There are certain regions of France which your mind will probably be able to form a mental picture of regardless of whether you have ever visited them or not. Think of Provence and it's almost impossible not to conjure up thoughts of mauve flowers stretching across miles and miles of sun-drenched countryside. The Dordogne in Aquitaine will almost certainly evoke images of rich green forest intertwined by crystal clear rivers, flowing lakes and picturesque gorges. The Rhône-Alpes and Midi-Pyrénées will doubtless make you think of snow-covered peaks and cosy wooden chalets. Even Brittany and Normandy are synonymous with craggy coastlines and lush green farmland.

While all of these French regions may be very different from each other in how they look, both in reality and in your mind, one denominator that they share is that all are popular destinations for British buyers looking for French property bargains. Over the years these French regions are the ones you are likely to have read more about, heard more about and seen more pictures of, therefore explaining why you may hold certain preconceived views on what each one is like. But not every French area will send such vivid images racing through your mind upon hearing its name. For example, if I were to ask you to try and picture the kind of landscape on offer in north-east or central-east France, you would probably be more than a little flummoxed when it came to giving me an answer.

Okay, so some of you will no doubt be able to describe a bit about Pas-de-Calais from short trips you may have taken there, but what about other regions in this part of France? Regions like Picardy, Champagne, Lorraine, Alsace and Franche-Comte. If upon reading some of these names you find yourself thinking 'I've never even heard of it', then you're probably not alone. Each one of these regions is still relatively unknown to British purchasers, and even British tourists for that matter.
 
In fact, following a massive increase in the number of British buyers now purchasing property bargains in Central France – Burgundy, Limousin and Auvergne have all experienced considerable rises in the number of Brits buying there in recent years, and Limousin has even been dubbed the 'new Provence' by some – it can be argued that this quintet of regions are the only truly remaining hidden corners of France as far as British property purchasers are concerned.

If any of these five French regions can be said to be even 'slightly popular', then only two really stand out – Picardy and Champagne. However, even these are largely ignored by British property purchasers in search of bargains. "Picardy and Champagne are not generally at the top of a purchaser's wish-list which is a shame as both regions have much to offer", says Frances McKay of Francophiles.

Capital prospects
Given Picardy's close proximity to Paris it is something of a surprise that the area isn't far more popular with overseas property purchasers. The southern part of the region's Oise department actually lies inside the metropolitan area of France's capital, making the towns in the southern Oise popular with commuters who work in Ile-de-France. This, combined with the fact that "Picardy has some of the lowest property prices in France", according to David Hampshire in his book Buying a Home in France 2006, would seem to place the region in a prime position to catch the eye of the overseas property purchaser – close enough to Paris for an owner to enjoy the benefits of the city, far enough away for them not to have to pay Parisian prices for it. Add to the mix that the region is easily accessible from the UK – not only is it within easy reach of the Channel Tunnel and served by the TGV from Paris, but Beauvais airport, situated in Oise, is also served by low-cost airline Ryanair from Glasgow –  and it begins to become something of a mystery as to why Picardy remains hidden to British seekers of French property bargains.

Is the property in Picardy unattractive? No. Is it overly expensive? Certainly not. So why is it, then, that at a time when more Parisians are starting to relocate to the region, very few overseas property purchasers have been drawn to the area in search of bargains? The region's scenery may have something to do with it. It does have to be said that Picardy is by no means the most attractive region of France. Aside from the most southerly regions of Oise, where the landscape is hilly and surrounded by large forests, a majority of Picardy is generally flat and uninteresting. While today this flat landscape has made the region one of the most important agricultural areas in France, in years gone by the region's large fields were used for altogether different purposes.

"Picardy is renowned for its First and Second World War battlefields, particularly the Somme", says McKay. "In fact, it is for these battlefields for which the region is probably best known and from which Picardy's three departments take their name – Somme, Aisne and Oise." Nonetheless, landscape is not the only reason why Picardy has yet to gain widespread popularity amongst Brits. After all, as with any French region, Picardy can still point to having a number of attractive areas, particularly around the Oise and Somme rivers and the Aisne Valley. So why don't Brits stop and look at such sights? "Due to the completion of a motorway which links Calais to Rouen (in Normandy) and beyond, British buyers have a tendency to forego Picardy as an area in which to buy", answers McKay.

Another factor which has undoubtedly not helped this region attract property investment from British buyers – and indeed has affected all the regions in north/central-east France – is the fact that as yet there are still very few British agents selling in the area. However, a few years ago the same could have been said for central France, and now it seems there is a new British agent selling there every week. Therefore, it may be merely a question of time before the region starts to attract more Brits. McKay certainly think so. "I see Picardy becoming more popular once buyers realise that they can find everything they are looking for in a French property and at a far lower price than they would pay nearer to Paris", she says. Should the overseas property market in Picardy indeed take off in the next few years it is in and around the region's capital, Amiens, located in the Somme department, and Beauvais, due to its low-cost airline potential, where British interest is likely to be focused. Currently, an old four-bedroom farmhouse located close to Amiens, with 1,100 square metres of land and two out buidlings can be snapped up from as little as 180,000 euros, or roughly £121,23. Meanwhile, nearer to Beauvais a centrally located three-bedroom traditional French property with an outbuilding could be yours for £131,837, approximately 89,625 euros.

Reason to celebrate?
To the east of Picardy, the Champagne-Ardenne region, often refered to simply as Champagne, is far more famous for the sparkling white wine named after the region than it is for its property market for overseas buyers. "The Champagne region isn't that popular with foreign homebuyers, despite property being relatively inexpensive there, particuarly in the Ardennes department", notes Hampshire. "However, property does become more expensive the nearer you get to Brussels in the north [the region borders Belgium] and Paris in the west. The western part of the Aube department is generally the most expensive area."

While no low-cost airlines currently offer flights direct to Champagne from the UK, the region does have good transport links to Paris which, of course is easily reached from Britian by either train, air or even car. In addition, both Ryanair and bmibaby fly to Brussels, which is less than 100 miles away from the region's eastern border. So, in terms of ease of access it has to be said that Picardy is definitley the easier to get to of the two, although neither are particuarly hard to reach.

One advantage that Champagne does have over its neighbour, aside from being better known due to its links with wine, is that it is arguably the more scenic of the two regions. Instead of the flat, featureless fields of Picardy, Champagne is noted for rolling countryside, immense forests, deep gorges and many rivers. And a combination of this eye-catching scenery, along with its close proximity to Paris, are reasons why, according to McKay at least, Champagne is already attracting more attention from Brits than other regions located in the northern and central-eastern reaches of France. "The Champagne region seems to have gained in popularity with Brits due to its proximity to Paris by good motorway, rail and air connections", says Mckay.  "And the region's popularity will continue to grow, not just because of what the area can offer, such as fantastic scenery, but also because it's so close to Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, Germany and Switzerland", she adds.

The towns of Epernay and Reims, both located in the Marne department of the region – the main champagne-producing area – are likely to be among the most popular areas for those who should happen to uncork this still largely untapped region. "Epernay is an elegant town centred around the champagne houses in the Avenue de Champagne, while Reims is a vibrant city with an imposing cathedral where you can see Marc Chagall's beautiful stained-glass windows", says McKay. "The countryside around both Epernay and Reims is also delightful – rows upon rows of vines growing on hillsides, interspersed with tiny villages", she adds.

Prices for French property in the Marne department fall somewhere in the middle of the fairly expensive Aube and the far cheaper Ardennes departments. At the time of writing a recently renovated three-bedroom duplex apartment in Reims, was on the market for 157,000 euros (approximately £105,735), while in Epernay 296,800 euros (approximately £199,900) would buy you a three-bedroom home set in 1.25 acres of enclosed gardens (both through 1st-for-french-property.co.uk).

Away from these two towns, the region's capital city Troyes, located in the Aube department on the banks of the River Seine, is another area that could prove to be popular with overseas buyers in time. However, property in the city is currently much sought after by locals and demand often outstrips supply. This, coupled with the city's close proximity to Paris – it is situated just 150 kilometres east of the capital – make prices there a little dearer than in either Reims or Epernay, and you should expect to part with around 155,000 euros (approximately £105,000) for a two-bedroom apartment measuring 82 square metres.

At the moment it is too early to say whether either Picardy or Champagne will one day become hot-spots for British buyers or whether they will continue to remain hidden from property-seeking eyes. But before you do rule out a possible purchase there completely you may just find it worthwhile to take a look at the regions for yourself. After all, how else is your mind going to be able to picture exactly what France's hidden corner looks like?

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Related articles about French property:
Buying property in France is different
How and where to buy off plan in France
The pitfalls of restoring a French property
Exploring Provence and the French Riviera

For further information about French property:
Francophiles
Buying a Home in France 2006 by David Hampshire is published by Survivial Books

Article first published in January 2006