At €100 per square metre, a stone property in the Brittany town of Lannion seemed like a steal. 

Although the cost of transforming the stone building, which used to house public toilets, into a comfy home might be steep, the €7,800 price tag is a bargain – particularly in a region where property prices have boomed in recent years. 

Local media reported that tens of thousands of people visited the web page advertising the sale. So many people applied to buy the property from the Côtes-d’Armor commune that applications were closed last week. 

Une maison bretonne à 7800 euros, victime de son succès https://t.co/n7n5Q4EJiX

— Le Figaro (@Le_Figaro) February 11, 2022

The local authorities are now sifting through the dossiers of some 50 prospective buyers in an attempt to work out who would be the most suitable owner. 

Whoever is chosen will need to carry out works in line with the local urban plan, including an improvement to the building’s energy efficiency and replacing or covering lead surfaces. 

A previous buyer had been accepted but backed out of the deal after realising how much the renovations would cost. 

France rarely has the type of ‘€1 house deals’ seen in some regions of Spain and Italy (although those are often not what they appear), but in sparely populated areas local authorities can offer inducements to move including cheap property, help with renovation costs or even money upfront to buyers.

Meanwhile in areas of rural France older properties can be picked up comparatively cheaply, although anyone considering taking on a renovation is advised to do their research first, as these often turn out to be more time-consuming and expensive than expected.

French property tips – ‘double your budget and make friends with the mayor’