There are many reasons why people, especially the English, look for property for sale in south west France. One of these various reasons is for them to try their hand at starting their own winery business. If you are one of those people who would like to establish themselves as a vigneron, one of the best places to do this is the region of Languedoc.
The Languedoc-Roussillon region is located in the south of France and is known as the largest wine region in the whole world. There are more than 700,000 acres of land devoted to growing grapes, and the area is responsible for a third of the total wine production of the whole of France. In a wider context, the regions total output is significantly more than the total wine production of the entire United States.
If you are looking for a property for sale in South West France with a view to establish a vineyard, then you would be well advised to focus your search southward to Languedoc.
The Oldest Vineyards in France
The Languedoc-Roussillon region actually has the oldest vineyards in France. According to the history of the province, the first vineyards were planted by the Greeks, who came to live in the area during the fifth century, B.C. Wines coming from Languedoc became prized in the centuries to come, and in the 14th century, wines from Languedoc-Roussillon were praised for their healing and restorative properties.
Wide varieties of grapes are grown for distilling wines in the Languedoc-Roussillon province. They range from the traditional and obscure grape varieties such as Aubun and Carignan, to the more internationally recognised varieties like Merlot, Grenache, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier.
The reason why grapes for wines grow successfully in Languedoc-Roussillon is due primarily the Mediterranean climate of the region. The climate is extremely conducive for producing grapes en masse. The rich quality of soils in the region, varying from limestone to alluvial, also contributes to its suitablity.
The Industrial Age saw a decline in the quality of Languedoc wines. The vignerons of Languedoc began to focus on mass-producing their wine, coming up with a cheap variety of red wine that became known as le gros rouge. However, recent shifts in policies in the European Union as well as in Frances own Appellation dOrigine Cntrolle (AOC) have forced Languedoc vignerons to focus once more on quality rather than quantity.
Buying Property in South West France for Wine Making
If you are looking into buying a property for sale in south west France in order to start your own vineyard, you would not go far wrong in going south and making your purchase at Languedoc for this is, without a doubt, the best wine country in the world.
But there is more to running a vineyard beyond buying property. South west France may be extremely conducive for wine production, but being in the wine production business demands a great deal of hard work. You should have a clear idea of what you are getting into before you begin your search for property for sale in South West France.
Tags: property, property in FranceWhen you browse listings for property for sale in South West France, you may encounter a barn or two in the listings. Now, you may ask yourself, why anyone would want to buy a barn if one is on the lookout for a vacation home. The reason for this is that a barn is a relatively inexpensive property. South west France, being an agricultural region, has a great deal of them and many are under used or abandoned. However, many of these barns sit on great locations that have the potential to be great sites for a new home.
If you are looking for property for sale in South West France, you may want to consider buying a barn. You should be careful when you buy one, though, because not all barns are worth buying. Also, there are a number of factors to consider when converting a barn. Here are some of them.
Structural Integrity
One of the biggest concerns that you will have when converting a barn is the structural integrity of the property. South west France, especially in the rural areas, is full of old edifices that have existed in the Middle Ages.
When you browse for barns in listings of property for sale in South West France, you may see pictures of pretty-looking barns. However, the pictures may deceive you. Before you buy a barn to convert, you have to first make sure that the property will not collapse on you! If the place requires a lot of renovation to make it structurally habitable, then you may wish to move on and look for another property.
Permissions
Another thing that you would need to do before you buy a barn is to check if you can get permission from the local authorities to convert it. You may need to hire an agent to work on your behalf , if you cannot undertake this personally.
You may also require the services of an architect to draw up plans and elevations for the interior and exterior of the barn. In terms of decorating the interior you may wish to exercise your own creativity or enlist the help of a professional interior designer.
Funding
This is definitely the most important factor that you ought to weigh up when you looking for a barn to convert. How are you going to make your purchase by cash or through a loan from the bank?
Remember that converting and refurbishing a barn is not a simple matter. You will need a lot of money to get it completed. Not only will you need to alter the structure of the barn itself, but you also have to make it habitable through the installation of utilities such as electricity, gas, water, telephone line and Internet connection.
Picking out a barn to buy amongst lists of property for sale in South West France and then converting it into a habitable abode is something fun to do. But it is not an easy task and you will need a lot of preparation to get it done.
Tags: propertyAntalya is one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in Turkey, which is in turn one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the world. It is easy to see why when you look at pictures taken from the cliff-side out over the historic marina, or even just out over the sea.
Antalya is a quaint town on the south-western Anatolia on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. As well as being located on a cliff top, Antalya is also surrounded by a bowl of mountains, which gives it incredible shelter and makes its climate mild and warm all year round.
The mountains are also home to one of Turkey’s top ski-resorts and, in fact Antalya is semi-famous among those in the know, because you can swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean in the morning, and ski in the mountains in the afternoon, in early spring-time.
s Turkey property investment is very much driven by the tourism sector, Antalya is also one of the most popular places with foreigners buying property in Turkey. The fact that Antalya is built on a Cliffside makes for the availability of high luxury properties with infinity pools, which can cost up to £500,000 or even £1 million.
That said: Antalya property is in the mid-price bracket in terms of Turkey property prices, with average villa prices being around the £150k mark for a 2-3 bedroom luxury villa on the coast. Apartments are available from £40-£50k for a 2 bedroom units. Owners have recently reported earning rental yields of 6% on Antalya villas.
Because Antalya is a place of historic importance in Turkey, the planning laws in the town are slightly stricter than in the rest of the country. This is good news for property buyers, because this protects it from over-development, which will ensure demand continues to outpace supply, which will keep prices going upward.
Antalya also has its own airport, which is also very much a strength in the eyes of potential foreign property buyers. The recent opening of the airport at Gazipasa, which is also near Antalya, can only be a good thing by increasing the accessibility of the region.
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