Can a foreigner buy property in France?

Foreigners may buy on much the same terms as citizens

France lets foreigners buy property on the same terms as French citizens. A notary handles the sale, and the main rules to know concern farmland and the buyer's tax.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

Foreigners can buy land. Farmland is subject to a rural land agency (SAFER) that can step in as a priority buyer in some sales.

Houses and flats

Houses and apartments can be bought without any approval based on nationality.

Buying through a company

A foreign buyer may buy through a company, including the French civil property company (SCI), which is commonly used for family purchases.

Limits and closed zones

Farmland and certain protected areas have extra rules for any buyer, not only foreigners.

What to watch for

A notary (notaire) must complete the sale. Ask the notary about inheritance rules, because French law can limit who inherits and in what shares.

Understand the legal system first

France belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the France legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
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Official sources

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.