France set to attract British second home buyers

France has been tipped to be a hotspot of activity for British property buyers next year by industry analysts.

ShelterOffshore.com believes many budget airlines will be forced to hike up the cost of flying overseas next year in response to rising fuel prices.

This means that consumers may find travelling to other countries very expensive, a development which could reduce the appeal of these places to second home buyers.

However, the website added that financial problems such as the global credit crisis are not putting people investing in a foreign property.

Therefore, it believes France could be a highly popular destination in 2009, as it can be easily reached by other modes of transport.

ShelterOffshore.com said: "France is on our doorstep and it is a country we can fly to, drive to or even take a train to."

This comes after Virgin Trains revealed that "more and more" people are choosing to use the railway as a means of getting to destinations they might previously have gone to by car or plane.