogne: €450,000
In the quiet hamlet of Saint-Cyprien, near the Dordogne Valley, is this authentic stone manor house to restore, an adjoining stone house to renovate, a small swimming pool, a garage and an easy-to-manage rear garden.
The main house retains many original architectural elements including a 15th-century mullioned window, stained glass, stone sinks and monumental fireplaces.
Perched on the river bank, in the tourist village of Confolens (Charente), this maison ancienne was built in 1948.
With a former bar and restaurant area on the ground floor, eight bedrooms, six bathrooms, sauna and courtyard it has commercial potential as a B&B or gîte, while being equally suitable as a large residential home.
Located in Louviers (Eure), this Mansard roofed chateau has an impressive façade reflecting its Baroque architecture.
Two wings extend towards the corner towers, and the interiors are well-preserved with terracotta floors, cast iron columns, carved arch windows, 18th-century style panelling and marble fireplaces.
The chateau is surrounded by a vast park of 1.1 hectares with a magnificent entrance gate.
With its closest neighbour 500 metres away, this gîte is in a secluded location five minutes from Sées (Orne).
The house boasts a mixture of original features alongside rooms to be refurbished, such as a large dining area adorned with a fireplace and a pellet stove, and a room of 32m² to be converted into a master suite.
Outside are wooded grounds, two garages and a part converted guest house.
As if suspended in time, this 17th-century manorial farm in Callac (Côtes-d'Armor) has dominated the valley for more than three centuries.
With its vast grounds and outbuildings, there is potential to renovate the buildings and imagine new layouts to this rustic interior with timeless charm.
Between woods and a river, the estate could even be made autonomous and sustainable.
