Buying a forest in France in 2026: price per hectare, forestry groups, income, risks and tax

• €4,950 per hectare on average in 2025 (+2.5%), from €2,850 in the Massif Central to €7,880 in the Paris basin and the north.
• Two routes: buy a forest outright, or shares in a forestry group, more accessible and with no management to handle yourself.
• 25% DEFI tax credit on the purchase, on up to €6,250 of spending a year for a single person and €12,500 for a couple, until the end of 2027.
• 75% exemption from the IFI wealth tax and from gift and inheritance tax, in exchange for a sustainable management commitment.

A forest is a real, very long-term asset: people buy one to pass it on, for hunting or for pleasure as much as for its return. It takes time or a manager, it sells slowly, and its value depends on the species, access and the health of the trees.

The prices quoted come from the Safer group's annual report on the forest market, and the tax rules from the BOFiP, France's official tax guidance, and the 2026 tax guide. Before a large purchase, a forestry expert, a notaire or a wealth manager can assess the plot and the tax benefit.

What a forest costs in 2025

According to the Safer group, 23,030 forests were sold in 2025, covering 176,300 hectares for €2.17 billion, a record area. 89% of sales involve less than 10 hectares. Prices range from €2,850 per hectare in the Massif Central to €7,880 in the Paris basin and the north. A 5-hectare forest at its category's average price therefore costs about €18,200, and a 15-hectare forest about €65,000, before notary fees.

Buying a forest outright or through a forestry group

• Outright: you become the owner of the plot, through a notaire. You decide on felling and hunting, and you bear upkeep, insurance and the risks. For a forest under 4 hectares, neighbouring owners have a right of first refusal at the same price.
• Through forestry group shares: you buy shares in a company that owns and manages several forests. Forestry investment groups (GFI) offered to the public are supervised by the AMF, France's financial markets regulator. Entry starts at a few thousand euros and management is delegated, but entry fees are often high and the shares are hard to resell.

Forests for sale are listed by notaires, forestry experts, forestry cooperatives and the Safer. Before signing, visit, have the timber valued, and check access for machinery and whether there is a simple management plan, mandatory above 20 hectares.

What a forest earns

Income comes mainly from timber sales, several years apart, and from leasing the hunting rights. It is low relative to the value of the land and depends on timber prices, which fell 11% on average in 2025 according to the ONF, France's forestry office: oak lost 36%, spruce gained 23%. Most of the performance often comes from the long-term rise in forest prices, which is never guaranteed.

Timber income is not taxed directly: the owner declares a flat amount each year based on the cadastral income of the plots, usually modest.

How a forest is taxed

• DEFI tax credit: 25% of the price of a forest or of forestry group shares, on up to €6,250 of spending a year for a single person and €12,500 for a couple, so at most €1,562.50 or €3,125 of credit. It applies to operations carried out until December 31, 2027, in exchange for keeping the forest fifteen years under a management plan, or the shares until December 31 of the eighth year.
• IFI: woods and forests, and forestry group shares, count for only 25% of their value, under a sustainable management commitment. A €400,000 forest counts for €100,000 in the French real estate wealth tax.
• Gifts and inheritance: a 75% exemption from duties, with a 30-year sustainable management commitment made by the heirs or recipients; it comes on top of the usual allowances described in our guide to gifts in France.

The risks of owning a forest

• Natural risks: storms, fire, drought, disease and pests. The pine wood nematode was detected in France for the first time, in the Landes, in November 2025.
• Liquidity: a forest takes months to sell, and forestry group shares have no organised market.
• Timber prices: they vary widely from year to year and from one species to another.
• Tax commitments: breaking a management commitment means losing the benefit obtained.

A forest belongs among alternative investments, alongside gold or private equity: a limited share of an already diversified portfolio, held for decades.

Frequently asked questions