France has overtaken Spain as the most popular place for Britons to buy a second home, according to a number of recently released reports. A survey by Savills International claims that in the two-year period between 2009-2011, twice as many houses were purchased in France than in Spain, with the decline in the Spanish housing market highlighted as the main reason for putting off British buyers.

While Spain has seen a reduction in demand, other traditionally established and high-end markets such as southern France, Switzerland, the Algarve and Tuscany have continued to see high sales and stable property prices. And despite the overall downturn in Spain, the islands of Ibiza and Mallorca are still seeing high numbers of foreign buyers.

Overseas mortgage company Conti backed up the survey by Savills reporting that over the last year 39 per cent of all enquiries have been for France, with Spain coming in second with close to a third. The reason, according to Conti, is that investors see France as an accessible market that is both safer and more stable than Spain, and one that will generate steady returns.

But the good news is that Spain is on the rebound. Both Conti and UK house builder Taylor Wimpey claim that enquiries on Spanish property are up this year, with Conti reporting a 7 per cent increase, while Taylor Wimpey says enquiries are up an incredible 45 per cent on their Spanish developments. In fact it is estimated that 100,000 new homes will be sold in Spain in 2011 as foreigners start to take advantage of the housing slump and look to pick up some bargains.

So if you’re interested in all the latest residential property developments in both France and Spain, head to MIPIM in Cannes in March 2012. For the best hotel rooms, rented apartments and even private yachts look to EAS for all your accommodation needs. We can also help you with restaurant bookings, nightly entertainment and all your transportation requirements. Click on this link to fill in our request form.

Here are ten lessons that MIPIM newbie has taken from last week’s conference on the French Riviera:

1.      Pack a sweater

“Cannes” may carry connotations of scorching sun and vitamin D, but this year it was foolish to second guess the weather. The sun may have broken out while I was meeting contacts in the windowless bunker. But overall,  MIPIM 2011 felt closer to Margate than Marseille.

2.      Catch the train again

I heard at least 20 people moan about fog at London City Airport. Another 10 complained about traffic on the last stretch to Cannes. Hop on a Eurostar, then a TGV, and you have none of this bother. Plus, you can grab your first glass of French red during the stopover in Paris.

3.      Over-promise at your peril

One property veteran told me to book only 40% of my MIPIM time as meetings. He was right, because tearing around the Croisette between hourly diary slots is no fun. So next year, more of my time will be spent bumping into familiar faces, having impromptu wine-tastings, and loitering around the London stand with a notebook and a business card.

4.      Tweet clearly

When Coventry City Council brings together private sector partners to fund a two -Michelin-starred inward investment dinner on the outskirts of Cannes, don’t send a Tweet saying: “I’m off to a Michelin** restaurant, courtesy of Coventry.”

More than one charitable organisation got the wrong end of the cinnamon stick.

5.      Stay central

If you have the option to get a city-centre hotel, take it. Standing at the taxi rank for 40 minutes each night to get to my hotel, 20 minutes away, was far from pleasant.

6.      Canapés rarely satisfy

Lamb and red pepper skewers may sound hearty enough, but eating 10 of these miniature kebabs does not constitute a dinner or a lunch, especially when accompanied by the same number of beers.

7.      Pre-iron your shirts

Not only was my hotel miles out of town, it only possessed 20 irons to service 500 apartments, so probably 2,000 shirts in total. Needless to say, with a property conference going on down the road, there weren’t enough irons to go around. On the upside, I now know that the French for an “where is the iron?” is “où est le fer?”.

8.      Don’t be gullible

Rumours abound at MIPIM, and most must be taken with a heavy pinch of salt. I heard last week that 140 people were in custody in the Tchenguiz arrests, that MEPC was being bought, and that the Homes and Communities Agency had begun a firesale of its London assets.  All these were unfounded.

9.      Hold the front page!

MIPIM, I have learned, is a place where the unexpected happens. If a property man was having a heart attack at the Martinez one day, another property man was finding a dead body at the beach on the next. And who could have predicted that the Tchenguiz brothers would be arrested on the Wednesday morning, a day before their legendary yacht party?

10.  Stay up to date at PropertyWeeek.com

I was standing on the Cushman & Wakefield beach trying to persuade a naysayer just how useful our website, PropertyWeek.com, can be.

During the past 12 months, Poland has been notable as one of the European countries to have best resisted the recession. In 2010, Poland is the MIPIM Country of Honour. A special programme of events and conferences has been put together to place Poland in the limelight at MIPIM, with two sessions on Poland in the official programme of conferences, a special tribute to Polish projects during the MIPIM Awards ceremony and much more to come.

Regions and cities are often the driving force behind the international property business and MIPIM will provide plenty of opportunities to meet senior city administrators and attend conference sessions which will discuss everything from sustainable development policy to social housing. And, for the second consecutive year, MIPIM will host the closed-door Mayor’s Think Tank, bringing together some 70 mayors for discussions on urban development policy.

This year’s programme of conferences is particularly diverse and we are extremely grateful to the senior executives who have agreed to share their thoughts and experience with us in Cannes.

In case you have missed MIPIM 2010 or would like to review the key facts and key figures about our latest edition, you can now enjoy all the event highlights online.

Click here for more details.

Utilize your budgets by chartering our privately owned yachts. Most think of a yacht charter as a huge expense. We have some lovely 2 and 3 berth/cabin yacths located in the Port of Cannes. Rates under 8000 Euros for the event week. Unlike a typical charter, there are no APA fees, berthing or any additional costs, only your rental fee and refundable security deposit. All boat rates include 4 nights. Our selection includes 3 bed/3 bath en-suite and 2 bed/2 bath en-suite. All have areas for small cocktail or meetings throughout your stay. Enquire today.

2011 looks to be a great year for the property market event.  The UK will be the “guest of honour” and more regional stands are expected.  An overall positive vibe after this years event.  Jones Lang LaSalle and Cushman & Wakefield are predicting sizable increases in EU property activity this year.  Get on board!  Exclusive opportunities for privately owned yachts in the Port of Cannes – rates inclusive as well as executive suites overlooking the port.  Location, Location.  Enquire about our other accommodation options and services.