New Video: An American Expat’s Real Estate Journey in France

Intro

The property market, I guess, was a little—I mean, it’s about half the price of Nice and some of the other places in the south of France in terms of price per square meter, but it still has the same things to offer in terms of climate and lifestyle. And it’s a great hub for travel and all that.

Kat

Hi! My name is Kat Kalashian for Live and Invest Overseas, and I am joined today by Dennelle Taylor Nizoux, who has been living in Montpellier for quite some time and is the founder of Renestance.

Just to give a bit of background, Montpellier is where Dennelle is based, and it is one of the fastest-growing cities in France, especially in southern France. It’s really catching the attention of expats who are looking for lifestyle, value, and sunshine without the big price tag of places like Nice or Paris.

Today, Dennelle, who is a local there at this point, is here to tell us all about how she helps international buyers navigate the French property market and get settled into Montpellier, what it’s really like to buy there, what surprises people, what the ideal costs should be, and who really belongs in Montpellier.

Before we get into the market itself, I’d love to start with your story so people know a little bit more about how you’ve come to be there.

How did you end up in Montpellier?

Kat

How did you end up in Montpellier? Give us your little elevator pitch story.

Dennelle

Yeah. Well, I’ll try to make it short and quick.

I was a student in Provence in college, so I got to know a little bit of the south of France and the Mediterranean area. It never really felt like home to me, so I basically kind of wrote off the Mediterranean part of the south of France.

Later, my U.S. company transferred me to Paris, and I lived there for ten years. I met my French husband, who is from Normandy. By coincidence, basically, his best friend from Normandy settled in Montpellier in about 2001.

We would take the TGV down to visit him, and he and his wife had their first baby the same year that we had ours. We just kept coming down, and each time we had to take the TGV back up to Paris, it got harder and harder to leave Montpellier.

The thing that was surprising to me is that I had kind of written off that area as a place that could potentially be home. But the more we saw of Montpellier, the more we realized that it was a much different vibe—way more low-key and open-minded.

I was born and raised in Southern California, and it just felt a bit more like that vibe: easygoing, indoor-outdoor lifestyle.

We were living the grind in Paris eventually with two small children, doing the usual “métro, boulot, dodo,” as they say. You’re just living to go to work and be on the metro.

Our friends in Montpellier got off work at five, grabbed the kids and a bottle of rosé, and went down to the beach enjoying their life. I was like, “Yeah, this is what I want.”

So, long story short, that’s basically how we ended up choosing to live in Montpellier. We moved down here in 2010 with our kids, and now our kids are grown.

Kat

For somebody who’s never been to Montpellier, how would you describe it generally as a city for living?

What is Montpellier like?

Dennelle

Basically, it ticks a lot of boxes.

A lot of times we have people who are looking for a walkable place where they don’t need to get in the car for everything, and Montpellier definitely ticks that box.

We’ve got five tram lines, and they are free for residents, so that’s nice.

It’s also near the beach. I mean, it’s not on the beach, but it’s about six miles away, so it ticks that box. But also, there’s lots of hiking and easy access to nature. Within a 20- or 30-minute drive, you’re hiking a mountain.

It’s also a very young city, very dynamic because of the universities, and that also brings a lot of culture. We have a lot of artists and writers, and anybody who’s attracted to the arts can usually find what they’re looking for in Montpellier as well.

We have two opera houses. It’s a very well-rounded city, but also, as they say in French, “à taille humaine.” It’s still navigable.

I think it’s maybe about 500,000 people now, including the whole metropolitan area, so it doesn’t feel too big, but it still has everything that you might be looking for.

Kat

We know that this is a university town and that it draws lots of students. Is this also a location where French people tend to come for retirement? Or is that demographic more represented in the villages around Montpellier?

Is Montpellier a good place for retirement?

Dennelle

Yeah, definitely.

What happened during Covid is that we ended up having a lot of Parisians and French people from less favorable climates come down to Montpellier because they could work remotely and all that.

There have always been people who wanted to retire to the south of France within France, but now we also have more remote workers down here.

I guess maybe the villages are attractive to retirees, but mostly I think more of the areas outside Montpellier, farther out in the countryside around Béziers and places like that. You can get more for your money, and you’re not reliant on the job market.

Kat

You’ve compared Montpellier to other parts of France where you’ve lived and spent time. I’m curious about your husband’s experience since he’s from Normandy. Was there kind of a pull to go north instead of south? And aside from the weather, what does he prefer about one versus the other?

What made you choose Montpellier over other places in France?

Dennelle

That’s a really good question.

He was fine with the weather in Paris because it was similar to what he grew up with. It wasn’t until we started spending more time in Montpellier that he really saw the appeal of being able to be outside for more days of the year.

We actually kept our apartment in Paris for probably the first ten years we were in Montpellier because we didn’t know if we were going to stay or not.

But pretty quickly, we both realized that just waking up and seeing a blue sky every day changes everything because of the sun.

I would actually say he was probably sold on it faster than I was.

Kat

All right, cool. So, let’s get into the property market.

What is the real estate market in Montpellier like right now?

Kat

You’ve been in real estate down there for quite a while now. You’ve seen how the market has changed, whether in passing or permanently.

So, what is the market like right now? Everything in the U.S. feels quite unpredictable right now. People are worried about the value of their homes, mortgage rates, and the stock market going crazy every day.

What is it like in Montpellier? Are things a little bit more stable?

Dennelle

Montpellier has been one of the fastest-growing cities in France for at least 20 years. It was already growing fast when we came down.

Like I said, there was a bit of a bump during Covid where we had a lot of people coming down who could work remotely. So, it’s always been steadily increasing.

The property market is about half the price of Nice and some of the other places in the south of France in terms of price per square meter, but it still has the same things to offer in terms of climate and lifestyle.

It’s also a great hub for travel and all that, so it makes sense that property has been appreciating for a long time.

Kat

Is it better to be a buyer or seller right now?

Is it better to be a buyer or seller in Montpellier right now?

Dennelle

The story in Montpellier right now is that there was definitely price inflation.

I think this reflects most places outside Paris in France. There was a big market uptick from 2020 to 2023 because of Covid and everybody leaving the cities.

Then there was a market correction from 2023 to 2025 as interest rates rose. But now prices have stabilized.

I think Montpellier is following the national trend in that sense, but because the baseline price per square meter is still lower than in other areas with similar attractions, there’s still a lot of upside potential here.

Kat

We often refer to the western Mediterranean French coast as the “other South of France.”

For Americans who only know the south of France through the Cannes Film Festival, Brigitte Bardot movies, or pictures of Nice, it’s this very alluring and glamorous side of France. But because it’s so famous, prices have gone up exponentially.

Montpellier has really held onto a more reasonable regional standard while still providing absolutely everything those other destinations offer. In some ways, even more.

The fact that it’s such a university town and so accessible by train and plane really makes it stand out.

Dennelle

Just last week, I was with a buyer who hadn’t really targeted an area yet.

We looked around Aix-en-Provence and near Cannes, and then we came back over to Montpellier. She was blown away by how much more you could get for your money here.

Lifestyle-wise, she was looking for golf, country clubs, access to nature, easy access into town, culture, shopping, and entertainment options.

She was just blown away by how much you could get in Montpellier at a fraction of the cost of Provence or the Côte d’Azur.

Who are the typical buyers in Montpellier?

Kat

Your company focuses on international buyers. I’m assuming the majority are probably American these days.

Have you seen a difference in trends among foreign buyers over the years?

Dennelle

When I first moved to Montpellier in 2010, I could count the number of Americans on one hand. There were a lot of Brits, more Canadians than Americans, and other northern Europeans.

Montpellier really wasn’t on anybody’s radar back then. I had to explain where it was on the map to people.

Then around 2016, more and more people started coming.

We’ve been hosting a weekly coffee morning for local expats and people passing through on scouting trips. In 2022, it was about 15 people per week, and now it’s regularly over 60 people.

There are definitely way more Americans now, mostly retirees.

Who should not go to Montpellier?

Dennelle

The type of people Montpellier is probably not for would be people who are looking for a job because there’s not much work here.

Even French people struggle with employment, and the unemployment rate is quite high.

So, if you own your own business, work remotely, or are retired, then Montpellier could be a good fit.

What kinds of properties are available in Montpellier?

Kat

When it comes to looking for properties, you’ve got Montpellier city center, but also suburbs, nearby towns, and villages.

What kinds of properties are actually available, and what are people most interested in?

Dennelle

The nice thing about Montpellier is that it’s part of a metropolitan area.

There’s the city proper, and then there are 31 towns around it that share the infrastructure of the metropolitan area, including the tram lines.

That means if you want a villa with a yard and a pool but still want easy access into town, that’s very possible.

If you want to be in an apartment in the city center, there are also several different areas depending on how modern of a property you’re looking for.

Are the properties in Montpellier modern or historic?

Kat

What’s the breakdown between historic and modern properties?

In Paris, it’s mostly historic, and that can come with its own inconveniences. What is Montpellier like?

Dennelle

It really depends on the quartier, or neighborhood.

In the historic center, what they call the l’Écusson, which is 100% pedestrian, there are many historic buildings. People are often surprised and say, “Oh, it looks like Paris.”

Those buildings are hundreds of years old. I’ve even helped buyers purchase places dating back to medieval times.

There are no modern buildings in the l’Écusson because it’s a protected historic area.

But then there’s a neighborhood called Port Marianne where you see cranes everywhere and really modern architectural buildings popping up. That’s where the new builds are.

You also have some newer developments near the train station and in the southwest areas with off-plan apartments available.

Otherwise, it’s a mix of historic buildings and mid-20th-century buildings. As you move out toward the surrounding towns, you get more standalone homes from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.

The cost of real estate in Montpellier

Kat

Can you give some examples of what somebody might get for different price ranges?

Dennelle

Usually, people looking for rental investments are in the €200,000 to €300,000 range.

At that level, you can get a one-bedroom apartment in the historic center or a slightly bigger apartment in a nearby area, though you might need to budget for some renovations.

You could also choose one of the towns closer to the beach, where you can rent to students during the year and seasonally during the summer.

At around €200,000 to €250,000, you can get a good one-bedroom apartment.

The next range would be about €400,000 to €500,000. There, you can get a much larger apartment suitable for a family, either in Montpellier itself or in one of the neighboring towns.

That property would probably already be renovated.

We recently helped a buyer purchase an amazing historic property right in the center of Montpellier on a pedestrian shopping street. They paid around €500,000, but they’ll still put a couple hundred thousand euros into renovations.

It really depends on the size and budget.

We also work with a lot of American retirees who either want historic French charm—with parquet floors, marble fireplaces, and all that—or they want something with more space and comfort that replicates the convenience of a house in the U.S.

Both of those are readily available, probably more around the €500,000 mark.

There are also some very nice high-end villas and architect-designed homes.

Kat

What would the starting range be there? Around a million?

Dennelle

We were touring penthouse apartments in Port Marianne a couple of weeks ago. There are still some rooftop villas available, and you can still find quite a few for under a million euros.

Usually somewhere around €750,000 to €900,000.

Then we looked at villas that were more in the €1 million to €2 million range.

What are the best neighborhoods for expats in Montpellier?

Kat

Are there any particular neighborhoods you recommend to expats, especially retirees?

Is there an area that’s better for accessibility versus historic charm?

Dennelle

There’s definitely a balance between comfort and convenience versus historic charm.

People are naturally drawn to the l’Écusson and neighborhoods like Beaux-Arts because of the historic buildings.

But you’re not going to get elevators in those buildings. Usually there’s no parking either, and there can be hills and cobblestones.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend those areas for people with mobility issues.

If you’re living there year-round and it’s your main home, I think it’s better to be near a tram line.

They just completed the fifth tram line, which gives access to many more surrounding towns. I hesitate to call them suburban because they don’t really feel suburban. You’re still in town within ten or fifteen minutes.

If you’re not going to be in the walkable center, then at least being near a tram line is important because it’s not a great place to drive.

Kat

I got my driver’s license in Paris, and honestly, I prefer driving in Paris to driving in Montpellier.

So definitely make full use of the free tram.

For Americans especially, public transportation can seem very unfamiliar, but it really makes a difference.

What is the biggest shock for those who want to buy real estate in Montpellier?

Kat

What tends to surprise people the most about buying property in Montpellier? Are there any extra costs people should know about?

Dennelle

I’d say there are two surprises.

The first is the “frais de notaire,” which are basically the closing costs and taxes. I always tell people to mentally add another 10% onto the purchase price.

The frais de notaire themselves are usually around 8%, and then inspections, mortgage guarantees, and other related costs are covered in that additional amount.

A lot of people don’t have that in mind.

The pleasant surprise is that property taxes are really low compared to the U.S. Even million- or two-million-euro villas often have property taxes under €3,000 a year.

Kat

That could easily be a monthly property tax bill in some counties in the U.S.

What are the most common mistakes people make when purchasing property in Montpellier?

Kat

What are some common pitfalls people should avoid?

Dennelle

One common mistake is that people unconsciously try to recreate the same setup they had in the U.S.

They buy a house with land, and then suddenly they realize they have to drive everywhere. Then it hits them: “Wait a minute, we moved to France because we wanted a walkable lifestyle.”

Sometimes, if people aren’t conscious about their choices, they end up somewhere that doesn’t actually match the lifestyle they imagined.

Kat

That’s such a good insight.

One thing we always tell people is to make a list of priorities and deal breakers, and keep that list front and center throughout the process.

You’ll naturally slide back into old ways of thinking, but this is a completely new lifestyle, and you should intentionally build the life you actually want.

Dennelle

Another surprise for people is the condition of the properties.

This applies not just to Montpellier but really throughout France. Sellers generally don’t renovate or stage their homes before putting them on the market.

So, don’t expect properties to look immaculate or turnkey. You need a bit of imagination because sometimes a cluttered or outdated property is actually a fantastic opportunity.

Usually, there’s at least a kitchen or bathroom that will need updating if the property isn’t brand new.

But that’s also an opportunity to make the property your own.

The French mindset is basically: why pay for somebody else’s renovations if they might not match your taste?

Kat

That makes complete sense to me.

And there are no open houses either.

Dennelle

Exactly. No open houses.

You have what you’re looking for on paper, but when you start visiting places, you sometimes realize that what you thought you wanted isn’t actually what you’re drawn to.

And just because a property is being sold “as is” doesn’t mean you have to live in it as is. If it doesn’t have air conditioning, for example, you can always install it.

What should be the next step for someone who wants to go to the South of France?

Kat

For somebody watching this and thinking this sounds interesting, what would you suggest as their next step?

Dennelle

I definitely think a reconnaissance trip is a really good idea.

You can do a lot of research online now, even using AI, to narrow down places that meet your criteria—or at least what you think your criteria are.

Then spend at least a couple of weeks in each place to really get a feel for it, not as a tourist but as somebody imagining daily life there.

Join local expat groups and experience everyday routines.

That said, we have helped people buy sight unseen in places they had never even visited before. So, it’s not strictly necessary.

But if you’re making a major move like that, it’s good to at least breathe the air, get the vibe, and see how it feels.

Kat

I totally agree.

I always call it “location chemistry.” It’s the same chemistry you can have with a person.

It can change street to street, neighborhood to neighborhood. You never really know how you’ll react personally to a place until you experience it.

There’s nothing better than getting your boots on the ground and discovering a place for yourself. Live as a local, not as a tourist. Go grocery shopping, cook your own dinners, and join a club.

Thank you so much, Dennelle. You’ve been such a cheerleader for Montpellier for so long, and I’m glad we’re finally giving it some attention.

It might not be the first place people think of when they imagine life in France, but for the right person, it really offers a compelling mix of lifestyle, affordability, and long-term livability.

Got a question? Want to see us cover a particular topic? Write to me here.

Happy trails,