Famous for its proximity to England’s south coast, for apples, D-Day beaches and historic towns, Normandy has huge appeal for househunters, as Annaliza Davis explains
Normandy is an area most of us have heard of – even if we can’t accurately define it on the map. It stretches from Cherbourg down to Mont-St-Michel, across past Alençon and back up to Le Tréport.
Its departments are Eure, Calvados, Manche, Orne and Seine-Maritime, and as well as the two major Channel ports of Cherbourg and Le Havre, the region includes Rouen, Bayeux, Caen and 640km of coastline.
While in England there are 430 people per square kilometre, Normandy overall has a mere 111/km 2 population density, which explains the sense of space here. There are 3.3 million residents, over a third of whom are in Seine-Maritime (home to the capital Rouen), nearly 700,000 in Calvados, 600,000 in Eure, 495,000 in Manche and only 282,00 in Orne. Population density is lowest in rural areas, but even the cities somehow achieve a sense of space.
Tourists are drawn here thanks to the charming towns, seaside spots and plentiful pastoral landscapes, while the proximity to the capital means that it’s extremely popular with well-to-do Parisians, whose influence can be felt in the elegant coastal resorts of Deauville and Trouville. Other than Paris, Normandy is the most-visited part of France and it’s easy to see why. If you’re looking to invest in property here, you can take advantage of the region’s natural beauty, its history and heritage and also its impressive accessibility from the UK and elsewhere.
MATCH THE PLACE TO YOUR POCKET
According to house sale statistics from SeLoger, France’s national average for property prices is currently €3,132/m2 with properties in Normandy costing an average of €2,225/m2 but some areas in Orne and Manche can be just €622/m2 , while Deauville soars to €7,337/m2 , proving the adage about choosing your location wisely.
Unsurprisingly, inland areas that are furthest from amenities or easy transport links tend to be cheaper, and the most costly areas in Normandy are those along the coast – particularly resorts that are popular with Parisians – and those in work hotspots such as Rouen.
WHERE TO FIND WHAT YOU WANT
Despite Normandy’s popularity with tourists, the French statistics institute INSEE confirms that 82% of properties in the region are a main residence, so it is overwhelmingly populated by year-round residents. Twothirds of properties here are houses rather than flats, and 60% of residents are owneroccupiers rather than te
