The latest France Insight 2018 report by Knight Frank has revealed that the French property market has performed well over the past two years, especially in Paris.

Mark Harvey, head of Knight Frank’s European Sales, says: “Over the last 24 months we have seen a remarkable reversal in France’s prime residential markets stemming largely from a strong Paris market (where prices increased by some 12% in 2017). Against a positive economic and political backdrop, France is now experiencing a buoyant and incredibly exciting residential market rebound.”

Harvey says that the “L’effet Macron”, has caused a ripple of optimism since last summer from Paris to the Côte d’Azur, Provence, the Alps and South West France, all of which have witnessed a strong turnaround in sentiment, buyer interest and transactional activity.

International buyers continue to be the driving force of prime residential sales, with the British accounting for up to one in four prime residential purchases. The remaining 75% of buyers typically stem from northern Europe (Benelux, Switzerland, Scandinavia) along with French domestic buyers who account for around 20% of prime real estate purchases.