Bouches-du-Rhône
The home of France's oldest and second-largest city, Marseille, the Bouches-du-Rhône department is situated in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the country's Mediterranean coast. Taking its name from the Rhône River, which runs through the region and into the Mediterranean Sea, Bouches-du-Rhônes is home to roughly two million people, nearly one million of whom live in Marseille – the unofficial capital of the South of France.

Boasting a Mediterranean climate and some of France's best sandy beaches, the department is becoming increasingly popular with Parisian holidaymakers in the summer, largely thanks to a TGV line which connects the capital to Marseille. But there is far more to this area than sun, sea and sand. The northern reaches of Bouches-du-Rhône are mountainous and rural – a real contrast to the vibrant and urbanised south. In fact, the Sainte-Victoire mountain in the north of the region has been made famous by the 19th-century  French artist Paul Cézanne – who was born and lived in Aix, the department's second-largest city. Property values in Bouches-du-Rhône are fairly pricey, but homes in Marseille and Aix could represent good rental opportunities for the canny investor.

Brittany
Long a favourite with British property purchasers due to its accessibility from the UK, the north-western region of Brittany remains a popular choice for second home seekers. British links to Brittany go back as far as the fifth century ad, when Cornish settlers left UK shores to escape from the invading Anglo Saxons, and settled across the Channel, taking much of their language and culture with them. Breton – a Celtic language similar to Cornish and Welsh – is still spoken in the region today.

Another similarity this region shares with the UK is its climate, which is mild in winter and fairly hot in the summer – the region's capital, Rennes, enjoys average annual temperatures of 11.9oC.  Add to this Cornwallesque fishing villages and craggy rock formations and you could easily mistake this French region for south-west England. Not all that surprising, then, that Brittany actually translates as 'Little Britain'. Purchasing trends in the region have changed in recent years. Whereas once cheap renovation properties were all the rage, these days fewer are available, making prices for ruins more expensive and leading to more buyers preferring readily habitable abodes.
The average property price in the region is currently around 175,000 euros (approximately £119,000).

Burgundy
In years gone by many Brits will have turned to wines from Burgundy in order to get a real taste of France. These days they are also likely to consider purchasing property in the region in order to experience a taste of 'real' French life. France's once ignored central regions have all enjoyed increased interest from overseas purchasers in recent years, and rural Burgundy is no exception. Boasting quaint villages, traditional market towns, and mile upon mile of rolling countryside largely untouched by development, many consider Burgundy to be the very epitome of a French region. Not that the region is without its busier areas, though. The cities of Dijon – famous for its mustard – and Beaune are both fairly lively, without being over-industrialised.

Property prices in the region are still comparatively low. A good-sized habitable property should set you back no more than 140,000 euros (approximately £95,000). One down side is that low-cost airlines don't currently serve the region, although a TGV line from Paris does.

Bar-le-Dec
The small, picturesque town of Bar-le-Duc is situated on the banks of the river Ornain in the Lorraine region, and is the capital of the Meuse department. Today, Bar-le-Duc is best known for its Renaissance-era architecture, and is classified as a 'town of art and history'. During the First World War the town acted as a supply base for the nearby city of Verdun – a town synonymous with French resistance during the Great War.  As of June, the TGV will 'bring' Bar-le-Duc to within two hours of Paris. 

Bastia
The bustling port town of Bastia, located on the north-east coast of Corsica, is regarded as the island's commercial centre. The prefecture (capital) of the Haute-Corse department, Bastia was founded by Italians and is said to resemble Genoa, with tall, narrow houses and Baroque churches dotted throughout. The town is today one of Corsica's major tourism areas, enjoying an average yearly temperature of 15.3°C, and around 340 days of sunshine per annum. The town is also the gateway to the Cap Corse – a mountainous peninsula which offers breathtaking views of Bastia and the surrounding region.

Bayonne
Situated six kilometres from the Atlantic coast, Bayonne is regarded as the cultural capital of the Basque country on the French side of the Pyrénées. Located at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, the city is the capital of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Aquitaine region. It is an attractive, if urban, city, divided into two parts by the River Nive – Grand Bayonne and Petit Bayonne.

Beauvais
One of the oldest towns in France, Beauvais in Picardy is most famous for the Cathédrale de Saint-Pierre, considered by many to be the most daring achievement of Gothic architecture and comprising the tallest Gothic vaulting in the world as it stretches over 48 metres.

Bergerac
The largest city in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine, Bergerac has long been a popular area for British purchasers and as a result is one of the more expensive areas in which to buy a home in the region. Surrounded by 125 square kilometres of vineyards, Bergerac is the Dordogne's major wine-producing area, while the city itself is notable for its cobbled streets, greenery and its setting beside the Dordogne River.

Besancon
Located close to the border of Switzerland, Besançon, the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region, was one of the mightiest cities in the French Empire during the 16th century, something  those who visit this sleepy agricultural town of 240,000 or so residents today will find hard to believe. Besançon is also reputed to be the 'greenest' city in France.

Bethune
Once a coal mining town, Béthune is a small town situated just a 55-minute drive from the port of Calais in the Pas-de-Calais region. Béthune is particularly striking for its attractive red-brick buildings and  unusual art-deco houses, which came about after the town was rebuilt in the 1920s and 30s, having been left in ruins after being occupied by the Germans during the First World War.

Beziers
Sitting atop a rocky spur overlooking the Hérault department in Languedoc-Roussillon, Beziers, located close to the Mediterranean Sea, is becoming increasingly popular with British home seekers. Property in the region currently costs an average of 1,736 euros per square metre. It has been heavily rumoured that an extension to the Béziers-Agde-Vias Airport may see low-cost flights from the UK fly to the city later this year.

Biarritz
One of the principal resorts in the British mecca of Aquitaine, Biarritz is famed for its magnificent beaches – boasting some of the best surf spots in France – and relaxed way of life. Long a favourite for British owners of French homes, it's no real surprise to learn that property prices are among the most expensive in France, averaging 4,131 euros per square metre.

Blois
The capital of the Loir-et-Cher department in Centre, Blois is located on the north bank of the Loire River and is famous for the Château de Blois – a Renaissance castle which was home to King Louis XII between 1498 and 1525. The Château remains a focal point of Blois today, and can be found in the centre of the city.

Bondy
A small town located just under seven kilometres from Paris, Bondy was once a forest which served as a haven for highwaymen robbing travellers heading to Paris. The town does not have a much better reputation today and was one of the main areas involved in the 2005 riots.

Bordeaux
Considered to be the wine capital of the world, Bordeaux is a port city located on France's Atlantic coast in the north of the Aquitaine region. Sitting next to the Garonne River, Bordeaux is the largest city and its capital. Property prices average 2,711 euros per square metre.

Boulogne-sur-mer
Often just referred to as Boulogne, this town is located in the Pas-de-Calais department of Nord-Pas de Calais. Bordering the English Channel, Boulogne is the largest fish-preparing port in northern Europe.

Borges
Described by Julius Caesar as "one of the most beautiful cities in all of Gaule," Bourges is an attractive city of art and history. It is the capital of the Cher department in the Centre region and sits beside the Yèvre river.

Brest
The Brittany city of Brest has long been viewed as an important port town, operating as a gateway to France. Its proximity to the UK has already made the city an attractive one for Brits looking for a home a short hop across the Channel. You should expect to pay an average of 1,658 euros per square metre for a home.

Brive
The capital of the Corrèze department in Limousin, Brive is a still relatively unknown area of France for property seekers. However, the Brive-Souillac airport, which is due to open next year, could see more people become aware of the city.

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Do French regions matter?
Brittany and Normandy as popular as ever
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Article published in June 2007