The French property market in 2026 remains one of the most stable and best-value for foreigners in Europe, with recent data showing recovery in the number of homes being bought alongside negligible price movement.
A solid 11% more property sales were completed in France in the year ending February 2026, compared to the previous 12 months, according to Notaires de France. This represents a turnaround after a yearly fall in house sales since mid-2022, including a historic low-point in 2024.
Property values remain steady though, with an average rise nationwide of just 1.1% between the fourth quarters of 2025 and 2024. Projections based on data for May 2026 indicate a stabilisation, with movement ranging between -1% and +1% for the next year.
This is all good news for lifestyle buyers keen to snap up a home in France, especially the interior where the abundance of character homes helps maintain price stability. International hot spots, most obviously the prime Cote d’Azur, Alpine resorts and central Paris, continue to follow their own course, driven as much by foreign demand as domestic.
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Key French property market stats for 2025
Notching up 940,000 completed sales during the calendar year, 11% more properties were purchased in France in 2025 compared to 2024 (845,000 sales). It appears France’s market has turned a corner.
“The real estate market figures confirm it – after three years of crisis, the existing market is regaining its colours,” said Loïc Cantin, President of FNAIM, France’s national federation for estate agents. “Sales are picking up, prices are stabilizing, and activity is thus returning to a level close to that observed in 2023, although still far from the historical peak of 2021, with 1,230,000 sales.”
FNAIM anticipates a continued recovery in 2026, with an expected increase in transactions of between 960,000 and 980,000 sales. It predicts average prices to rise ‘in a contained manner’, namely between +1% to +2%.
However, FNAIM also warns that behind the generally positive projections, major uncertainties remain. France’s political context, upcoming tax decisions and the absence of a clear and sustainable housing strategy could determine the rate of recovery.
Regional differences in French property market
Nearly two thirds of all French departments recorded year-on-year hikes of more than 10% in property sales in 2025, according to Notaires de France. Activity levels across all departments are still yet to catch up with 2022 though.
The Île-de-France region stood out, especially the departments of Hauts-de-Seine and Seine-et-Marne with year-on-year rises approaching 20% in 2025. Provincially, isolated incidences of significant increases were in Rhone (+16%), Haute-Garonne (+17%) and Gironde (+18%). Areas with lower rises of less than 5% included Orne, Nièvre, Moselle, Haute-Marne, Cher and Aude.
Price stabilisation in French market
The average house price (resale) nationwide was 1.1% higher in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year, according to Notaires de France. Looking closer, apartment values rose more than houses (1.5% and 0.8% respectively). Average prices had dropped during the two years before.
On a national level, areas of price growth included the outskirts of the ten largest provincial cities (+2.1%) and in medium-sized cities (+2.1%). A few cities are seeing rises well above the national average, including Strasbourg (+8.1%), Mulhouse (+7.1%), Caen (+7.4%) and Reims (+7.4%).
Others yet to see an uptick where moderate decreases are still happening include Saint-Étienne (-2.8%), Grenoble (-2.4%) and Brest (-2.1%), not to mention Paris (-0.5%). Rural municipalities are yet to see price growth with slight dips of -0.1% nationwide last year.
International buyers in France
Non-resident foreigners accounted for around 3% of France’s overall property market in 2025. This was a slight fall of 0.2% compared to 2024.
Three quarters of France’s 96 mainland departments saw no change in their share of the country’s international market in 2025. Conversely, five departments saw their popularity with overseas buyers rise in 2025. Lot et Garonne saw the strongest rise in interest, the remaining four being Cantal, Ariege, Territoire de Belfort, Essone (Ile de France). Twenty 20 departments recorded a drop in their slice of foreign buyers in 2024.
Energy regulation in French property market
France’s increasingly stringent energy efficiency rules could create opportunities for enterprising buyers. New regulation is making it harder to rent out less energy efficient homes, making them less attractive.
Energy ratings (DPE) are now affecting valuations. Notaires de France report that the price gap based on DPE ratings is widening. The most energy efficient homes – rated A and B – are estimated to command a 10%-15% premium. Vendors not prepared to upgrade older, less efficient homes are more likely to negotiate on price.
Adventurous buyers could also benefit from the discounts of up to 25% on the least energy efficient properties (ie F & G) available in some areas. Typically, the properties will be major renovation projects.
Average property prices in France
The average price across metropolitan France is currently €3,142 sq/m (€3,918 sq/m for an apartment, €2,541 sq/m for a house), according to leading French property portal SeLoger.
As a snapshot to the difference between departments, at the high end average prices in Alpes-Maritimes (French Riviera) are €5,495 sq/m, €6,787 sq/m in Haute de Seine (Paris) and €5,344 sq/m in Haute-Savoie (Alps). While at the lower end, you’ll pay €1,844 sq/m in the Dordogne, €2,625 sq/m in Finistere (Brittany) and €1,584 sq/m in Correze (Limousin).
Average prices in France’s 10 largest metropolitan areas are (SeLoger): Paris – €10,265 sq/m, Marseille – €4,813 sq/m, Lyon – 6,039 sq/m, Toulouse – 4,332 sq/m, Nice – 6,113 sq/m, Nantes – 4,159 sq/m, Strasbourg – 3,495 sq/m, Montpellier- 4,287 sq/m, Bordeaux – €4,996 sq/m and Rennes – €4,966 sq/m.
For comparison, Cannes – €7,302, Limoges – €1,957 sq/m, Rouen – €2,825 sq/m and Nimes – €2,689 and Perpignan – €2,160 sq/m.
France’s most affordable areas
The departments with the lowest average prices are all in the north, north-east and central part of France, according to SeLoger data. The 20 most affordable are spread largely across the northern areas of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Grand Est, Burgundy-Franche-Comte and Central Val de Loire.
Top of the pile for affordability is Creuse. It is part of the Limousin area and popular for its tranquillity, wild countryside and traditional farming villages. It sits slap bang in the centre of France surrounded by four other departments included in the top 20, namely Indre, Correze, Allier and Cantal.
| Ranking | Department | €/sq metre, house | €/sq metre, flat |
| 1 | Creuse | 1,024 | 986 |
| 2 | Haute-Marne | 1,029 | 1,139 |
| 3 | Nievre | 1,040 | 1,039 |
| 4 | Meuse | 1,095 | 1,098 |
| 5 | Indre | 1,139 | 1,146 |
| 6 | Haute-Saone | 1,179 | 1,176 |
| 7 | Ardennes | 1,282 | 1,117 |
| 8 | Aisne | 1,297 | 1,484 |
| 9 | Yonne | 1,300 | 1,452 |
| 10 | Allier | 1,344 | 1,223 |
| 11 | Vosges | 1,391 | 1,356 |
| 12 | Cantal | 1,468 | 1,340 |
| 13 | Aube | 1,477 | 1,562 |
| 14 | Saone-et-Loire | 1,500 | 1,498 |
| 15 | Mayenne | 1,544 | 2,110 |
| 16 | Loir-et-Cher | 1,552 | 1,710 |
| 17 | Deux-Sevres | 1,577 | 1,697 |
| 18 | Vienne | 1,579 | 2,063 |
| 19 | Correze | 1,584 | 1,450 |
| 20 | Charente | 1,588 | 1,641 |
Ready to buy in property in France?
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