Cheap houses in France: where to find countryside homes (Creuse, Charente, Dordogne)

France has no shortage of cheap countryside houses, but they are not spread evenly. Paris, the Riviera, the Alps and the Atlantic coast are expensive. Much of the rural interior is not. On Cheapaco, most French listings are in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and that is no coincidence. Here is how the main areas compare.

Creuse: the most affordable, the most rural

The Creuse, in the old Limousin region, is one of the least densely populated departments of France. It is a landscape of pastures, woods, lakes and granite hamlets, with towns such as Aubusson, famous for tapestry, and Guéret. Prices here are among the lowest in France, so you get a stone house with a barn and a large garden for a modest budget. The trade-off: distances to shops, doctors and train stations can be long, and some hamlets are very quiet in winter.

Haute-Vienne: Limousin with a city nearby

The Haute-Vienne is also part of the Limousin, but with Limoges as a regional city with an airport and a railway station. Villages such as Magnac-Laval, Rochechouart and Oradour-Saint-Genest offer stone farmhouses and hamlet houses at prices that are still low, with better access to services than deep in the Creuse.

Charente: between the Limousin and the coast

The Charente, around Angoulême and Cognac, has long been popular with British buyers. The landscape is gentler, with vineyards in the west and woods and rivers in the east, where it borders the Limousin. In the north and east of the department, around Ruffec, Champagne-Mouton and Confolens, prices remain moderate and stone houses with towers, barns and large plots appear regularly.

Dordogne: the famous one

The Dordogne (Périgord) is the best known of the four, with its castles, river valleys and prehistoric sites. It is also the most expensive, especially in the Périgord Noir around Sarlat. Cheaper houses exist, usually further from the river and the tourist hotspots, or needing work.

What houses cost on Cheapaco right now

Across all our French listings, the median asking price is €140,400, and the cheapest house is €79,900. In Nouvelle-Aquitaine alone, we list 18 houses from €79,900. These are asking prices from our own selection of detached houses in nature, not market statistics.

Beyond Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Other affordable areas include the south of Normandy, within reach of the Channel ferries, and the Allier and Puy-de-Dôme in Auvergne. Inland Brittany, the Indre and the Nièvre are also known for lower prices.

What to check before you buy

• The septic system. Many rural houses have their own system (assainissement non collectif). The seller must provide an inspection report; a non-compliant system may need to be upgraded by the buyer.
• The roof and walls. Old stone houses are robust but can suffer from damp; check the roof and the drainage around the walls.
• Energy performance (DPE). A poor rating means higher heating costs and, in time, renovation obligations if you want to rent the house out.
• Total costs. On older homes, notary fees and taxes are typically around 7–8% of the price on top.

Our guide to buying a house in France as a foreigner explains the process step by step. Browse all cheap houses in France, the stone houses or the farmhouses.