The heat is now a factor even during property viewings. As heatwaves multiply this summer, French buyers are paying increasing attention to the thermal comfort of their future homes.
In Paris, a man in his thirties viewing a 14-square-metre studio flat under the eaves wonders: "Between May and September-October, will I be able to use this flat and still live comfortably? Or will I also have to flee like everyone else because it's too hot?".
Long seen as an asset, a property's orientation is now assessed according to how cool it helps keep a home, and in the capital a full southern exposure is losing its appeal.
"South-facing properties are no longer as much in demand as before, because people are realising now that when you're facing south, the sun beats down very hard," notes estate agent Joseph Denke from FredéLion.
At viewings, buyers now pay close attention to anything that can help keep a property cool: a through-layout, the possibility of airing the place at night, shutters, a terrace or shaded outdoor space. Some even factor in the presence of trees in the neighbourhood.
