French real estate : Secure your purchase
Our notarial office specializes in French real estate law and offers tailored support to international clients looking to buy, sell, or invest in property in France. With extensive experience in cross-border transactions, we provide clear, strategic guidance at every step.
Contact real estate law experts to discuss your project : your French property journey starts with clarity and confidence.
From reviewing contracts and liaising with French estate agents to structuring ownership and managing tax implications, we act in your best interest.
We draft bilingual documents, offer remote signing options, and explain each stage in plain English. Our goal is to simplify the French legal process and reduce your tax liability where possible. Contact your real estate law experts to secure your investment with complete peace of mind.
“We will endeavour to organize your purchase in such a way so as to reduce your liability and where possible, avoid French tax completely.”
Contracts
We will explain the process of purchasing in France to you in English (whether it be an off-plan purchase, the purchase of existing property or a leaseback , the purchase of shares of a property holding company….), and draw your attention to the specificities of French conveyancing. The draft deeds can be tailor-made to suit your individual requirements and we can liaise with your estate agent on your behalf.
We also review contracts which you have been asked to sign (offer d’achat, promesse de vente, compromis de vente, contrat de reservation/booking contract, or any kind of precontract, and of course the acte de vente authentique) and liaise with the other party’s notaire to discuss any amendments which we deem necessary.
A power of attorney (POA) can be prepared if you are not able to come to France yourself to sign the definitive deed, an electronic remote signature is also open to us. This can be prepared in a bilingual form and will enable a third party (usually one of our firm’s paralegals) to execute deeds on your behalf. Legal research is carried out either with regards the compulsory searches and enquiries or at your specific request.
Advice
We propose a highly personal service and can advise you on a number of issues concerning your transactions (purchases, sales, gifts, setting up of a French company, planning applications and regulations, structure of ownership, inheritance…) which require the intervention of a notaire in France. We are sometimes referred to as French solicitors.
After discussing your project with you in detail, we will explain the options available with regards the structure of your purchase. There may be several alternatives :
- setting up of companies,
- PACS, a French civil solidarity pact,
- specific matrimonial regimes
- and more specifically marriage contract, tontine clauses…)
We will guide you through them outlining the advantages and disadvantages so that you may then make an informed decision.
French Tax (wealth tax, inheritance tax, income tax, capital gain tax) is of of course a primordial issue and we will endeavour to organize your purchase in such a way so as to reduce your liability and where possible, avoid French tax completely. Estate planning is of the essence and we will help you to decide on how best to organise your assets : Contact your real estate law experts now.
When real estate is involved, it is very important to have the assistance of high level specialists with a long experience on foreign investments in France.
We will be pleased to assist you in the sale or purchase of your French property. Due to the French notaires’ national scale of fees, our involvement in your sale or purchase anywhere in France will in practice be an additional free legal and tax advice.
Our assistance of course also include tax advice and assistance in your Capital Gain tax (CGT) forms and calculation or any gift, family loan or equivalent…
Calculate your purchuase costs
What are the main steps of a property purchase process in France ?
Once an agremeent has been found with the seller (through an estate agency or privately), the first and most important step is to make contact with a notaire to draw up a preliminary contract.
This contract contains the main conditions of the sale :
- ID of the parties,
- description of the property purchased,
- sales price, timeframe, etc)
- and potential condition precedents (loan, planning permission, etc).
On signing this binding contract, a deposit of 5 or 10% will have to be paid by the buyer into the notaire’s account.
The notaire is then applying for all the legal searches and enquiries in order to make various checks (town planning, land registry situation, etc).
It usually takes 2-3 months to gather these, until completion and tranfer of ownership can be scheduled, and the final sales deed can be signed by the parties (subject to the payment of the balance on the sales price + the fees and taxes of the purchase into the notaire’s account).
Do we have to attend the completion meeting at the notaire's office in person ?
No, if you are unable to attend in person, you can sign an power of attorney remotely through an electronic process with ID verification.
Who pays the notaire fees and how are they calculated?
The buyer is liable for the notaire fees. They amount to approximately 8% for existing properties and 2-3% for an off-plan sale.
They include :
- the cost of property transfer duties,
- notaire fees
- and disbursements.
How can we put in place a survey in france ?
There is no survey mechanisms in France, and very few surveyors… Moreover there is no legal system around this and nothing equivalent to the UK system.
In practice, our clients make their own technical searches (of course we cover all the legal ones) before being totally committed (ie. Before signing any precontract or before the end of the 10 days cooling off period for example).
What is the downside of the indivision?
The choice of the structure of ownership is a key point to consider as early as possible, as the structure stated on the deed will always govern the relationships of the buyers.
The simplest choice may be the “indivision”, howevert one must keep in mind that according to this regime there is no obligation for the co-owners (indivisaires) to keep their rights of ownership and to remain in the “indivision ownership”.
It is therefore important to know that in the case of a dispute with one of the co-onwer, the others might be forced to sell the whole property or at least to buy back the other(s) “share”.
Of course the resale of the property will require the agreement of everyone and the objection of any of the owner could bring the situation to a standstill.
I'm buying a property. The seller has their own notaire. Will it cost me more to have my own notaire involved to represent my interests?
Appointing your own notaire in a real estate transaction will not cost you more.
Due to the very specific French notaire statutory fee system, each party is free to be assisted by his own notaire, without any additional costs.
When two notaires are involved, they work together to draft the deed and share the regulated fees, with no impact on the overall cost.
This option allows each party to receive more personalized advice, without compromising the impartiality of the deed itself.
What are the two essential formalities to complete in order to create a corporation (legal entity) in France?
The two essential formalities for creating a corporation (legal entity) in France are:
- Signing the Articles of Association: This is the legal act by which the founding partners establish the company. The articles of association serve as the company’s “constitutional charter” and must include certain mandatory information (company name, registered office, corporate purpose, share capital, etc.).
This document can be executed as a notarial deed or as a private agreement.
- Registration with the Trade and Companies Register (RCS): This step, carried out through the Business Formalities Centre (CFE), grants the company its “legal personality.”
Registration gives the company its legal existence, legal capacity, and assigns it a unique SIREN identification number.
In summary: Without articles of association, the company lacks a legal framework; without registration, it has no legal existence. These two steps are therefore absolutely essential and complementary.
Can I buy a property in France through a foreign company (UK Ltd, LLC, etc.)?
Yes, you can purchase real estate in France through a non-French company. However, it is essential to understand the tax and legal implications.
The company will be subject to the annual 3% tax on real estate assets, unless specific declarations are filed to claim exemption.
Capital gains tax rules are also different: gains will be calculated on the depreciated value, potentially leading to higher tax liabilities over time.
We strongly recommend discussing the structure with your notaire before making any commitment, to ensure both compliance and tax efficiency.
What happens if I want to sell my French property within five years of purchase?
Selling a property within five years can have significant implications, especially for new or recently built properties.
If you claimed VAT back during the initial purchase (common in new-build or para-hotelier investments), selling too early may trigger a partial repayment of VAT.
This rule is part of the 20-year VAT adjustment period. However, in certain cases (e.g. if the buyer continues the same VAT-eligible activity), you might benefit from a VAT exemption under Article 257 bis of the French Tax Code. Your notaire can assess your case and structure the sale accordingly.
Do I need a French bank account to buy property in France?
A French bank account is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended.
While the notaire handles most of the transaction through their own secured escrow account, having a French account simplifies things like utility subscriptions, local taxes, and ongoing property expenses.
It also helps with the initial deposit transfer, which may be subject to international banking delays or limits.
Many of our international clients open a French account during the process — we can provide guidance or refer you to English-speaking advisors if needed.