ST-JEAN-DE-MONTS
Vendee, pays de la Loire
This charming fishing town is the most westerly on the Crozon peninsula. It's a beautifully rugged coastal area of towering cliffs and rocks with coves and sandy beaches, gently sloping hills, and ancient megalithic sites. It's a wild and remote piece of Brittany so you really need a car - and the nearest ferry is Roscoff 96km away. But it’s a favourite among French holiday makers as well as visitors from across Europe who come for the water sports - boating, sailing, fishing - but also those in love with the out- doors.
Artists and writers also love the light and colours, and the town has an artists' quarter with over 20 galleries. In the town there’s a great fishing port, marina, many fish restaurants, crepéries and a sandy beach. So what do people buy? “There are lots of types of properties for sale in this region from ruins to fancy modern villas, beautiful character properties and everything in between,” says local agent, Clara Bay. Expect to pay €100,000 for a 50m2 apartment in the town, or for a three-bedroom house in the surrounding Crozon area, from around €125,000.
CAMARET-SUR-MER
FINISTÈRE, BRITTANY
This popular modern seaside resort in the northern Vendée is located at the corner of the ‘Côte de Lumière’ between Notre-Dame-de-Monts and St. Hilaire de Riez. It’s a fantastic stretch of coastline blessed with beautiful beaches and 2,300 hours of annual sun, so little different from the climate of southern France. Split in two by a long plantation of pine trees, stretching from north to south along the coast, the centre-ville lies to the east of the cordon, while the seafront forms a lively centre to the west. The recently restored seafront offers a network of footpaths and cycle tracks.