There are many places that spring to mind when considering buying a property in the south of France, places such as Collioure, Cannes and Carcassonne.

There are also many less famous places that exist and are relatively unknown and yet are actually little gems.

We shall focus on several of these lesser known places which you might not have heard of and attempt to show why they should be on the list of places to consider for any imminent property seeker.

One of those places is Sorède in the south-west of France near to Collioure and the Spanish border.

So why is it interesting and worthy of your consideration?

Here are some facts and some information which may tempt you to visit:

Location

Located almost in Spain, Sorède is actually still in France - just!

It is close to Perpignan (23km), south-east of Carcassonne (92km) and is at the foot of the Albères mountain range leading to the Pyrenees.

The Village

The old centre is filled with close-knit exquisitely renovated houses in a very calm long-established neighbourhood. There are also narrow streets that have wonderful eclectic shops, but what’s truly interesting is that the village does not have any bars in it. There is enough nightlife of course in many of the other Mediterranean villages that Sorède has decided it prefers the calm unsophisticated lifestyle.

Fun Things to Do

Some of the fun things to do in Sorède are the weekly movies that are shown in the village’s courtyard of the Hall of Parties (Salle des Fêtes). Mind you, these are the very latest movies that are probably being simultaneously shown in the best movie houses of Paris, thus attendance is often packed.

This and many other forms of entertainment are financed by the miniscule tourist tax that is charged when you stay there.

Of special interest are what is known as “mushroom weeks”.

People come from all over, and even those residents who live there year round, to scour the nearby forests for mushrooms of all types. Later they are exhibited so that all may marvel or, in the case of poisonous mushrooms, just downright shudder. The poisonous ones have a skull and crossbones displayed upon them!

It is interesting that you can take whatever mushrooms you may find to the local drug store (pharmacie) for identification prior to eating them.

Apparently, many do not bother to do this, as there are reports stating that approximately 50 people in France perish yearly from eating what they thought to be safe mushrooms.

What a terrible last meal that must have been!

Interesting places to see are the village’s main church, the "St. Assiscle et Ste. Victoire," where you can see Baroque sculptures made in the 17th century, as well as its awesome 14th century choir. Notre-Dame du Château, was constructed in the 18th century and is also worth a visit. Be sure to see "Vierge à l'Enfant à l'oiseau" a very beautiful statue of Mary and the Christ child.

Sorède also has castle ruins from the early middle ages, called le Château Ultrera. In addition, there is a lovely 9th century chapel in the Romanesque style called St. Martin de Lavail.

Local Produce

Interestingly enough, ever since the 13th century, celtis whips have been made here totally by hand. The celtis is a local tree that is in the hemp family though in English it is also known as the hackberry tree.

You will be able to view their workshop, called Le Micocoulier, to learn more and here is where you may purchase a truly authentic Zorro whip!

You will also wish to visit L’Arboretum where you will learn all about the area’s trees as well as many other plants. The flowers are amazing!

Places to Stay

As for places to stay in Sorède, you may like the two star Hotel Saint Jacques which is quite small but adequate, and it is only 8km from the Mediterranean and offers superb views of the sea. It also has a pool.

Property Prices

Prices here for property range from around €100,000 for a village house up to a million or two for a luxury villa.

Expat Communities

There are many expats in this area, mainly from the UK and the Netherlands, with several annual community events for all to enjoy.

Access

Getting to this area couldn’t be easier as there are two airports serving it, Perpignan and Girona (just over the Spanish border about an hour away) together with mainline stations less than 15 minutes away.

Conclusion

With its proximity to the nearby Med together with a relaxed lifestyle, this village offers a lot to the expat seeking either a permanent or secondary residence in what is one of the sunniest places in France.