Cote d'Azur property for foreign buyers: Nice to Menton

The Cote d'Azur is the most searched region of France for foreign buyers and the most expensive outside Paris and the top Alpine resorts. The four towns people compare most often, Nice, Cannes, Antibes and Menton, sit within about an hour of each other along the coast, yet they behave like different markets. This guide explains what separates them and what a foreign buyer has to plan for. It is informational, not legal, tax or investment advice, and every figure is indicative.

Four towns, four markets

Price portals publish different numbers for the same town because they mix asking prices, notarial data and different property types. Treat the following as rounded orders of magnitude for apartments in autumn 2026, not as quotes.

• Nice. The largest city and the only one with a major airport, a university and year-round life. Portals show roughly EUR 5,200 to 6,800 per m2, depending on the source, with the centre, the Port and the seafront far above the outer districts.
• Cannes. Usually the dearest of the four: portal figures are around EUR 7,700 per m2, and the streets near the Croisette are well above that. Demand is tied to festivals and congresses.
• Antibes (with Juan-les-Pins and Cap d'Antibes). About EUR 6,800 per m2 on portal data. Cap d'Antibes villas are a separate, much higher-priced prime segment.
• Menton. The most affordable of the four, roughly EUR 5,200 to 5,500 per m2, close to Italy, with a milder winter and a calmer, older-resident feel.

For the national picture, notary-cost breakdown and how these figures compare with other regions, see property prices and buying costs in France. For neighbourhood-level choices across the country, see best areas to buy in France.

How to choose the town

• Live in it part of the year: Nice and Antibes offer flights, services and winter life; Menton suits quiet stays; Cannes is strongest around events.
• Rent it out: demand is seasonal and tied to location, floor, view, parking and air conditioning. Our France rental yield article gives the ranges we found; Nice was quoted at a wide gross range, and net returns are lower once charges, taxes and vacancy are counted.
• Buy for resale: the central, walkable areas with a sea or hill view hold liquidity best. Distant hill villages are cheaper but slower to sell.

What the purchase costs on top of the price

In France the buyer pays what is called frais de notaire, which is mostly transfer taxes collected by the notary, plus the notary's regulated fee. Typical figures quoted for a resale property are about 7% to 8.5% of the price and for a new build about 2% to 3%. The rates changed in recent finance laws, so ask the notary for a written estimate before signing the preliminary contract. Agency fees are either included in the advertised price or paid separately, and the listing must say which.

The usual path is a preliminary contract (compromis or promesse de vente) with a deposit, a cooling-off period for the buyer of ten days under French consumer rules, a period for the notary's checks and loan conditions, and then the final deed (acte authentique) signed before the notary. Our resale checklist for France lists the documents to ask for. Foreign buyers can usually give a power of attorney for the final signing, but the notary decides the form and may require a translation.

Renting out on the Riviera

Long lets of an unfurnished flat are regulated and relatively low-yielding. Furnished and tourist lets earn more but are more regulated. Since the recent tourist-rental law, a national online registration is required and cities can limit the number of nights, force a change-of-use authorisation or ask for a minimum energy rating. Rules differ by commune, so check the town hall and the condominium rules before you buy a flat for tourist letting. Our short-term rental rules in France explains the framework. Many condominium by-laws also forbid commercial lets altogether.

Taxes in short

• Annual property tax (taxe fonciere) is paid by the owner; a secondary-home surcharge on the housing tax is applied by some communes, including tourist ones.
• Rental income of a non-resident is taxable in France. The figures we found are 20% up to about EUR 29,315 and 30% above, plus social charges whose rate depends on your social-security affiliation. Confirm the current rates and the right regime with a French tax adviser.
• Capital gains on sale are taxed in France, with allowances that grow with the holding period. See capital gains tax on sale in France.
• Your country of tax residence may tax the same income and gain too; the double-tax treaty decides who credits what. The official French tax portal has a non-resident section at impots.gouv.fr.

For Russian-speaking buyers and expats

Nice has long had a visible Russian-speaking community, with Russian-language lawyers, interpreters, schools and an Orthodox cathedral, and similar circles exist in Cannes, Antibes and Paris. That helps with everyday matters, but the purchase itself is in French: the preliminary and final contracts are drawn up by the notary in French, and a sworn translator (traducteur assermente) or an interpreter at the signing is normal practice.

Prepare documents early: valid passport, proof of address, proof of the origin of funds (salary statements, tax returns, sale contract of a previous property, savings history) and the bank trail of the transfer. French notaries and banks apply anti-money-laundering checks to everyone, and a buyer from outside the EU or one who has moved money across several countries should expect more questions and a longer timeline. Pay only through the notary's account and from an account in your own name. We only support lawful, fully documented transactions. If you live in Poland or another EU country, remember that your home country may also expect you to report foreign property income.

FAQ

Can a foreigner buy property on the Cote d'Azur? Yes. France does not restrict foreigners from buying residential property, though you cannot obtain residence only because of a purchase. Check your own visa situation separately.

Which town is cheapest, Nice, Cannes, Antibes or Menton? On the portal data we saw, Menton is the least expensive and Cannes the most, but prices vary strongly by street, floor and view.

How much are the notary fees? Typically about 7% to 8.5% of the price for resale property and 2% to 3% for new build, subject to current rates. Ask the notary for a written estimate.

Can I rent out a flat on the Riviera as a holiday let? Often yes, but you need registration, the condominium must allow it and the commune may cap nights or require authorisation. Check before you buy.

Do I pay tax in France if I rent the flat out? Yes, non-resident owners declare French rental income in France. Rates depend on your situation, so confirm them with an adviser.

How we help

We are a trilingual platform (Russian, Polish, English) that finds properties and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. You can browse listings in France and test your numbers in the calculators. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice; rules and rates change, so verify them with a French notary and tax adviser before you commit.