Glossary of French property terms
Every term you'll see on a French listing or in a contract, translated and explained for buyers researching French property. Each entry links to the guide that explains the concept in depth where applicable.
Legal and process terminology
Acte authentique
The final notarised deed transferring property ownership. Signed at the notaire's office (or remotely by procuration), typically 2 to 3 months after the compromis de vente. The point at which you become the legal owner and receive the keys. Full process at Buying property in France as a foreigner.
Avis de valeur
An estate agent's written opinion of a property's value. Free, not legally binding, often optimistic. Useful as one data point among several but not as a sole reference. Compare against your own DVF analysis.
Cadastre
The official French land registry. Records parcel boundaries, ownership, and land-use classification. Searchable online at cadastre.gouv.fr. Distinct from DVF, which records sale prices.
Compromis de vente
The binding preliminary sale contract between buyer and seller. Includes price, conditions suspensives, deposit, and target closing date. Buyer has a 10-day cooling-off period after signing. Full walkthrough at Compromis de vente: what you're signing.
Conditions suspensives
The escape clauses negotiated into a compromis de vente that allow the buyer to withdraw without forfeiting their deposit. Standard ones include the mortgage clause, survey clause, and right-of-way clause. Detail at Compromis de vente: what you're signing.
Diagnostic immobilier
The mandatory pre-sale property inspection covering DPE (energy), asbestos, lead, termites (in zoned areas), electrical, gas, sanitation, and environmental risks. Bundled into the Dossier de Diagnostic Technique.
Dossier de Diagnostic Technique (DDT)
The technical diagnostic file the seller must provide to the buyer, comprising all the mandatory inspections. Includes the DPE certificate, asbestos report, lead report, termite report (where applicable), electrical and gas system diagnostics, environmental risk report, and sanitation inspection (for non-mains-sewer properties).
Droit de preemption
A pre-emption right held by the local commune, the SAFER (rural land authority), or a sitting tenant. Allows the holder to buy the property at the agreed sale price, superseding the buyer's offer. Notaire checks for these as standard.
Droit de retractation
The 10-day buyer cooling-off period after signing the compromis de vente. The buyer can withdraw without giving any reason and without penalty. Detail at Compromis de vente: what you're signing.
Droits de mutation
The transfer tax paid on property purchase, the largest component of the frais d'acquisition. Around 5% of the sale price for existing property in 2026 (department-by-department adoption of the 2025 rate increase varies). Detail at Notaire fees in France.
Emoluments
The notaire's regulated professional fee, on a sliding scale by purchase price. Around 1% of the purchase price for typical residential transactions. A 20% discount is permitted for transactions above €150,000 and is sometimes negotiable.
Frais d'acquisition
The total transaction costs of buying, popularly called "frais de notaire." Around 7 to 8% of purchase price for existing property, 2 to 3% for new-build. Detail at Notaire fees in France.
Frais de notaire
Colloquial shorthand for frais d'acquisition. Most of what's called "notaire fees" is actually government tax (droits de mutation), with the actual notaire's fee being only about 1% of the purchase price.
Mandat de vente
The contract between seller and estate agent authorising the agent to market the property. Specifies the agent's commission and who pays it. There are different types: exclusif (only this agent can sell), simple (multiple agents permitted), and semi-exclusif (agent has priority but seller can also sell privately).
Notaire
A state-appointed legal officer who handles property conveyance, succession, and certain other transactions. Legally impartial; represents the transaction, not either party. Buyers and sellers can use the same notaire (common) or each have their own (no extra fee). Verified at notaires.fr.
Numero fiscal
Your French tax identification number. Required for filing French tax returns (including the non-resident return) and for accessing certain government services. Non-resident property owners can request one from the Service des Impots des Particuliers Non-Residents.
Offre d'achat
A written offer to purchase a property at a specific price. Binding once accepted by the seller. A full-asking-price offre d'achat via an estate agent legally compels the seller to accept. Detail at How to negotiate French property.
Procuration
A power of attorney authorising someone to sign a property transaction on your behalf. Common for non-resident buyers who cannot be in France for the acte authentique. Drafted by the notaire, signed before a notary or French consulate.
Promesse de vente
An alternative form of preliminary contract in which only the seller is bound; the buyer pays an indemnite d'immobilisation (typically 10%) to hold the property. Less common than the compromis in residential transactions.
Servitude
An easement or right-of-way affecting a property, in either direction. Common types: passage rights across one parcel to access another, drainage rights, view-protection servitudes. Notaire must check for these as part of the standard title search.
Vice cache
A hidden defect knowingly concealed by the seller. French law allows the buyer to pursue legal action post-purchase if a vice cache is discovered. Remedies range from compensation to reversal of the sale.
Financial terminology
Apport personnel
The down payment from the buyer's own funds. Typically 20 to 30% for non-residents, including the deposit at compromis and the additional cash needed at acte authentique. Detail at Getting a mortgage in France as a foreigner.
Capacite d'emprunt
Borrowing capacity, calculated under the 35% debt-service-to-income rule that French banks have applied since 2022. Total monthly debt payments (existing plus proposed) cannot exceed 35% of net monthly income.
Caution / cautionnement
A guarantee on a mortgage, often in lieu of a hypotheque (mortgage charge against the property). Provided by an institutional guarantor like Credit Logement. Cheaper than a full hypotheque if the loan is paid off as scheduled.
Compte sequestre
The notaire's escrow account, holding the buyer's deposit between compromis and acte authentique. The deposit sits here, neither with the seller nor with the buyer, until closing or until a condition suspensive triggers a refund.
Eco-pret a taux zero
A zero-interest renovation loan up to €30,000 for energy-efficiency works, repayable over 15 years. Available to non-residents for second homes meeting eligibility criteria. Detail at Renovation costs in France.
FAI (Frais d'Agence Inclus)
A listing notation indicating the agency commission is included in the advertised price. Compare with net vendeur, where the agent's commission is added on top. Affects total frais slightly. Detail at Notaire fees in France.
Honoraires
Fees, typically the agent's commission. Sometimes paid by the seller (honoraires charge vendeur), sometimes by the buyer (honoraires charge acquereur). The mandat de vente specifies who pays.
Hypotheque
A mortgage charge registered against the property at the bureau des hypotheques, providing the lender's security. Adds about 1.5% to the loan cost in registration fees. Released automatically when the loan is paid off.
IFI (Impot sur la Fortune Immobiliere)
The French wealth tax, applying only to real-estate assets (since 2018, replacing the broader ISF). Threshold €1.3 million in net real-estate assets. Non-residents pay only on French-located real estate. Detail at French taxes for non-resident property owners.
MaPrimeRenov
The French state energy-renovation subsidy. Substantial subsidies for DPE upgrades, claimed via the Agence Nationale de l'Habitat (Anah), with amounts varying by income and renovation type. Eligibility requires the property to be the owner's primary residence occupied at least 8 months per year; second homes are not eligible. Detail at Renovation costs in France.
Net vendeur
A listing notation indicating the price is the seller's take, with the agent's commission added separately on top. Compare FAI. Affects total frais slightly.
Plus-value
Capital gain on French property, taxed at 19% income tax plus social charges on sale. Social charges are 18.6% as of January 2026 (up from 17.2% after a CSG rate increase). The 2026 Finance Law accelerated the income-tax exemption from 22 to 17 years of holding; social charges still phase to zero only at 30 years. Detail at French taxes for non-resident property owners.
Prelevements sociaux
The social charges levied on French rental income, dividends, and capital gains. Rate increased from 17.2% to 18.6% as of January 2026 (CSG component rose from 9.2% to 10.6%). Applies to non-residents on French-source income. UK citizens lost their pre-Brexit S1-based exemption.
Taxe d'habitation
The annual residence tax. Abolished for primary residences in 2023 but still applies to second homes, often with a majoration of up to 60% in housing-pressure areas. Detail at French taxes for non-resident property owners.
Taxe fonciere
The annual property tax, owed by whoever owns the property on 1 January each year. Around €1,200 to €3,500 per year for typical second homes, more for high-value properties. Bill arrives in October.
Property types and architecture
Bastide
A Provencal manor house, larger and more elegant than a mas. Typically built in stone with whitewashed walls, often square or rectangular around a courtyard. Originally built for wealthy farmers; now a sought-after architectural style.
Cabanon
A small garden or vineyard shelter, typically of stone, without permanent residential character. Not a residence in the legal sense; converting one requires planning permission and is often constrained.
Dependance
An outbuilding, garage, guest house, gite, or other structure on the property separate from the main house. Important to verify each dependance is on the cadastre with appropriate planning permission; an unregistered dependance is a legal liability rather than an asset.
Domaine
An estate, typically a substantial property with land, often with multiple buildings or a vineyard. Used loosely in listings; a "petit domaine" might be 2 to 5 hectares with a main house and a dependance.
Fermette
A small farmhouse, simpler than a mas, often with original tomettes and exposed beams. Frequently the entry-level rural French property for buyers from outside France.
Gite
A self-contained holiday rental property, often a converted dependance. The legal classification matters for rental income (meuble de tourisme classe offers tax advantages over unclassified rental).
Maison de maitre
A bourgeois town or village house, often with formal proportions, high ceilings, decorative facade, and a small garden behind. Found in market towns and small cities throughout France.
Maison de village
A village house, typically built in stone with a shared wall on one or both sides. Limited or no garden. Found across rural France; affordable entry point for buyers wanting a base in a French village.
Mas
A traditional Provencal farmhouse, typically built into a slope with rooms expanding over generations. Stone walls, low tomette floors, often a cour (interior courtyard). The architectural icon of the Provencal property market.
Piece / pieces principales
Rooms, used in property descriptions. A "T3" or "F3" property has 3 pieces principales (typically two bedrooms plus a living room; kitchen and bathrooms don't count). The number lets you compare property sizes directly.
Pied-a-terre
A small secondary residence, typically used occasionally. Usually a small apartment in a city centre.
Surface habitable / surface utile
Surface habitable is the legally measurable habitable surface, excluding terraces, caves, garages, and ceilings under 1.80m. Surface utile includes some of these and is larger but less standardised. The DPE and most legal documents use surface habitable.
T3 / F3 / type 3
Property categorisation by number of rooms. T1 / F1 = studio. T2 / F2 = one-bedroom. T3 = two-bedroom plus living. T4 = three-bedroom plus living. The "T" and "F" notations are interchangeable in modern usage.
Villa
A detached house with a garden, typically newer than a mas or bastide and without the traditional architectural features. The standard South-of-France villa is a 1970s-1990s build with a pool and a Mediterranean garden.
Technical and diagnostic terminology
Assainissement
The sanitation system. Properties on mains sewer (tout-a-l'egout) are connected to the commune's network. Properties on private assainissement non collectif (ANC) have their own septic system, subject to inspection and potentially needing replacement to meet current standards. Costs €5,000 to €25,000 to bring up to compliance.
Audit energetique
A more thorough energy assessment than the DPE, identifying specific renovation steps to lift the property's energy rating. Costs €500 to €800. Required since 2023 for properties rated F or G that are sold.
CREP (Constat de Risque d'Exposition au Plomb)
The lead paint diagnostic, mandatory for properties built before 1949. Identifies whether lead is present in degraded form requiring action.
DPE (Diagnostic de Performance Energetique)
The mandatory energy rating, A (best) to G (worst), valid 10 years from issue. Notaires de France 2025 valeur verte data shows meaningful price impact: house A/B premiums of 6-14% over D, apartment A premium up to 16%, G properties up to about 25% discount on houses. Reformed in January 2026 with a new electricity coefficient. Detail at DPE energy ratings in France.
GES (Gaz a Effet de Serre)
The greenhouse-gas-emissions rating on the DPE certificate, A to G. Tracks the energy DPE for fossil-fuel-heated properties; diverges for electrically-heated properties due to France's low-carbon grid.
Passoire thermique
A property rated F or G on the DPE, literally "thermal sieve." Subject to rental bans on a phased schedule (G banned for new tenancies from 2025, F from 2028). Detail at DPE energy ratings in France.
Performance energetique
The general term for energy performance, encompassing the DPE, the audit energetique, and any specific calculations of consumption.
Pierre apparente
Exposed stone, typically the interior face of a stone wall. A traditional Provencal aesthetic. Increases property value but often increases heating costs unless properly insulated.
PPRI (Plan de Prevention des Risques d'Inondation)
The flood-risk plan for a commune. Properties in PPRI zones face restrictions on construction and may require flood insurance. Check at georisques.gouv.fr.
RGE (Reconnu Garant de l'Environnement)
A certification for renovation contractors. Only RGE-certified contractors qualify for MaPrimeRenov and Eco-pret a taux zero subsidies on energy renovation.
Toiture
The roof. Tile roofs in the South of France typically last 50 to 80 years. Replacement costs €25,000 to €50,000 on a typical 150m² property.
Tomettes
Traditional terracotta floor tiles, typically hexagonal, found in Provencal mas and southern French farmhouses. A character feature; restoration is specialised work.
Regional and listing terminology
A rafraichir
"To refresh." In practice, usually means a full cosmetic renovation is needed: kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, paint. Budget €15,000 to €60,000 depending on size. Buyers consistently underestimate this term. Detail at Renovation costs in France.
A renover entierement
"To completely renovate." A full renovation including potential structural work. Budget €100,000 to €500,000+ depending on size and condition.
Bien rare
"Rare property." Marketing language typically meaning the agent wants to make the property sound rare. Treat as filler unless the property genuinely has a unique characteristic the listing names specifically.
Cachet
Character. Used to describe properties with traditional features (stone, beams, tomettes, fireplaces). Real cachet adds value; "cachet" as filler doesn't.
Centre historique
The historic centre of a town or village, often within or adjacent to a secteur sauvegarde (protected zone). Renovation is constrained by Architecte des Batiments de France approval. Premium pricing typical.
Cote d'Azur
The French Riviera, from roughly Marseille to the Italian border. Premium property market, with foreign buyers accounting for an estimated 30 to 40% of transactions in the most desirable areas (Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez) per recent industry coverage.
En l'etat
"As is." Typically used when the seller is unwilling or unable to address known issues. Buy at your own risk; commission a private survey.
Exclusivite
A property listed exclusively with one agent (vs. mandat simple, where multiple agents can market). Doesn't mean the property is more desirable; just the listing arrangement.
Habitable / habitable de suite
"Habitable / habitable immediately." Means you can move in without immediate works. Doesn't mean modern; lived-in is the working translation.
Luberon
A regional natural park in the Vaucluse and the heart of the Provencal hilltop-village market (Gordes, Menerbes, Bonnieux, Lacoste). Premium pricing, 20 to 30% above the broader Provence average.
Mitoyennete
Shared boundary or shared wall. Typical for maisons de village. The shared elements are governed by specific rules in the Code Civil; disputes between neighbours over shared walls are not uncommon and warrant attention before purchase.
Pays d'Uzes
The area surrounding the town of Uzes in the Gard, traditional stone-house architecture, mid-budget Provencal alternative to the Luberon. The original launch focus area for Adresse.ai.
PACA (Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur)
The administrative region encompassing the eastern South of France: Bouches-du-Rhone, Var, Vaucluse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes.
Provence
The cultural region of the South of France west of the Cote d'Azur. Loosely the Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhone, and parts of the Var and the Gard. The architectural and lifestyle archetype of South-of-France property.
Secteur sauvegarde
A protected architectural zone, common in historic centres. Renovation requires approval from the Architecte des Batiments de France. Adds 4 to 12 weeks to project timelines.
Travaux a prevoir
"Works to anticipate." Typically means substantial renovation: heating system, kitchen, bathrooms, often insulation. Budget €60,000 to €200,000.
Viager
A life-tenancy sale, where the seller continues to live in the property until death and the buyer pays a bouquet (lump sum) plus a rente (lifetime annuity). Niche market; not for most buyers.
Vue degagee / vue panoramique
"Open view / panoramic view." The most-overstated terms in French listings. Vue degagee often means the property doesn't directly overlook the next building; vue panoramique sometimes means a glimpse of distant hills from one upstairs window. Visit before believing.
Adresse.ai-specific terminology
Comp pool
The set of comparable sales used to calculate your estimate. Each comp is filtered for property type, surface, location, and date, then adjusted for condition, energy rating, and other factors. Visible in every Adresse.ai report.
Adjusted comp range
The price range produced by the comp pool after applying adjustments to bring each comparable onto the same footing as your target property. The 10th-to-90th percentile of this range is what we report as the price range.
Confidence band
The width and reliability of the price range. High confidence when the comp pool is large and tightly distributed; low confidence when the pool is thin or scattered. Surfaced explicitly in every report.
Qualitative review
The AI auditor's pass over the comp pool, the listing, and the result. Identifies thin pools, outlier comparables, listing red flags, and the overall verdict (fair, stretched, or a bargain) in plain English.
Share link
The shareable, read-only URL of a saved Adresse.ai report. Send to your partner, your accountant, your agent, or your notaire. Each link is unique and contains no personal information about who ran the estimate.
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Run a free estimate →This glossary updates periodically as terminology shifts. Last updated May 2026. Suggestions for additional entries are welcome via /contact.