In news that may interest Normandy property buyers, an expert on the French market has said there is a gulf between perception and reality.

Charlie Fraser from VEF said the common assumption was that the UK and French markets do well or badly at the same times, but he stated that this is far from always the case.

He commented that there are "fundamental differences" between the two markets that mean France is able to enjoy a greater level of stability than Britain.

Higher fees and deposits plus a lack of subprime lending – along with a cultural perception that a house is chiefly a home and not an investment – all allow France to steer clear of the sort of problems seen in Britain and the US, Mr Fraser stated.

Normandy property buyers may also be attracted by the proximity of the region to the UK.

Speaking last month at the French Property Exhibition 2008, Herve Blatry, the French avocat for Stanley Tee LLP, said the continued popularity of the country with UK buyers is partly down to the fact that it is "easier than ever to travel to France from the UK".

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