10 STEPS TO FINDING YOUR HOME IN THE PAYS BASQUE

1) Type in www.leboncoin.fr

2) Click on your region on the map. In our case it's Aquitaine,the bottom left region.

Don't worry, on the right hand side of the page has a list of all the regions.

So now you have clicked your region.

3) Qu'recherchez vous ? - What are you looking for

4) Toutes categories - All categories

Click on Toutes categories - Click on Immobilier ( Property) - Locations ( Rentals)

Click on Toutes categories - Click on Immobilier ( Property) - Ventes Immobilier (If you are looking to buy property)

5) Ville Code Postal - This is absolutely critical to fill in and you need to know the villages,towns and their postal codes . If you are a foreigner and have no clue about the region you are very limited with just Biarritz when in fact there are a tonne of other neighbouring towns and villages that in my humble opinion are far better choices.

When you see BAB it means Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne.This region is proud of their 64 status!

Postal codes :

64100 Bayonne

64200 Biarritz ,Arcangues,Bassussarry

64210 Bidart,Arbonne,Ahetze

64310 Ascain,Sare,St Pee sur Nivelle

64480 Ustaritz

64500 St Jean de Luz

64600 Anglet

64700 Hendaye,Urrugne

There are obviously others but these are all within 1-20 minutes of each other.I will do another post on how to go about choosing the right town or village for you.

6) Prix - Price

7) Pieces - Number of rooms (this does not mean only bedrooms.If it says 3 rooms it means 1 room is the living room,1 room is the kitchen and 1 bedroom,just as an example)

8) Surface entre - Surface area

9) Type - Maison (house) Appartmente (Apartment) Terrain (land) Parking ( parking) Autre (0ther)

The more specific you are the better chances you have of finding your dream home.

So if you want an apartment with parking you need to click apartment and parking as often parking is not included and must be paid separately or is on the street.

10) When everything has been filled out click on RECHERCHEZ (Search)

VOILA! (There it is!) You are on your way to finding your accommodation.

Check out and send emails to ask for more photos, to book a viewing when you arrive or if you have someone that you trust to check it out for you. In my case ,my husband came over a couple of days before to see the place that we had found on leboncoin. He visited it, finalised all of the paperwork and set it up. After all I was arriving with a newborn and needed to be organised .