All of France displays crazy real estate prices. All ? No, a small village is still resisting…
“My first project in terms of housing is to make France a country of owners“, declared former President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2006. Access to property in our country remains, for many people, a dream that is still inaccessible twenty years later…
Between high borrowing rates, banks refusing a ton of real estate loans even with a down payment and prices per m² still very high, it’s hard to acquire your main residence, especially if you’re a first-time buyer. However, certain areas of France completely escape this logic. In a generally tense real estate market, one village clearly stands out with prices that seem to belong to another era. There, buying a house does not necessarily involve going into debt over 25 years or giving up space or minimal comfort.
Transactions in this sector are at levels that defy comparison. The average price is around 550 euros per square meter, or 5 to 6 times less than the national average, and up to 17 times less than in the capital; in Paris, the median price for a house is 12,636 €/m2 as of April 2026 reports Le Figaro Real Estatean increase of +10% in one year. On the most affordable properties, some housing even drops below 250 euros per square meter, a level which seems almost unreal in the current context. And, contrary to popular belief, it is not just about houses that need to be renovated from top to bottom. A significant part of these properties is considered habitable, with classic equipment such as double glazing, functional heating, sometimes a garage and adjoining land (for a safe purchase, think about these 3 key areas).
Indeed, the housing stock is mainly made up of old village houses, built at a time when there was no shortage of space. Some have modest energy performance, particularly when heated with fuel oil, but they remain inexpensive. In the field, professionals confirm that these prices are not anecdotal. “We have many properties around 200 euros per square meter. For example, I currently have a house for sale in Clinchamp for €49,000, with a living area of 250 m². It is habitable, with land, garage and double glazing”, confided Anaïs Otabide, from the Orpi Chaumont agency in an interview for The Connection.
These prices also attract buyers looking for second homes, intended for one-off stays far from big cities. The quality of life, without noise pollution or neighbors with whom we pile on top of each other, constitutes a major argument, even if shops and services require a few kilometers by car. The village in question? Romain-sur-Meuse in the Haute-Marne department.
Please note, however, that there, local employment remains limited, making it difficult for workers to settle permanently. Families also have to deal with more distant access to schools and higher education institutions. Finally, the question of health also arises, with a less dense medical offer than in urban areas. But, despite everything, professionals in the sector do not foresee a significant increase in prices in the short term. A great opportunity to seize depending on your life plan.
