Hot summers have made comfort in July and August a factor for some buyers of French property. This guide looks at three features that can affect how cool a house stays — altitude, water and traditional stone construction — and what to check when you view.
Quick answer: Three features can help a French property stay cooler in summer: altitude (temperature falls by roughly 0.6°C for every 100 metres), proximity to water, and thick traditional stone walls with working shutters. When you view, check wall thickness, shutters, tree cover and orientation, and treat any comfort claim as a starting point for your own checks.
Does Altitude Make a Property Cooler?
Temperature falls by approximately 0.6°C for every 100 metres of altitude gained. A property at 600 metres in the Ariège foothills sits roughly 3 to 4°C cooler than the valley floor on an equivalent day, and the difference grows at 1,000 metres. Altitude of this kind is found in the Pyrenees, the Massif Central and the southern Alps.
The Ariège sits at the foot of the Pyrenees and has mountain-adjacent property: stone farmhouses, village houses and character properties with views. Our Ariège property guide covers the department, and our guide to affordable areas looks at where else to look. Mountain property in the Alps is listed on our ski site: see ski and mountain property in the French Alps.
Does Water Make a Difference?
Moving water and tree shade can lower the temperature immediately around a property. Rivers such as the Charente, the Dordogne, the Lot and the Vézère run through the south-west. A riverside property may benefit from shade and from the water nearby. Lakes and ponds are found in departments such as Corrèze and Creuse; see lake and waterfront properties. Check flood exposure for any property near water.
How Does Old Stone Help?
Thick stone walls absorb heat slowly during the day and release it at night, which can keep interiors cooler than the air outside. Walls of 50 to 70 cm of solid stone are found in traditional south-west construction, for example in a farmhouse or maison de maître. Closing the shutters in the morning reduces heat gain. Rendered blockwork has less thermal mass than solid stone.
What to Check When You View
- Wall thickness — solid stone or blockwork, and how thick
- Working shutters (volets) — particularly on south and west-facing windows
- Tree cover — particularly on the south side of the property
- Water nearby — a river, lake or stream, and its flood exposure
- Altitude — higher ground is generally cooler
- Bedroom orientation — which rooms face north and which face south
Our guide to the DPE energy rating explains the energy certificate you will see on an older house.
Where to Look
Browse our old stone properties and properties with views, or look by area in the Ariège, the Charente and the Dordogne. For a first look at what is listed at a set budget, see properties under €200,000. When you are ready to talk, get in touch — Town & Country Property France is happy to have a conversation without obligation, including a verbal valuation on a specific property you have already identified.