Next year, French President Nicolas Sarkozy plans on an overhaul of the country’s wealth tax system. This has prompted a leading property developer in France to target wealthy British investors and attempt to persuade them to make Annecy, a historic lakeside town in the Haute Savoie region, their home.

The new wealth tax rules is likely to make France one of the most attractive destinations, as the threshold for tax is increasing from €800,000 to €1.3 million. Some may even consider it to be more attractive than many Swiss cantons (states).

Richard Deans, who is in charge of the London sales office of Annecy based MGM French Properties said; “France could become a new tax haven for expatriates. Until now, Annecy, in the foothills of the French Alps, has been relatively unknown to Britons. The historic and picturesque olde worlde university town with its Little Venice canal network, restaurants, cafes and weekly markets has a lot to offer Britons seeking a new life in one of the most beautiful parts of Europe.”

Mr. Deans also notes that Annecy is a mere hour and a half from Geneva by car, and is regular host to International festivals, conferences and sporting events.

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