• French Riviera
• French Chateaux
• Algarve, Portugal
• Monaco
• Lake Como, Italy

Welcome in a new day with a gentle early morning stroll around the peaceful shores of your own private lake where the only sounds are the soft chirping of the birds and the wind rustling through the trees; wander down to the lake shore and take a leisurely swim in the calm and crystal clear waters before enjoying an al fresco lunch washed down with a glass of chilled champagne; laze away a relaxing afternoon sunbathing on your terrace with fabulous lakeside views of sparkling blue water, majestic mountains and charming villages before descending to your private jetty to whizz off to the local restaurant for dinner. Mostly located in stunningly beautiful locations with accommodation ranging from chic apartments and modern villas to luxury houses and country estates, lakeside properties provide investors with a very real opportunity of owning a property that has instant cache whether it is perched on the hilly shores of Italy’s stunning lakes, hidden away deep in the French countryside or nestling amongst the rolling glens of Scotland.

There is something very special about living by water; enjoying the simple pleasures of being outdoors – learning to water-ski, sail or fish; enjoying a barbeque with family and friends whilst watching the sunset across the water or just lazing on a sun lounger reading a book. Whether you are looking to buy a lakeside property for you and your family or wanting to rent out the property during the holidays, lakeside properties can be found throughout the world and in all shapes and sizes depending on your taste and budget.

Italy’s mountain-fringed northern lakes are some of the most beautiful places in Europe where fruit-coloured lakeside properties dot the shorelines and charming historic towns hug the shores. Culturally influenced by Italy’s great northern cities, these lakes enjoy good travel connections, a solid all-round infrastructure and a very high quality of life and this is reflected in the prices of lakeside properties which can be steep but holiday rental prospects are excellent and are most likely to cover your costs. Lakeside properties in central Italy are noticeably lower-priced than in the north and in just as beautiful a location; warm shallow Lake Trasimeno in Umbria and the crystal-clear volcanic lakes of Bolsena and Bracciano in northern Lazio all sit in gentle rolling landscape and have a restful quality about them. The charms and delights of Tuscany and Umbria – not to mention Rome – are never far away and another advantage is that these central Italian lakes are less crowded than the famous northern ones and enjoy a slightly longer summer.

The French lakes are an inland seaside offering a superb range of lakeside properties from simple stone cottages and charming wooden chalets to traditional stone farmhouses and fabulous country houses. The most popular areas for lakeside properties are in the Limousin and its easterly neighbour – Auvergne, which lies in the middle of the Massif Central. The vast Lac de Vassivière in Limousin is surrounded by outstanding countryside of forests, heaths and wetlands where local flora and fauna flourish; lakeside properties here are mostly traditional stone farmhouses set in their own private woodland with stunning lakeside views and charming gardens. Neighbouring Auvergne is a majestic volcanic landscape of sweeping glacier valleys, lakes and waterfalls and wide plateaux inhabited by deer, goats, rock thrushes and peregrine falcons. There are unspoilt mediaeval towns and mountain villages and in the wilds of the Livradois, remote stone and slate roofed 'jasseries', cheese-making farms. There are some beautiful lakeside properties in the region including renovated country houses with their own private lakes set amongst landscaped gardens and remote stone farmhouses nestling on the shores of lakes and surrounded by woodland.

For the ultimate in luxurious lakeside properties then Switzerland is a perfect choice whether you choose the more established Lake Geneva or the more ‘cosmopolitan’ Lake Lugano. Lakeside properties around Lake Geneva include fabulously luxurious apartments set in huge gardens with 24-hour concierge service and stunning lakeside views. A less expensive alternative to Geneva is Lake Lugano which offers safety and efficiency with the usual Swiss fiscal advantages yet has all the class and culture of Italy, which is just 30 minutes’ drive away. Lakeside properties here include modern apartments and villas with their own private swimming pools and wide sunny terraces overlooking the lake.

In England, many of the finest lakeside properties can be found in the Lake District; at the top end of the market there are wonderful country houses set in acres of landscaped gardens and grounds which extend down to the shore of Lake Windermere with fabulous views of the lake and mountains. In Scotland lakeside properties tend to be in remote and rural locations; choose from whitewashed houses with green lawns rolling down to the pebble shores and the loch’s cool blue water gently lapping against wooden jetties or slate grey stone cottages nestling in wide valleys at the end of the loch with red and green mountains soaring behind them.

Lakeside properties hold their value extremely well regardless of downturns in the economy or the wider marketplace and also offer perennially strong holiday rental prospects. Whether a modern and elegant luxury apartment overlooking Lake Geneva or a traditional stone country house nestling the pebble shores of a Scottish loch, lakeside properties continue to be extremely popular and are an exceptionally good investment.