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Beyond the booze cruisers

6th June 2008 | back to article listings BACK    print this article PRINT

Mention Calais to some and the image of the booze cruise comes to mind; of those trips on the ferry across the channel to buy cheap beer and cigarettes duty free. Yet all of that is now in the past.

Changes in duty laws and the advent of the Channel Tunnel are part of that equation, but beyond that the famous port still has appeal, according to French property agency VEF.

The Pas De Calais region, it suggests, lacks nothing in terms of being authentically French, with all the culture and cuisine that implies. But the key difference is price, with houses available for half the cost of those in the home counties across the water.

Such a contrast has already led to a considerable increase in demand and popularity for second or even first homes in such places, the firm states, noting that the ease of access via Eurostar means that London can be reached easily via the Calais terminal, while Paris and Brussels are also easily linked to the coast.

For those buying property for letting there, the market is therefore likely to be for people who may wish to live somewhere affordable while working in London or the south-east, perhaps those with a strong taste for French food and culture but undoubtedly a wish to save money and stay connected with the UK. Therefore, such a market is likely to appeal less to those who may wish to escape the British lifestyle altogether and emigrate completely.

Of course, many do love to mix the best of both countries and for that reason France has been tipped to be a strongly-performing market for British buyers of second homes, overseas property firm shelteroffshore.com has suggested, reports propertyshowrooms.com.

Cost is again cited as a reason for this development, specifically in the airline industry where it is anticipated that air fares will rise because of increasing oil prices. This could confer an advantage on France, due to its proximity and accessibility.

A shelter spokesperson said: "France is on our doorstep and it is a country we can fly to, drive to or even take a train to."

With such advantages the north of France may gain yet further, making it a popular destination not only for those who would prefer France to any other European location as a place in which to live, but also as a location from which getting to and from Britain, whether frequently or occasionally, is much cheaper. If the north of France was once about cheep booze, it is now about saving money in many other ways.

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