Notary fees, timelines, secondary residences, remote viewings — everything an international buyer should know before acquiring property on the French Riviera or in Monaco.
The French Riviera is one of the world's most enduring property markets — a coastline where scarcity is structural, not cyclical. Between Monaco and Cannes, buildable land no longer exists in any meaningful sense; what changes hands is a finite collection of addresses. For an international buyer, the mechanics of acquiring one are simpler than they appear, provided a few fundamentals are understood from the outset.
What a purchase really costs
For an existing property in France, allow roughly 7–8 % on top of the agreed price for notary fees, transfer duties and registration — the figure most buyers know as “frais de notaire”. New-build purchases carry reduced duties. In Monaco the structure differs, and we advise on a case-by-case basis. There are no hidden layers beyond this: the price you negotiate plus these statutory costs is the price you pay.
The timeline
A standard purchase completes in two to three months: an initial agreement (compromis de vente) signed within days of an accepted offer, a ten-day withdrawal period, then the notarial deed. Financing, where used, fits inside this window. Well-prepared buyers — funds documented, structure decided — routinely complete faster.
Residency is not a prerequisite
Nothing prevents a non-resident from owning a secondary residence in France. Many of our clients hold their Riviera address precisely as that: a private residence used a few months a year, professionally managed in their absence, sometimes rented seasonally in the weeks they choose.
Buying from abroad
Distance is no longer an obstacle. Every property we represent is documented in detail, and we produce full 4K video tours — genuine walkthroughs, not marketing cuts — so that a first selection can be made from anywhere in the world. Final viewings are then organised around a single visit, with our advisors handling everything on the ground.
The price you see is a starting point, not a verdict — the great majority of sales on the coast conclude below asking.
Negotiability is real: listed prices on the Riviera are traditionally an invitation. Our role is to know the property's true position — how long it has been on the market, the seller's situation, comparable closings — and to negotiate from evidence.
The first step costs nothing: browse the current portfolio, or speak to an advisor about the address you have in mind.
