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Buying a houseboat in France

France boasts extensive navigable waterways (rivers and canals), which are perfect for those whose ideal home is one that floats.

Floating homes are usually restored and converted barges, which can offer extensive and luxurious accommodation. You can choose between a fixed mooring (there are even berths in the centre of Paris) and a peripatetic life, travelling from one part of the country to another.

Expect to pay upwards of €200,000 for a luxury houseboat. As well as the cost of fuel if you plan to be mobile (allow around €150 per month if you’re constantly on the move) and maintenance, you should allow between €25 and €60 per day (although some moorings are free for the odd night), €100 to €200 per month or €1,000 to €2,000 per year (depending on the size of your boat) for moorings (which normally include electricity and water supplies). Insurance will cost you between around €750 and €1,000 per year depending on the size of the boat and you should allow a reasonable sum (e.g. €350) for annual maintenance. You also need a ‘driving licence’ from the French national waterways board, Voies Navigables de France (VNF), which costs between around €200 and €400 depending on the size of the boat, and permits for the use of waterways.

You should, of course, try a boating holiday to decide whether life afloat appeals to you before buying a boat. You will also need an International Certificate of Competence, which can be obtained from any recognised sailing school in France or elsewhere, and your boat must be registered (e.g. on the UK’s Small Ships Register, which costs around £10). Most boats are unsuitable for people in wheelchairs; they can be adapted but this is expensive. Note also that a mobile existence may not be suitable for children. Further information about French waterways and operating a boat on them can be obtained from VNF (http://www.vnf.fr ). A good guide to France’s waterways is Inland Waterways of France by David Edwards-May.

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