Île de Ré is a small island off La Rochelle, on France’s Atlantic coast: ten villages of whitewashed houses with green shutters, cycle paths through vineyards and salt marshes, sandy beaches, and a light that painters have chased for a century. It is one of the most sought-after places in France for a second home — and one of the most tightly protected, which is exactly what keeps it beautiful.
Victoria Keys has been selling houses here since 2007, from our offices in Saint-Martin-de-Ré and Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré. This page explains, in plain English, how buying a home on the island works: the villages, realistic budgets, each step of the French purchase process, the costs, and what you should know before you commit. Our current listings are on our houses for sale page — the descriptions are in French, but every listing has a “View in English” button.
Why buy a house on Île de Ré?
The island is 30 km long and never more than 5 km wide. Since 1988 a bridge has linked it to La Rochelle, yet it has kept the feel of a place apart: strict building rules limit height, colour and density, so villages look much as they did a century ago, and about 80 % of the land is protected countryside, marsh or beach.
For buyers coming from Paris, London or further afield, the practical appeal is simple. La Rochelle is under three hours from Paris by high-speed train (TGV), and La Rochelle airport, twenty minutes from the bridge, has direct flights to the UK and Ireland in season. Once here, most people leave the car and cycle: the island has over 100 km of dedicated cycle paths.
The market is small and stable. Very little new building is permitted, so supply is limited by design; demand comes from French families first, and from international buyers second. Houses tend to stay in families for a long time, and well-kept properties in good locations have historically been easy to resell. That scarcity is what you are buying.
The ten villages of Île de Ré: where to buy
Saint-Martin-de-Ré — The island’s capital: a working harbour ringed by restaurants, cobbled lanes, and Vauban’s 17th-century fortifications, listed by UNESCO. The most urban village and the most in demand. Our main office is here, at 10 rue de Sully.
La Flotte — A classified “most beautiful village of France”, with a medieval covered market and a lively small harbour. Elegant, lived-in all year, very popular with Parisians.
Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré — The island’s central beach village: long south-facing sands, a daily market, a family atmosphere. Our second office is here, on avenue de la Plage.
Sainte-Marie-de-Ré — The first village after the bridge and the largest by population, with a quieter, more residential feel and its own beaches and vineyards.
Rivedoux-Plage — Closest to the mainland, facing the bridge and La Rochelle. Good beaches, oyster farms, and the shortest journey to the station and airport.
La Couarde-sur-Mer — At the island’s narrow waist, with some of the best beaches and a relaxed, family-oriented centre. A favourite for summer houses.
Loix — A small village on a peninsula among the salt marshes: the quietest and most secluded of the ten. Sought after precisely for that.
Ars-en-Ré — Recognisable from far away by its black-and-white church spire, once a landmark for sailors. Another “most beautiful village of France”, with a harbour, a market and a strong sense of community.
Saint-Clément-des-Baleines — At the wild western tip, by the great Phare des Baleines lighthouse: ocean beaches, pine forest, and a more rugged landscape.
Les Portes-en-Ré — The northern end of the island: discreet, low-key and among the most exclusive addresses on Ré, with large gardens and the Trousse-Chemise pine woods.
Not sure which one is for you? Our page on houses for sale by village compares them, and we will happily talk you through the differences.
Île de Ré property prices: what can you buy?
Almost everything on the island is a house: village houses with courtyards, converted wine-growers’ farms, contemporary architect-designed villas, and the classic maison rétaise — white walls, green or grey shutters, a walled garden, terracotta roof tiles. Apartments are rare.
Entry prices for a house with a garden start at roughly €500,000, and the market extends to several million euros for large properties with pools, sea views or exceptional gardens. Where a house sits inside a village — a quiet lane near the harbour, a plot with no overlooking neighbours — often matters more to its value than its size.
One honest word about pricing: because every house here is different and land is scarce, no average price per square metre will tell you what a specific property is worth. Only a valuation done on site, by someone who knows the street, has real meaning. That is what we do, every week, for both sellers and buyers.
How does buying a house in France work? Step by step
If you have bought in the UK, the US or elsewhere, the French system will feel reassuringly structured. Every sale goes through a notaire, a state-appointed legal officer who is neutral between buyer and seller and guarantees the transfer of ownership.
1. Define your search and get in touch. Tell us your budget, the villages you are drawn to, and how you intend to use the house. We know every listing on the island, including many that are sold discreetly.
2. Visit — in person or by video. Most of our buyers live far away. We organise viewing days for your visits and can do detailed video viewings first, so you travel only for houses that deserve it.
3. Make an offer. Offers are made in writing. Once the seller accepts, the price is fixed.
4. Read the seller’s technical reports (diagnostics). Before the preliminary contract, the seller must provide, at their own cost, a set of official reports drawn up by certified inspectors: energy performance (DPE), asbestos, lead, termites, electrical and gas installations, drainage, and the natural-risk statement (flooding, coastal erosion). They are in French; we go through them with you. France has no tradition of the full structural survey you may know from the UK or the US: if you want one, commission it before signing, because once the compromis is signed the reports cannot be used to reopen the price.
5. Sign the preliminary contract (compromis de vente). This binding contract is usually signed two to four weeks after the offer, at the notaire’s office or by electronic signature. You pay a deposit, typically 5 to 10 % of the price, into the notaire’s escrow account — never to the agency or the seller, and never in cash. As a buyer you then have a 10-day cooling-off period during which you can withdraw without penalty. The seller cannot.
6. Conditions (conditions suspensives). The contract can include conditions that cancel it if they are not met — most commonly obtaining a mortgage. Say from the start if you will need financing: the clause protects you, and it must be written into the contract to apply.
7. The notaire’s checks. Over the following weeks the notaire verifies title and planning status, checks that no mortgage or charge encumbers the house, and clears the commune’s right of first refusal (droit de préemption): most Ré villages hold one, the town hall is notified of every sale, and in practice it almost never exercises it — but the two-month notice is one reason the process takes the time it does. Use this period to open a French bank account if you do not have one and to arrange home insurance, which must be in place on completion day.
8. Sign the deed (acte authentique). Usually about three months after the compromis. You pay the balance and the purchase costs to the notaire, and receive the keys the same day. If you cannot travel, you can sign by power of attorney — many of our international buyers do.
From offer to keys, count roughly three to four months.
Buying costs in France: notaire fees, agency fees, taxes
Purchase costs (“frais de notaire”). For an existing house, budget around 7 to 8 % of the price on top of it. Despite the name, most of this is transfer tax paid to the State and the department; the notaire’s own fee is a small part. One notaire usually acts for both sides, as a neutral officer. You are free to appoint your own — for example one used to working in English — at no extra cost: the two notaires share the same fee.
Agency fees. At Victoria Keys, our fees are paid by the seller, as stated on our fees page. As a buyer, you pay us nothing.
Mortgage. French banks do lend to non-residents, including non-EU buyers, usually against a larger deposit than for French residents and with full documentation of income. Rates are fixed for the whole term, which many international buyers find attractive. We can introduce you to brokers used to working with foreign clients.
Ongoing costs. Owners pay an annual property tax (taxe foncière), due by whoever owns the house on 1 January; in the year of purchase the notaire apportions it between seller and buyer. Second homes also remain liable for the residence tax (taxe d’habitation), which several Ré communes are entitled to increase. Utilities, insurance and, if you wish, a local caretaker or gardener complete the picture. None of these is large relative to the value of the property, but you should know they exist.
Can foreigners buy property on Île de Ré?
Yes. France places no restriction on foreign nationals buying property, whether or not they are EU citizens, and ownership rights are identical. Owning a house does not by itself grant residence rights: non-EU visitors remain subject to the usual limits on length of stay (in the Schengen area, 90 days in any 180), and a long-stay visa is needed to live here for longer.
Two questions deserve advice before you buy rather than after. Tax residence: spend more than six months a year in France and you become a French tax resident, with consequences for your worldwide income. Inheritance: French law reserves part of an estate for children, which differs from what most English-speaking buyers expect, and how you hold the property (in your own names, through a French property company or otherwise) changes the outcome. We are not tax advisers, but we can put you in touch with English-speaking professionals who deal with this every week.
Planning rules, holiday lets and coastal risk on Île de Ré
Planning rules are strict, and that is the point. Île de Ré is covered by the French coastal law (Loi Littoral) and by detailed local plans. Extensions, pools, changes to façades or roof lines are all subject to permission and often to the opinion of the heritage architect. Never assume you will be able to “add a floor” or “open up the garden”. Ask us before you buy — we will tell you what is realistic for that specific plot.
Renting out your house is regulated. Seasonal letting is common and well established on the island, but it requires a declaration to the town hall and rules are tightening in many villages. If rental income is part of your plan, make sure of the position before you sign. (Victoria Keys does not manage rentals, but we will tell you what to expect and who to talk to.)
Some areas carry flood-risk designations. A low-lying island facing the Atlantic has coastal-risk plans. This is normal, transparent and documented in every sale file; it affects what can be built more than whether you should buy. We know which streets are concerned.
Buying on Île de Ré from abroad with Victoria Keys
We have been on the island for nearly twenty years, from two offices: 10 rue de Sully, Saint-Martin-de-Ré, in the heart of the harbour town, and 1 avenue de la Plage, Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré. Our business is sales only — no rentals, no management — which means our time goes to one thing: matching houses and buyers well.
For buyers abroad we offer video viewings, coordination with the notaire and your lender, and help with the practicalities of owning a house you visit a few times a year. The more precisely you tell us what you want — budget, villages, garden or pool, walking distance to the beach or the harbour — the better we can use your visits: on an island where good houses are few, a clear brief matters more than a long list.
Tell us what you are looking for. Call us on +33 5 46 66 54 06, write to iledere@victoria-keys.com, or use our contact form.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to buy a house in France?
Usually three to four months from an accepted offer to receiving the keys: two to four weeks to sign the preliminary contract, then about three months for the notaire to complete the file.
Do I have to be in France to sign?
No. Both the preliminary contract and the final deed can be signed by power of attorney or, for the preliminary contract, electronically. Many of our international buyers complete their purchase without a second trip.
Who pays the estate agent’s fees on Île de Ré?
At Victoria Keys, the seller does. Our fee schedule is published on our fees page. As a buyer you pay nothing to the agency.
How much are the notaire’s costs?
For an existing house, around 7 to 8 % of the purchase price. Most of it is transfer tax; the notaire’s fee itself is a small part of that figure.
Can I get a French mortgage as a non-resident?
Yes. French banks lend to non-residents, generally requiring a larger deposit and full proof of income. Rates are fixed for the life of the loan. We can introduce you to brokers who work with international buyers.
Do I need a survey?
The seller must provide official reports (energy, asbestos, lead, termites, electrics, gas, drainage, natural risks) before the preliminary contract. Full structural surveys are not customary in France, but you may commission one at your own cost — do it before signing, not after.
Can I rent my house out when I am not there?
Usually yes, but seasonal letting is regulated on the island and requires a declaration to the town hall, with rules that vary by village and change over time. Check the position for the specific house before you buy.