So you want to own your own lake? It’s every angler’s dream. But buying abroad can have many pitfalls if you don’t know what you’re doing. The following might help.

Once you decide that you want to buy a lake in France the first thing you must do is decide `realistically’ how much you have to invest. It’s your hard-earned money we are talking about and shouldn’t be gone into lightly. Then you must decide what you are looking for. Do you want a three acre lake for your own personal use or a 20, 50 or even 100 acre lake to open a carp fishery with which you can join the ever-growing list of holiday venues?

House prices in the South of England are far higher than in the North. The same applies to properties and lakes in France. Central France is very cheap compared to other areas and you could quite probably pick up a lake for around £500 an acre. Lakes in Northern France and around Paris can be more expensive. To give you an example Bernard Caron, the owner of Domaine des Iles, recently sold a small complex of 7 acres, which included a four acre lake, for £60,000. This equates to £4000 an acre. France is a big country so it is wise to have some idea what part you would like to invest in.

The size of lakes many of us fish in England may dictate the size of lake we would like to own in France. Not only does the price vary from area to area but the size of lake can as well. Buying small might not necessarily mean buying cheap. It is quite common to find that the larger the lake the cheaper, per acre, it is. Okay, so you’ve found your ideal lake now, what about the legalities? Are there any hidden fees?

All lakes and properties sold are liable for 8% tax. This is the same all over France. For example a lake costing £50,000 would have 8% tax of £4000 making the total cost £54,000.

All transactions are carried out through a local government official called a Notaire. This person takes care of all the legal documents and is there to protect the buyer and the seller. His fees come out of the 8% tax. So beware - If someone wants to sell you a lake without going through a Notaire, walk away.

Who do I buy my lake from? You can use an Estate Agent if you like but he will have fees, which you will have to pay. Or you can use someone like Bernard.

As Bernard owns the properties he sells there are no hidden costs. Once you have purchased your lake from an Estate Agent you are on your own. Bernard offers one year’s after sales `nursing’. His knowledge of the local area is invaluable and his contacts with the local people (knowing the local mayor may come in handy if you’re looking for legal night fishing) can help enormously. He can provide any help you may require in your first year. Do you need water, gas or electric? Bernard can help.

Buying a lake inevitably brings us back to finance. You will be required to pay a 10% NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT.

So make sure you’re 100% sure you want it before you pay. Once the deposit is paid you will have two to three months to complete.

If all this hasn’t put you off and you want more information contact Bernard Caron (who speaks excellent English) 0033 323 81 10 55

The lakes can be viewed here: http://www.elbow.demon.co.uk/html/properties.htm

'Français Lac Pour Vente' - Good luck, I hope you find the place of your dreams.