All our services in Île de Ré

Your property in Île de Ré, seen from abroad

Île de Ré draws a discreet, loyal international clientele: Parisian and Lyon families first, then British, Dutch and Belgian households settled for decades. English is understood everywhere in local services, the island living off its foreign clientele. Schools and healthcare spread between Saint-Martin, La Flotte and the mainland via La Rochelle, whose hospital is 30 min from the bridge.

Buying in Île de Ré

Acquisition is the first door, and the heart of the craft. French Realty frames your project, brings together financing, the notary and currency, and coordinates every step to the keys. In Île de Ré, the search, viewings and negotiation are led by Home Select France, buying agent and sister house.

• Property search

  Find and buy your property in France, even remotely: a guided journey from A to Z, via a partner search firm (carte T).

• Off-Market Access

  Access rare, never publicly listed properties through our premium network of partner buying agents.

• Detailed property viewing

  The partner buying agent visits the property on your behalf, records video and photos, and provides a full analytical report.

• In-depth property review

  A full review by the partner buying agent: criteria, price per sqm, area, energy rating, red flags and a go / no-go recommendation.

• Property auctions

  Spot properties sold at auction anywhere in France, read the file before the hearing and be supported through to the keys.

• French mortgage support

  Introduction to a broker specialised in non-residents to secure financing tailored to your profile.

• Foreign currency transfers

  Access a specialised partner to transfer your funds into euros at competitive rates and with full security.

• Bilingual notary for non-residents

  Introduction to a notary used to non-residents and clear explanation of the French purchase process.

• Opening a French bank account

  We help you open a French bank account, an often tricky step from abroad and required for your mortgage, utilities and direct debits.

• Turnkey settling-in

  From arrival to full move-in, without a second thought.

• Moving

  Organising your move to or from France, even remotely: we frame the project and connect you with a partner mover who quotes and carries out the work.

Your residence in Île de Ré, looked after all year

The full care of your residence, on site and from afar: finding a rental, getting it up and running, watching over it with inspection visits, attending interventions, works and renovation, furnishing and decoration, letting, resale. Managed by your dedicated contact, individually quoted.

• Property watch

  A regular visit, a clear photo report each time.

• Renovation & works

  Introduction to reliable experts and contractors to carry out your renovation works in France.

• LMNP accounting & furnished letting

  LMNP returns, micro-BIC or real regime: get introduced to a partner accountant used to non-resident landlords. French Realty arranges the introduction.

• Find a rental

  Looking to rent a home in France? We frame your need and connect you with a specialist partner who finds the right property and supports you through to signing the lease, with French Realty acting as a business introducer.

• Selling a property

  French Realty is not an estate agent: we coordinate and connect you with a specialist partner who values, markets and sells your property.

The art of living in Île de Ré

The island rhythm counts in bikes and tides: morning market, midday swim, umbrella pine and terrace in the evening. Salt works, vineyards and growers of asparagus and new potatoes shape a locally famous table. Summer brings festivals and crowds, winter returns the island to its roughly three thousand permanent residents: two very different seasons of the same island, worth knowing before buying.

• Administrative help with settling in

  Tax number, bank, translations, the right people.

• Tables & restaurants

  A last-minute booking or a hard-to-get table: your concierge secures the right address and handles everything.

• Tickets & shows

  A match at the Parc des Princes, a sold-out concert, the opera or a festival: we find your seats and get you there effortlessly.

• Private events & receptions

  A private dinner, a birthday, a reception at home: caterer, florist, household staff, your concierge orchestrates every detail.

• Bespoke experiences & requests

  A getaway, a chauffeur, private shopping, a rare gift or an unexpected request: if it's possible, we make it happen. Tell us what you want, we take care of it.

• Another need

  A request that fits no box? Tell us: we find the right person and coordinate. Whatever the need, we handle it.

Île de Ré at a glance

• Villages10 communes
• Cycle pathsover 100 km
• La Rochelle bridge20 min away
• Saint-Martin-de-RéVauban ramparts, world heritage

Getting there and around

The toll bridge reaches La Rochelle in 20 min: TGV station toward Paris-Montparnasse in about 2 h 30 to 3 h and La Rochelle-Île de Ré airport 15 min further, with flights to the UK and Ireland. Nantes-Atlantique, 1 h 45 away, opens wider links via Paris. On the island everything happens by bike; in summer, sea and road shuttles double the car between villages.

The rhythm of the year

The search season opens with the January return and accelerates from February to April: families want their house for the summer, and the best properties trade before May. July and August dry the market up as the island lives at holiday pace. The autumn return brings an active window from September to November; the very quiet winter serves wealth-planning files and discreet swaps between neighbours of the same village.