Ever since Eleanor of Aquitaine left King Louis VII of France for his English counterpart, King Henry II, back in the 12th century – a marriage which sparked the chain of events that led Aquitaine to becoming a British crown territory between 1361 and 1453 – the region has shared close links with the UK.

While today the region may be as 'French' as frogs legs and beret-wearing men in striped jumpers with garlic hanging from their neck, should you happen to find yourself in certain parts of the region you could be forgiven for thinking that you have somehow gone through a teleporter and ended up back in the UK – albeit a warmer, arguably more pleasant and picturesque version.

When disgruntled Brits first set their sights on owning a French bolt-hole back in the late 1960s, many had their heart's set on an idyllic stonehouse located somewhere in the region's stunning Dordogne countryside. For years the Dordogne – one of the five departments which make up the south-western region (Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne and the Pyrénées-Atlantique are the others) – embodied everything owning a French home should be about. "It is no surprise that Dordogne has long attracted so many foreign purchasers, not just British buyers", explains Sabine Grossemy of the Granny Network. "It has a very preserved natural environment and the area has retained its authenticity because very little of it has been industrialised. It's a region steeped in history, from cave paintings to medieval heritage. The Dordogne also boasts the greatest number of châteaux – even more than the Loire Valley!", Grossemy continues. "As [American writer] Henry Miller once wrote: 'One day, France may no longer exist but the Dordogne will survive, just like the dreams that nourish the human soul'", she adds.

However, today just as more and more Brits have discovered different regions of France, so too have more found that the Dordogne is not the only department to offer purchasers a fantastic lifestyle in Aquitaine. "While there's not a typical Aquitaine lifestyle it would be fair to describe the whole region with these words: convivial, traditional, superb landscapes, fantastic gastronomy, moderate climate, and a good quality of life", says Nick Dowlatshahi of Leapfrog Properties. "The region is also perfectly located between the Atlantic and the Pyrénées", he adds. Behind the Dordogne, Lot-et-Garonne, is possibly the second most popular department in Aquitaine for French property-seeking Brits. Located between Toulouse to the south and the regions' capital Bordeaux to the north – both of which offer low-cost flights from the UK – Lot-et-Garonne is divided into two distinct geographical areas by the Garonne river which flows roughly through the centre of the department.

The eastern side is dominated by forested areas and is renowned for the many bastides and châteaux which dot the countryside. Little surprise, then, that this area is also known as 'the Tuscany of France'. To the west, Lot-et-Garonne comprises rich rolling land which, along with the department's climate – it is one of the driest areas in France – makes the area a prime destination for fruit growing. The department's capital, Agen, is regarded as being the centre of the country's prune trade.

Elsewhere, the Gironde, France's largest department and home to the bustling city of Bordeaux, boasts 2,170 miles of rivers and 72 miles of coastline. Its Atlantic coastline has long been popular with holidaymakers, especially those who like surfing – this stretch of France's coastline is said to possess the country's highest waves. However, the department is undoubtedly best known for its wines – it is the largest wine producing area in the world and is covered by over 117,000 hectares of vineyards. Bordeaux aside, though, much of Gironde remains unexplored by British purchasers, although the department does boast sizable Italian, Spanish and German expat communities.

Further south, the coastal section of France's Pyrénées mountain range, the Pyrénées-Atlantique, has become more popular in recent years as the area has become more accessible – the airports at both Pau, the department's capital, and Bizarritz, once seen as a playground of the rich and famous, welcome low-cost flights from Britain. However, it is Landes, nestled between Gironde and Pyrénées-Atlantique and west of Lot-et-Garonne, where Dowlatshahi advises Brits who are looking for a bargain to focus. "Landes is not densely populated, the property prices are still cheap, the environment is protected, especially the beautiful pine forests, and it is perfectly situated in the centre of Aquitaine", he says. "The Pyrénées are close by plus it boasts some of the largest beaches in Europe. It is also easy to access with Biarritz and Pau airports to the south and Bordeaux to the north."

So, as more areas of Aquitaine have become popular, has this seen prices rocket out of the budgets of many would-be purchasers? "Prices in the region have increased over the past ten years, but not as quickly as they have in other southern regions", answers Dowlatshahi. What you can actually expect to pay for your own Aquitaine abode depends very much on where it is you wish to purchase. According to Dowlatshahi, a three-bedroom house close to Biarritz would set you back 300,000 euros, in Bordeaux between 200,000 to 300,000 euros, in Landes between 150,000 to 200,000 euros and in Agen 200,000 euros.

With regards to Dordogne, Grossemy says: "The Dordogne and Vezere valleys (known in France as 'black Périgord') are particularly popular and the prices of properties along these valleys are much higher than the average Dordogne property. "But despite continuing demand, prices are not as high in the Dordogne as people often expect and property prices across the rest of the region are still at reasonable levels." In Bergerac, a popular market town in Dordogne, Dowlatshahi says you would pay in the region of 200,000 euros for a three-bed home.

Aquitaine may be as 'French' a region as you will find, but with all it has going for it you can be sure that Brits will continue to add to the region's already sizeable expat community for the foreseeable future.

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For further information:
Leapfrog Properties  
Granny Network 
En Toutes Saisons 

Read other articles about France:
Unlock the rental potential of your French home
Investing in a second home in France
Real estate and property in Brittany

Article first published in July 2006