1. Identify what is included
Request cadastral references and title documents. Match them to the plan and then to boundaries on the ground. A cadastral map is not a title deed or a boundary survey. Establish whether buildings or agricultural land are included in the sale.
2. Establish access rights
A visible track does not guarantee a legal right of way or suitability for forestry machinery. Request easement documents and maintenance arrangements. During the visit, inspect width, slopes, bridges and timber loading areas.
Topography matters alongside visible tracks. On site, check working access, harvesting conditions and legal access rights.
Explanatory illustration · not a depiction of an analysed property3. Understand the woodland
Ask for management documents, recent harvesting, planned work and known health issues. A mapped stand category does not prove timber quality. Obtain a professional assessment of harvestable volume and required work if timber is central to the asking price.
4. Prepare the purchase in France
Ask a French notaire to check the applicable rights and restrictions, including the priority rights described by CNPF. Do not assume woodland permits construction or every recreational activity. WoodWorth helps you prepare questions; it does not replace legal advice or a site survey.
Sources and dates
- Safer — 2025 forest market, published 21 May 2026
- CNPF — Buying and selling woodland, updated August 2025
- IGN / DGFiP — API Carto
- IGN — BD ORTHO
- CNPF — Timber sales
Accessed 28 September 2026. Independent sources; no partnership implied.