The Bretagne region of France, better known as Brittany on this side of the Irish sea, is an area with many links to Ireland. Quite apart from distinct cultural connections there is the more mundane fact that it is home to Roscoff, a picturesque sea port town which has hosted ferries from both Cork and Rosslare for many years.

One of the many attractions to Brittany from an Irish perspective is that it is very much a home from home. If you were dropped into the region you could be forgiven for thinking that you’d arrived somewhere in Connaught. The area, much like Ireland, is subject a share of inclement weather which means that it presents as a very luscious location, consequently there is an attraction for those not immediately attracted by huge amounts of sun. In fairness the weather is generally a lot better than that normally found in Ireland in the summer but it is not really a famed sun-trap that will rival the south of the country. This, of course, is the attraction for those who really like Brittany, along with the fact that the place doesn’t become as overcrowded in the peak summer season.

Ferry access is, of course very important for those who want to bring their cars to France. For this clientele Brittany is the first port of call and, in some cases, the only region in the country which is visited. A further attraction in the past couple of years has been Aer Arann’s highly popular high season flights from Cork, Waterford and Galway to Lorient airport. This is despite a distinct lack of hype about the route which has done its thing without receiving too much interest from the press in general. It is unusual in that it eschews the ‘big two’ of Dublin and Shannon in favour of more local routes but those close to the two largest airports are still catered for by Ryanair to Nantes. For further information on the Lorient flights visit www.aerarann.com.

Overseas Properties, a specialist in French leaseback investments right across the country, is releasing an interesting new project to the Irish market in the coming weeks. Taking advantage of the current huge interest in French property, and a lack of emphasis on the general Brittany region, the company has launched Golf L’Odet, a refurbishment project just 35 minutes from Lorient airport. The development, which is to offer rentals from April 2007, will appeal to impatient buyers who would like something for use next year.

The refurbishment is taking place under the immensely popular French ‘Residence de Tourisme’ scheme which offers a VAT rebate of up to 19.6% from the government and then entails a contract with a private management company to let the property for a guaranteed return over a period of up to 12 years.

The residence is on the golf course has an outdoor heated swimming, tennis courts, a clubhouse with restaurant and bar, a driving range and a separate 9 hole course. It is located 3km from the beach, 15 minutes from the charming seaside village of Benodet and 15 minutes from Quimper airport.

80% mortgages can be arranged for up to 25 years. In an interesting development the company has organised that if interest rates increase, the length of the term increases rather than the monthly repayments. Conversely, the term shortens if interest rates are reduced.

The management company is Odalys and there is an initial rental period of 9 years offering a net yield, without occupation, of 4.4% index linked. There are also packages with usage options which offer lower returns. The properties are being sold completely furnished with studios starting from €58,000 and one beds from €77,500, and two beds from €115,000; three beds from €160,000 all excluding VAT.

Those wishing to obtain more information can visit upcoming seminar evenings in Dublin’s Burlington Hotel on November 25^th and 26^th; The Harbour Hotel, Galway on the 27^th; The West County Hotel in Ennis on the 28^th; The Brandon Hotel, Tralee on the 30^th; the Clarion Hotel, Cork on December 1^st and 2^nd and the Waterford Marina Hotel on December 3rd.