buying a mobile home in France

[JennyO]

We have had our own plot of land in Basse Normandy (61) for the past 5 years and now want to buy a mobile home to put on it, as our retirement home. We have seen some lovely ones in the UK, but the cost of shipping it over to France is quite prohibitive (we have so far been quoted 'at least' £12,000 !!!) . Does anyone out there know of a company in France, preferably Northern France, that we can contact, all my searchs on Google, lead me to homes already sited - NOT what we want... HELP its driving me mad.

[Alex H]

Are you looking to buy in France? (not quite clear from your message [:)])

If so,go to http://www.pagesjaunes.fr 

enter "caravane résidentielle" and "BASSE NORMANDIE" in the search boxes

The result brings back at least 95 sellers of camping cars, caravans, mobile homes in the region

[Clair]

Try searching on google.fr

(note the alternative French spelling! [:)])

[JennyO]

Hi, Yes we are thinking of buying in France, the one we were going to buy in the UK and ship over is going to cost at least £12,000 in shipping costs, so we'd like to find a manufacturer in France, to minimise our costs...if that makes sense. I've been looking on the French yellow pages, but really only found holiday caravans, and we need residential, so we need a bit of guidance.

[Benjamin]

Here's a couple for you.  [:D]

http://www.irm-sa.fr/

http://www.ohara.fr/fr/mobil-home.aspx

[Christine Animal]

http://www.france-mobil-home.com/

 

[Gardengirl]

Some of the larger companies offering campsite holidays in France also offer mobile home holidays. They have sold some off at the end of the season - or did before the recession set in! These are usually in very good condition, and friends of ours bought one a few years ago. They then had it moved from where it was sited in the Alps to the Med site they had chosen. It was a good price, and they actually sold it at a profit a few years later, when they wanted another model.

Good luck, Jo

[Gardengirl]

I've just seen an advert in the current Caravan Club magazine; www.caravansinthesun.com. They mention new and pre-owned vans around Europe, plus moving homes abroad for people if wanted.

Jo

[tuppence]

Some friends of mine have one sited in the Vendee but they live in Pas de Calais. They are looking to sell theirs and I would expect that transporting within France would be much less expensive than bringing one over from Calais. As far as I know it has only ever been used by the family, not let to the general public. If you are interested in more details please feel free to pm me.

tuppence

[Iancharlton]

Hi,

Having been in a similar situation, here's my (rather more than) two-penn'orth:

The mobile homes made by IRM & O'Hara are meant for holiday use. They're neither intended as, nor are they suitable for, residential occupancy.

Having seen them in the flesh, I think the British-made mobile homes are far more robust; but again, they're not intended as a full-time residence. The holiday homes sold as "Lodges" are built to a different (i.e. residential) BS/ISO standard . BUT:

Both types are sold with towbars, axles & wheels attached. In the UK, this allows them to be classed as caravans. Hence you only pay VAT on the fixtures & fittings (freezer, carpets, furniture, telly etc). That's why there's only £1K VAT on a £53K Willerby Lodge.

French legislation defines them as Mobil-home de Loisirs (http://www.irm-sa.fr/particuliers/services-infos-pratiques-legislation.php).

By law, you have to install Mobil-homes de loisirs on a campsite. You must get permission from your Mairie to install one on your own land. I believe they only issue this for temporary accomodation while you're building or renovating a house.

Notwithstanding the legal side, there are the day-to-day things to consider:

Think about the amount of stuff you've got in your current house & how you live throughout the year. No mobile home/lodge really has adequate room for long-term living (where do you put the washer, dryer, dishwasher; where do you keep the hoover, iron, ironing board; where do you store winter clothes & duvets in the summer & vice-versa?).

Sorry if it sounds like I'm pouring cold water on your ideas. That's not my intention. I've had 3 mobile homes over the last 12 years. I often stay for up to 3 months at a time. I encounter all these little niggles which make me seriously question the viability of full-time living.

Then there's the installation side to think about:

How are you set for getting electricity, water and sewerage supplies to your land? What about gas? As you get older, do you want to be lugging bottles around? Is mains gas an option? Mobile homes with central heating are quite gas-hungry. Would reversible air-conditioning be a better & cheaper option? 

What would it cost to install a telephone line?

Is there an access road to your land? Come to think of it does your land have permission for residential development?

Since you've already got the land, look up some builders in Basse Normandie. You could get quite a nice house for what you'd pay for a posh caravan or modest lodge; and they'll handle permits & installation of mains services for you.

Regards,

Ian

 

[Roger]

Can you just put a mobile home on your land in France?

Don't you need special planning permission?

[Clair]

As stated above:

You must get permission from your Mairie to install one on your own

land. I believe they only issue this for temporary accommodation while

you're building or renovating a house.