Homeowners in the UK who are looking to move abroad are increasingly considering purchasing a home in France.

Charles Smallwood, owner of Agence L'Union, explained that for those with the cash available, investing in a home overseas is a good option as the cost of property has declined.

He said that those with around €350,000 (£305,000) to €400,000 were realising that they could get a good property for their money.

Locations that are proving to be popular for people who are moving are rural areas of the country.

"There has been a big trend to move further south for the nature of the weather, the climate and the countryside being very different," Mr Smallwood stated.

His comments followed reports by Rightmove Overseas that searches for French homes rose by 3.13 per cent in March 2011.

People planning to move to France or other countries could try putting some of their belongings into self-storage units ahead of emigrating to make the transition less stressful.

Written by Fiona Mayers

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