Thinking of buying a house in France and renovating it? Or maybe buying a french house that is already renovated. It is a tempting dream, but where to buy? French property is so beautiful, so romantic... so cheap?!

With property prices in France being substantially less than their British equivalent - credit crunch driven property crash notwithstanding - buying a house in France and the romantic lure of a ramshackle wreck of a farmhouse in 'La France Profonde' can seem very tempting. But for those brave enough to consider buying a house in France, with so much countryside to choose from, and so many properties to renovate - which area should you choose and how do you decide?

If you are serious about buying a house in France it may be that you have already spent quite a bit of time there, and know at least some of the areas quite well.  However don't forget that what you looked for in an area to visit as a one off for a fortnight may be quite different from the criteria you need when buying a house in France and either living there or visiting it regularly year after year.

As with much in life, you can please all of the people some of the time, or some of the people all of the time, but you're probably never going to have absolutely everything on your wish list. Still, it never hurts to make just such a list, so here are a few suggestions for things you might want to consider:

• Easy Access - don't forget, what is currently a low-cost air route may change at any time. How else would you and any other visitors get there?
• Investment opportunity - is an area good value or cheap for a reason? Does it offer enough of interest to encourage you and others to come back time and time again?
• Summer holiday potential - are you beach junkies or will open countryside and mountains suffice? How close to the beach do you want to be?
• Winter holiday potential - how close to skiing woudl you like to be? Is this your main purpose, or an added bonus? Are you willing to sacrifice space and traditional quirkiness for resort location, or do you prefer rustic charm with a drive to the slopes?
• Get away from it all - Are you really prepared for the rural idyll? How do you feel about half an hour in the car every time you need a loaf of bread?
• City Chic - Paris is vibrant and full of year-round interest, but at a price. Is it the capital you want, or could provincial France offer alternative city living at a less daunting cost?
• Warm climate - Is chasing the sun important to you? We tend to think of France as being consistently warmer and sunnier than the UK, but this doesn't always follow. Plymouth is more southerly and both warmer and drier than Calais for example.

Pas de Calais and Picardie

Easy access, and some gems once you get away from the ports, but lots of Brits, and British weather.

Normandy

More British weather, and all the bargains were snapped up 20 years ago. Some beautiful coastal villages if you are prepared to pay.

Brittany

Stunning storm-battered coastlines. Some seaside gems to be had with engaging Breton culture and mild-for-the-latitude (if windy) climate.

The Loire Valley

Historic market garden of France. Fabulous wine and some buy to let bargains await, but it can be chilly and the coach tours may get you down.

Champagne-Ardennes

Relatively accessible, and quite pleasant. Damned by faint praise - wet in winter and modest holidaying and buy-to let potential.

Charente and Charente-Maritime

A region of two halves - quaint fishing villages with tourist appeal, and the more rural and lower priced countryside. Bitter (if short) winters, but well priced and not yet completely full of Brits.

Midi-Pyrennees

Its a huge area comprising the French Pyrennees and the south western corner of the Massif Central, and everything in between. A long way to drive, but a good all-year-round climate and coastal holiday potential. But few bargains remain.

The Limousin and Auvergne

'La France Profonde' - stunning volcanic landscape, quaint medieval towns and low property prices. Thinly populated so perfect for peace and solitude, less appealing for lovers of city chic.

The Dordogne and Lot Valleys

Ah, the Brits abroad. The Dordogne river is one of France's longest and most picturesque, and British buyers have been flocking here for years. The climate is warm - sometimes oppressively so, and prices are warm too - but buy to let potential is high to match.

Gascony

Flat sandy beaches, surfing, the buzz of Biarritz. But beware the hoardes in August and the vampire mosquitoes looking for blood. Location location location when bargain hunting.

Inland Provence

Welcoming climate (except when the Mistral blows), and history-steeped towns. Improved motorway links have made the area more accessible, but prices are high and British enclaves abound - blame Peter Mayle.

The Cote d'Azur

Hot dry summers and excellent beaches made more accessible by the current spate of low cost flights. But crime rates can be high, and winters wet. Still worth considering for beach worshippers.

Burgundy

Gourmet cuisine and fine wines for lovers of French gastronomy. Lots of waterways for boat lovers to mess around on. Picturesque and pricey

The Vosges

Hills and woodland for nature lovers. Germanic style and tradition may not be what Francophiles are looking for. Less easy for access and beware the less developed road network and the summer midges, but otherwise good potential.

The Rhone Alps

Lying between Lyon and the Swiss Alps, this is a winter sports playground. Summer weather generally good too, and year round holiday use a possibility - but at what price?

Languedoc

Flights to Montpellier have made access easy, and climate, culure and coastline are all attractive. Sadly you won't be the first to discover it - the Brits have already found it, and prices reflect this, but still worth a look.

Paris

High letting values mean that the right property in the right price could be a great investment, with the lure of Paris in the spring pulling in the punters. Avoid the suburbs, and think about access, parking and the reality of luggage without lifts in appartments.