A Second Home in Paris

There are few locations more romantic for a second home than Paris, long proclaimed to be the city of love by poets and song-writers alike. And, if you’re only hopping across the channel to get there, you can even treat yourself to weekends away with very little hassle! The key word to bear in mind when thinking about acquiring a second home in Paris is “ease”. In almost all respects, the ease of having a Parisian home makes a strong case for seizing the day.

As noted above, one of the “easiest” parts of having your second home in Paris is the mini journey time. Whether you get on a eurostar, which now only takes around 2 hours and 20 minutes to deposit you right in the heart of Paris, or bag yourself a cheap flight from one of many budget airlines, it’s undeniably easier to have a spur-of-the-moment weekend in Paris than in, for example, Vietnam.

Another wonderful perk to having your second home in Paris is the “ease” with which you can travel out to explore other regions of France. Pop across in the summer and you can take advantage of the sleek, efficient service provided by SNCF to travel quickly across country, visiting Nice, Marseilles, Toulouse, or even Strasbourg. Paris forms a great base for a holiday that combines both city living and the opportunity to explore rural France.

And, not to be taken lightly, there is of course the benefit of being within the EU. A second home in Paris means you have easy access to many other EU countries, not to mention the ability to travel there and back without the need for VISAs, work permits or any fiddly paperwork. These days, if you have your current account with UK companies like Santander, you’ll even be able to withdraw money and pay for purchases in Paris without a supplementary cost, potentially eliminating the need for an additional French current account. Check their website for details of their current accounts while making your plans. 
For a country just across the channel from the UK, France is certainly a world apart from life in Britain. Picture yourself heading to your bustling, local market in the morning to pick up some fresh fruit, vegetables and patisseries. Or perhaps you’d rather take a stroll down a tree lined boulevard to a cafe terrace, at which you can sip wine, nibble at a cheese platter and watch people strolling by. Paris is a city of vibrant culture, fine cuisine and age old customs that wins over anyone passing through – what better place to set up your second home?