Buying on the Riviera: the back story

About Buying on the Riviera: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Property Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Buying on the Riviera means choosing a way of life first. Nice offers city apartments within walking distance of the sea and the tram; Cannes has its apartments along La Croisette and villas in Californie and the hills; the capes (Antibes, Ferrat) are a world of gated villas; and the hill villages, from Mougins to Saint-Paul-de-Vence, offer stone houses with views.

How a purchase works

In France, a notaire, a public official, draws up and registers the sale. There is usually a preliminary contract (compromis or promesse de vente), followed by a cooling-off period for the buyer, then the final deed (notaires.fr; service-public.gouv.fr).

Where people buy

Our property guide compares Nice, Cannes, Antibes and its cape, Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu, Saint-Tropez and the hill villages. We never publish prices.

Every sale in France goes through a notaire: meet yours early.

Our advice: spend a winter week as well as a summer one in any town you’re considering.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Buying on the Riviera: the back story before you go.