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Cap-Ferrat, Cap d’Antibes, Saint-Tropez and the hills of Provence: the Mediterranean’s most famous villa market is open to every nationality, with a notaire at every sale.
At a glance
Why buy here
From Saint-Tropez to Menton, the Côte d’Azur holds the Mediterranean’s most famous villa addresses: the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, the waterfront estates of Cap d’Antibes, the hills above Cannes and the beach estates of Ramatuelle. Inland, Provence adds the mas and stone villages of the Luberon and the Alpilles.
The rules are clear and the same for everyone: freehold for all nationalities, a notaire at every sale, and transfer duties set by the département. On a resale, Knight Frank puts total buying costs at 8.0% for a non-resident buying a US$2 million home on the Riviera (Q3 2026).
France offers no residence for buying property; most wealthy Americans use the long-stay visitor visa. For hotels, yachts and the season itself, see our guide to the French Riviera.
Who can buy
Freehold for everyone. Full ownership (pleine propriété) is open to all nationalities, with no reciprocity test and no extra steps for US buyers.
Pre-emption. SAFER, the rural land agency, can pre-empt sales of farmland and some rural estates, and the commune can pre-empt in urban zones. Both are checked before completion, typically within about two months.
The coast. The Loi Littoral and local plans strictly limit building near the sea. They restrict construction, not who may own. A French SCI is common for succession and co-ownership planning; take cross-border advice first.
Best areas to buy
Indicative prices per square metre with source and year. Most are top-of-market or highest asking prices, not averages.
The Riviera’s most exclusive peninsula and the bay of Villefranche.
€35,000–80,000/m²Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s Realty, February 2026. Highest asking price €113,000/m² (Engel & Völkers Waterfront ranking, August 2026).
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Beaulieu & Villefranche: Territory page →
Waterfront estates on the cape’s “Billionaires’ Bay”.
€12,000–50,000/m²Savills Riviera, 2026. Highest asking price €50,000/m² (Engel & Völkers, 2026).
Antibes, Cap d'Antibes & Juan-les-Pins: Territory page →
Villas and beach estates above Pampelonne and around the old port.
Above €45,000/m²Waterfront, often above this level: Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s Realty, February 2026. Highest asking price €61,000/m² (Engel & Völkers, 2026).
Saint-Tropez, Ramatuelle & Gassin: Territory page →
Seafront apartments on the Croisette and hillside villas in La Californie and Super-Cannes.
Up to about €45,000/m²Peak for trophy assets: Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s Realty, February 2026.
Cannes, Mougins & Super-Cannes: Territory page →
Belle Époque villas on Mont Boron and Cimiez and apartments in the Carré d’Or.
No verified figureNo prime per-square-metre figure could be confirmed.
Nice: Territory page →
Cliff-top villas and the quiet capes between Monaco and the Italian border.
No verified figureNo prime per-square-metre figure could be confirmed.
Èze, Cap-d'Ail, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin & Menton: Territory page →
Mas, bastides and estates among vineyards, olive groves and stone villages.
€1.5m–€5m+ per propertyMost estates trade in this range; no per-square-metre figure is published. Barnes, 2026.
Provence: Luberon & Alpilles: Territory page →
Hôtels particuliers in Aix and the rare seafront villas of the Marseille coast and Cassis.
€8,300–20,000/m²Aix-en-Provence €8,300–12,000/m², high-end to exceptional (Barnes, May 2026); Marseille coast and Cassis up to €20,000/m² (Barnes, 2026).
Aix-en-Provence, Marseille & Cassis: Territory page →
Villas on the granite coves of the south and the Balagne in the north-west.
Up to €15,000/m²Barnes, July 2026.
Corsica: Territory page →Homes and settings
Photographs to show the setting and style of homes; they are not listings for sale.
Developers
We have not yet confirmed a branded-residence scheme on the Riviera that is currently selling, so none is listed here. Places for Developers are open in each Territory: see Founding Partners.
How to buy
Timeline. About three months from preliminary contract to deed; longer with a mortgage or a SAFER review.
Lawyers and lenders who serve foreign buyers can be listed on this page. To advertise, write to [email protected].
Taxes and fees
| Item | Rate or cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer duties (DMTO), Alpes-Maritimes | About 5.81% | Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap-Ferrat, Menton. Département rate 4.5% |
| Transfer duties (DMTO), Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, Corsica | About 6.32% | Saint-Tropez, Aix, Marseille, Corsica. Département rate 5% |
| Notaire’s fees | Under 1% on prime prices | Sliding scale, plus 20% VAT and disbursements |
| New build (under five years) | 20% VAT in the price | Plus a reduced registration fee of about 0.7% |
| Item | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IFI wealth tax | 0.5%–1.5% | When net French real estate exceeds €1.3m on 1 January |
| Taxe foncière and taxe d’habitation | Set by the commune | Second homes pay taxe d’habitation; tight-market communes can add a surtax |
| Rental income, non-residents | Minimum 20%, or 30% above €29,579 | Plus social charges of 17.2% on unfurnished lets |
| Capital gains, non-residents | 19% plus 17.2% social charges | Exempt from income tax after 22 years and from social charges after 30 |
| Tax representative | Required for non-EU sellers | Unless the price is €150,000 or less or the gain is exempt |
France has never offered residence for buying property. Owning a home gives no right to stay beyond 90 days in any 180.
For people living on their own resources, without working. It lasts up to 12 months and can be renewed in France as a residence card. It is the usual route for wealthy American retirees and second-home owners. Naturalisation is normally possible after five years of residence.
Founding Partners
Three places for Founding Partner Agencies and three for Developers in each Territory. Places are open.
Questions buyers ask
Yes. Full ownership is open to all nationalities, with no permit and no reciprocity test.
On a resale, about 7.5% to 8.5% of the price in taxes and fees. Transfer duties are about 5.81% in Alpes-Maritimes and about 6.32% in the Var.
Yes. The final deed must be signed before a notaire, who also registers it and pays the transfer taxes. You may appoint your own notaire at no extra cost.
Yes, if your net French real estate is worth more than €1.3m on 1 January. IFI runs from 0.5% to 1.5%, and non-residents pay only on their French property.
No. France has no golden visa. Most American owners who want to stay longer use the long-stay visitor visa.
Where to stay while you look
Selected by TheMediterranean.com · Cap d'Antibes, the Côte d'Azur
View the ResortSources
Checked 31 October 2026. Rules and rates change; confirm with a qualified lawyer and tax adviser before you buy. TheMediterranean.com is not a real estate broker, agent or finder, and nothing here is legal, tax or immigration advice.
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