The average rental yield across France was 4.84pc in the final quarter of 2025, according to the Global Property Guide. If you’re planning to allow holidaymakers to rent your property on a short-term basis, you would probably hope for higher, but Mr Conn said it’s important to be realistic.
“The yield is difficult to define because it depends on whether the let will be long-term or seasonal. A rough indication could be 5pc, but it really depends on several variables – amount of time, management costs and so on.”
He added: “The weekly and monthly short-term seasonal rental yields are higher, but only for the season and not the full year, and the management costs can be higher.”
Ms Whitlow agreed: “Yields will always vary. A simple village house won’t bring the same return as a larger home with a pool and views, but well-presented properties in the right spot are letting strongly.”
Buying a property outright will always be more straightforward. Even if you don’t have the ready cash, you might be able to remortgage against a UK property to raise the necessary finance.
However, that’s not to say it’s impossible to get a mortgage in France. The key is to get specialist advice.
“There are relatively few French lenders who will lend to UK residents,” said Miranda John, director of international property at mortgage broker SPF Private Clients. “These lenders are looking for the property to be in a prime location, and the minimum loan is €300,000.
“Mortgages are virtually always on a repayment basis, and loan-to-values (LTVs) can be generous – up to 80pc – but for property with a value of €2m or higher, this usually falls to 70-75pc. French banks generally prefer to offer a fixed rate for the term of the mortgage.”
She added that the amount you can borrow could be less if you’re borrowing from a smaller lender: “LTVs can vary considerably depending on where you buy, and if the property is too rural, finance may not be available to a non-resident via a local lender.”
If you’re letting a property out, Mr Conn pointed out that the affordability assessments are different from those in the UK. “It is important to note that the French banks do not offer ‘self-financing’ buy-to-let mortgages, despite the intention to let the property,” he said.
“The applicant must fit the mortgage affordability criteria based on their personal and/or professional income and expenses – mortgage, rent, loans, and so on.”