Those ice caps in Patagonia probably won't be at the top of your list of considerations when hunting for that stunning little French chateau, and global warming might seem like a positive blessing as you sit in the garden sipping the local vin and sunning yourself, but, sooner or later, we all know that we'll have to start getting serious about the environment.

In fact, it's not even that most of us don't already want to do our bit for the planet, it's just that it all seems to take so much effort. And the  mere thought of sitting astride a composting toilet and washing in rainwater has surely deterred a fair few would-be eco-warriors.

The facts are pretty stark, however, and environmental issues are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, even for us Brits, who traditionally have never had to think twice about where our rubbish goes and where our water comes from. While recycling in the UK, for instance, has, on average, risen from 2 per cent of waste per houshold in 1991 to 17 per cent in 2004, we're still producing over 500 kilograms of waste a year according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

So what has all this got to do with buying a French property? Well, for one thing, as of July the French government is attempting to improve the country's green consciousness by introducing a new mandatory 'energy label' system for all housing units sold or rented. It will rate the property's energy efficiency and could alter construction standards across the country. The scheme was applied to French motor vehicles in May and will be extended to all household goods in the future. The French government has also invested a lot more in renewable energy than the UK (6.3 per cent compared to 1.4 per cent according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which should give anyone moving there a warm fuzzy glow of environmental smugness, and also seems a smart move for a country that has no real oil reserves to speak of, relying heavily instead on nuclear power.

Sally Dixon from ecological property developers Arc En Ciel Bois, says the authorities are waking up to environmentally aware French buildings, but at a sluggish pace. "The French government is trying to encourage environmentally friendly construction but, unfortunately, it often does not filter down to the local level. "In some of the more conservative rural areas, local Maires (mayors) can be of the 'not in my backyard' variety when it comes to eco-friendly houses, but usually they can be overruled if the project envisaged can be seen to fit in architecturally with the local surroundings." And for all those French property hunters who might not relish the thought of living in an ugly pre-fab box with solar panels attached, Dixon has some reassuring news about how far environmentally friendly design has come in the past few years. "It is important that people realise that wood houses do not have to look like a cuckoo clock and can be built (as is our own house) with square, not round logs, using local terracotta for roof tiles, or slates depending on the region. The timber frame houses can also be clad to fit in with local planning demands. "I can't think of any disadvantages at all, really. Wood houses have been built in Scandinavia for centuries and I have seen houses and churches dating from the 12th century, so they are very durable. Insurance is no more expensive either."

While the wooden properties from Arc En Ciel Bois can cost anywhere between 72,000 and 115,000 euros (roughly £49,000 – £78,500), the price of converting an existing property in Europe can be much dearer, and there are few incentives to unhook from the main power grid and rely on sustainable energy sources. With the crackdown by the French government on property that refuses to 'go green' and the emergence of an eco-tourism market, it seems  the eco-friendly property market is set to expand.

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This article first published in July 2006