Viewing in the winter

Sunlight and high temperatures are almost guaranteed for most of the year, but from November to February the thermometer can plummet, particularly in hilly spots just off the coast, and the noon sun drops dramatically.

Are the living rooms or the kitchen facing south, southwest or southeast, and are they protected from the cold Mistral wind, which belts down the Rhône valley from the north before veering east along the coastline in the Var?

Winter sunshine or not

Are any hills going to drastically reduce sunlight in the winter months? Quaint old village houses that have not been modernised often have small windows, which keep out excessive summer sunlight but result in gloomy interiors in the winter.

Car parking outside may be alright for apartments and houses throughout the year and for inland areas most of the year, but a carport, at least, is advisable for localities that regularly have heavy overnight winter frosts even though they may be just half an hour’s drive from the coast.

Hilltop villages (villages perchés), such as those around Draguignan and Fayence, are lovely rural retreats with splendid views in the spring, summer and autumn, but are the minor roads and approach roads, sometimes just tracks, to properties going to present problems when frosts set in?

Your car may be fine for cruising the motorway, but a robust 4-wheel drive vehicle may be a better proposition.

Road maintenance

Residents in private housing estates (lotissements en co-propriété) of course have to bear the cost of maintaining their estate’s road or roads, and in general the costs are divided in proportion to the size of individual property plots. The larger your garden, the more you pay and the more maintenance could be involved.

Of course heating systems are an important consideration. If a new system needs to be installed or windows replaced, hot and cold air wall-mounted air-conditioning units, glass-fronted fireplaces and PVC double-glazed units are the best buys in terms of efficiency and keeping energy bills down.

Older properties may have inadequate loft insulation and the local EDF electricity office should be able to advise you on the appropriate thickness for insulation material layers. The EDF will also advise regarding any tax rebates or credits that may apply for new energy-saving installations.

Energy report

The obligatory energy performance certificate giving details of the heating costs should also be studied carefully. If a property is being built, integrated under-floor heating will provide equally diffused heat.

Once you have seen your dream home take a good look at the environment and local amenities. A busy, lively village from Easter to October may ‘close down’ for the rest of the year, which may not be what you want.

Richard Whiting