"The BARNES offices in central Paris, Yvelines and Hauts-de-Seine have seen a recent influx of enquiries from abroad for exceptional properties, whether pieds-à-terre, family apartments, houses or hôtels particuliers," adds Richard Tzipine.
Regarding the French Riviera, Julien Bourdry, Sales and Network Director for France, Belgium and Luxembourg, notes that American clients are more numerous every year, with three profiles standing out: young entrepreneurs from Californian tech, bankers and financiers from New York, and executives from the energy, oil and gas sectors: "Most are looking for a second home or a house in which to spend happy days in retirement. They are won over by French property taxation, which is ultimately quite advantageous. Some have fled the United States, or are considering doing so, following Donald Trump's second election in 2024. But they remain fairly rare. At the same time, the war in Ukraine has resulted in the Russian clientele being replaced by a Ukrainian one. Finally, we are expecting an influx of clients from the Middle East, particularly from Dubai and Lebanon, who wish to leave a place of residence that no longer seems as safe as before. Some tell us they are waiting for the end of hostilities to be able to repatriate their funds more easily."
Even if not all regions are affected, Philippe Thomine-Desmazures, Associate Director of BARNES Basque Coast – Biarritz, also notes "more and more expressions of interest from American clients, even if for the moment this still only translates into a handful of sales each year". Oonagh Mackenzie, Associate Director of BARNES Chamonix, is also receiving more and more enquiries from the United States, "for reasons everyone can understand", and has even just completed an exceptional sale to a North American buyer (see p. 22). For Gaël Lombard, Director of the BARNES Mont-Blanc Megève office, "the first American buyers are those who already own property on the French Riviera and for whom the French Alps form a kind of natural extension. During the first half of 2026, we received numerous enquiries from New Yorkers drawn to the French art de vivre, who know Megève by reputation and appreciate its proximity to Geneva airport. We have also noted a marked acceleration of this trend in May and June, with enquiries from the United States becoming increasingly numerous for 3-bedroom apartments priced between 1 and 1.5 million euros, in a natural setting such as Mont-d'Arbois".
Potential buyers for whom France projects a rock-solid brand image, particularly in terms of security and stability. And whose luxury real estate remains unrivalled! Aymeric Sabatié-Garat, Associate Director of BARNES Bordeaux, has for his part seen American demand triple since Donald Trump's second election, following a singular approach: "These clients often favour renting first, giving themselves time to get to know Bordeaux and its neighbourhoods, before becoming buyers." With an almost unanimous desire: to leave the United States to distance themselves from its political shift and spend their retirement in France (full or part time) "for its quality of life and its tolerance"!
For Olivier Brunet, Associate Director of BARNES Propriétés et Châteaux, "half of the properties sold above one million euros go to international buyers. Half of whom are Americans, as fond as ever of our châteaux". In this segment of properties with strong historic value, there is no increase in demand from across the Atlantic in 2026 strictly speaking. On the other hand, according to Olivier Brunet, the budgets involved are rising sharply, with 5 to 20 million euros becoming commonplace for properties in good — or even perfect — condition that have retained the authenticity of their original features.