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Corsica - Why is it still so beautiful?
Based in the UK, I have lived and worked all over France for 25 years, at a high level, for tour operators great and small. I find there is only one place that really fully captures my heart and that is Corsica, the “ile de beaut ©”. Why you may ask should one little heard-of island be so different from the rest of France which has so much to offer?

Is it the fabulous clear seas, the soft white sand, the dramatic mountain peaks, the wonderful seafood, the delicious mountain cheeses, the wild aromatic maquis, the friendly locals, the enchanting Corsican music? To an extent yes, but you can find those sort of things on the mainland. The main thing is that Corsica has all those elements and many more but above all it’s so un-spoilt. Why?

Well it’s a complicated series of related issues which have literally trapped the island in a time warp and excluded developers from inflicting concrete “carbuncles” with their usual abandon. A political and natural series of events, unlike anywhere else, have left the island of Corsica as unique as the many indigenous species of plant and wildlife which flourish in its multi-climate zones.

Pre-war much of the Corsican coastland was uninhabitable due to malarial mosquitoes. In the 50’s the USA initiated a DDT spraying program which eradicated the problem. Tourism began to take off but it was unusually held back by the will of the local people who refused to have their way of life disrupted by foreign powers and preferred not join the get rich quick bandwagon.

You can draw a parallel with Spain, where I also worked as the Franco years drew to a close. In Spain it was the end of General Franco which triggered the demise of vast tracts of coastline and this goes on unchecked to this day. High rise hotels, bars, marinas all been driven by money from tourists and outside investors and given political blessing to multiply.

Corsica has resisted the developers and simply refused to be cowed by the pressure of big business and politicians from ruling France and nearby Italy in particular. I have seen the remains of hotels which would have blighted beautiful beaches, where just the gate posts are left to remind the developers of the extent to which the islanders will go to resist change. Yes they will, as a last resort, literally blow up development that they see as unsuitable.

This is about as politically un-correct as anything I have ever come across. But what is the result? Miles and miles of un-spoilt coastline, unblemished hills and mountains and now national parks covering a third of the island and protecting Corsica officially. I know it’s not for everyone, many prefer partying in the Costa s. But if you want a taste of paradise within a couple of hours flying distance, the Corsicans are prepared to share it with you. On their terms. Not too many people at a time. It’s not cheap. But I’ve never yet spoken to anyone who hasn’t wanted to return.
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I’m now Managing Director of Villas Worldwide www.world-villa.co.uk and pleased to offer holidays in beautiful Corsica villas with private pools. All owned by Corsican residents.

Peter Horrocks

The Housing Market in Languedoc, South of France
Thursday, April 11, 2007

I am told that Everyone is talking about how the housing market is leveling off, that it is going to fall etc. So I have been asked to give my opinion of the housing market for buyers and sellers in the Languedoc for 2007/2008.

Well, I can answer that in three words I don t know - OK, that is four words really. Of course the simple truth is that no one can know anything about what will happen in the future, but that rarely stops people making predictions and encouraging others to spend money on sure-fire investments.

I have often heard that there are three truths in life - these are; lies, more lies and statistics - statistics inform me that the average price of property in Languedoc has increased by 92% since the last quarter of 2000 - statistics tell me that the average price of property in the region is currently between 1900 euro and 3400 euro per square meter of living area, this range also includes the local variations in village, town and city prices.

There are graphs and charts showing trends indicating a levelling off of price rises which are currently around 10 percent per annum - on the other hand I have statistical proof that the prices properties have been selling at over the last ten months have fallen slightly on average.

The statistic I find most amusing is the number 1687, this is the number of estate agents listed in the department of Herault in Languedoc (the one I live in) - this is absolutely crazy - there are only 537 bakers listed in the same department and about half the number of garages.

I cannot believe that I need three estate agents to serve me for every bakers shop, nor that there are twice the number of houses being sold, compared to cars in this area every year.

Add to this number the hundreds of people living on the fringe of the real-estate business, specialist websites in the UK acting as aggregators for the French agencies and the ex-pats living in France selling consultant services to house buyers or acting as stringers for local agents - they cannot all be making a living and it may be the twittering chatter of their grumbles which is the fuel for rumors of prices levelling off and bubbles bursting etc.

It is all codswallop - Languedoc is the most popular region in France for living in - OK the vague concept of Provence gets a lot of kudos and publicity, but Languedoc is where the French people consistently vote as being the region they most wish to live in (L Express) and is the region which has been getting the most investment, communications infrastructure, health and education improvements, logistical support and is officially designated by the government as planned to increase the population by 50% by 2050, or earlier in some reports.

Every single community in the region is obliged to release more building land, this is already having an effect of the price of a single building plot, I have seen some plots of land offered for half the price that similar plots sold for last year.

Local mayors are about to be given, from June this year, more powers and discretion for planning and building permissions.

The TGV from Perpignan to Barcelona is well under way and all that remains is the link from Perpignan to Nimes to be sorted and you will easily be able to go from Montpellier in the morning, have Lunch in Barcelona, do some shopping and be home for tea for a few euro in complete comfort. Just think, Paris to Barcelona in under 5 hours, door to door.

The motorway from Paris, over the wonderful bridge in Millau, through to Montpellier is finished (and a lot of it is free) and the last bit from Pezenas to Beziers is underway at last.

This now makes three major motorways from the North and others planned.

A string of National and International airports will be fully operational this summer from Marseilles, Nimes, Montpellier, Beziers, Perpignan and Carcassonne.

Add to this over 300 days of sunshine every year - the best wines now in France (possibly the world) - the Mediterranean is the same sea which kisses the gravel beaches of Nice Cannes and Antibes, except in Languedoc it is golden sand - ski slopes on the doorstep - cheap booze and fags an hour away in Spain (plus exciting food after you get bored of yet another isle flottant or tarte aux pommes) - the best health service in the world and the oldest established hospitals in Europe - scenery and landscape which varies from the garrige which can hide an army (which is why the maquis were named, after the scrubby bushes typical of the region) to gorges and hillsides straight from a fifteenth century Chinese water colour - and a quality of life where speed cameras are curiosities and policemen still ride bicycles (Ok mountain bikes and they do have guns).

There are a lot of houses for sale as some people are upgrading to larger homes (hence the thousands of agents) this is in fact keeping prices artificially low for a while, but house prices, in my humble opinion, are inevitably likely to continue rise (probably more slowly), especially for the sort of classic properties they are not making anymore.

There are also a lot more people coming to buy property now, most have realised that prices are not going to fall in general - for sure there are some properties being offered at optimistic prices - but overall the trend will continue to be a growing demand and a steady supply.

As most of the people I meet are looking for a traditional home with charm , and the ones being built by the ton are boring formula boxes on the outskirts of towns - now is probably the best time to buy, given that there is a very wide choice due to the French families relocating to the Munchkin villages of Tupperware villas.

OK - so I am immobilier number 1688 (a much more interesting year anyway), so I would say that wouldn t I - contact Honest Tony at - at@coast-country.com - the British Estate Agent in the South of France - http://coast-country-france.com/

We came to France from the UK nearly 20 years ago and raised our three children here - Building, renting and selling property in France and working on th efirst Internetsites has kept us busy