Land is at the heart of any strategy to grow a farm or secure its future. Buying land means investing in a strategic asset whose value is governed by specific rules and whose financing requires expertise.
At Agricourtage, we support farmers and farming companies in all their land acquisition projects: outright purchase of land, land lease-to-buy schemes, taking a stake in a farming company, buying company shares, or financing land sold by the SAFER (rétrocession). Our knowledge of regional land markets, of how the SAFER works and of the tax specifics of company structures allows us to build tailored, optimised financing packages.
Why is farmland finance so specific?
Unlike a standard property purchase, buying farmland in France follows its own rules, which directly affect the financing terms:
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The SAFER's pre-emption right: the SAFER (the French rural land agency) can step in and take the buyer's place when farmland is sold. This creates uncertainty that must be anticipated in the financing plan.
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Market value within a framework: land prices are monitored regionally, which makes valuation easier but requires detailed knowledge of local markets.
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Loan duration: farmland loans can run for 25 to 30 years, with specific features (payment holidays, deferred repayments) that are often negotiable.
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Legal structures: buying through a farming company (EARL, GAEC, SCEA) involves different financing arrangements from buying in your own name.
Agricourtage masters all these parameters, so you can approach your land project with peace of mind.
How a land financing application is assessed
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Size and location of the plots: market value, soil quality, distance from the farm
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The farm's overall repayment capacity
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Personal contribution or available security (mortgage over the land acquired)
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The intended form of ownership (own name, company, GFA – agricultural land group)
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Existing leases on the plots and their remaining term
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The tax position of the buyer or the company
The SAFER's role in your land projects
Buying land outright
This is the most common case: a farmer wants to buy plots to expand the farm or secure their production base. Agricourtage analyses your farm's repayment capacity, builds the right financing plan and negotiates the best terms with lenders.
Land lease-to-buy: access to land without buying it
Land lease-to-buy is an increasingly popular option for farmers who want access to land without carrying its immediate financial weight. A third-party investor — a lease-to-buy operator, specialist fund, local authority or an organisation such as Terre de Liens — buys the land instead and leases it to them under a French agricultural lease (bail rural). The farmer gets the right to use the land while keeping borrowing capacity for the farm's other needs: livestock, equipment, buildings.
It is especially relevant where land prices are high, or for project owners whose financing plan is already stretched. It usually comes with a deferred purchase option, allowing the farmer to buy the land on pre-agreed terms once their situation is established. Agricourtage assesses with you whether a land lease-to-buy scheme makes sense and points you to operators suited to your profile and area.
Buying through a farming company
Buying land within a company structure offers significant tax and estate-planning advantages, but makes the financing more complex. Agricourtage works alongside your legal and accounting advisers to structure financing consistent with the situation of the company and its partners.
Taking a stake and buying company shares
Taking over a farming company by buying its shares is increasingly common. It lets you acquire a complete production unit (land, buildings, livestock, equipment) without buying each asset separately. Agricourtage structures the financing of these deals, which are often more complex from a banking point of view.
Land sold by the SAFER (rétrocessions)
The SAFER regularly reallocates land it has bought or pre-empted. Buying land from the SAFER is often an opportunity for local farmers. Agricourtage helps you prepare your application within the deadlines these procedures impose.
The SAFER's role in your land projects
The SAFER (Société d'Aménagement Foncier et d'Établissement Rural — the rural land development agency) plays a central role in farmland transactions in France. It has a pre-emption right over sales of farmland, can buy and resell land to consolidate farms, and helps young farmers set up.
At Agricourtage, we build SAFER deadlines and procedures into our financial planning. We explain your rights and the steps to take to secure your purchase.
To find out more about the SAFER: safer.fr (in French)