Looming¹（正在逼近的） tax hikes by France's new socialist² government have triggered an exodus³（大批的离去） of the Gallic super-rich to 'wealth-friendly' nations like Britain and Switzerland.

 

The latest estate agency figures have shown large numbers of France's most well-heeled families selling up and moving to neighboring countries.

 

Many are fleeing a proposed new higher tax rate of 75 percent on all earnings⁴ over one million euros.

 

The previous top tax bracket of 41 percent on earnings over 72,000 euros is also set to increase to 45 percent.

 

Sotheby's Realty, the estate agent arm of the British auction⁵ house, said its French offices sold more than 100 properties over 1.7 million euros between April and June this year - a marked increase on the same period in 2011.

 

Alexander Kraft, head of Sotheby's Realty, France, said: "The result of the presidential election has had a real impact on our sales.

 

"Now a large number of wealthy French families are leaving the country as a direct result of the proposals of the new government.

 

"These properties are then bought up by foreign investors⁷ looking for a stable real estate market like France to invest in.

 

"It shows the high-end property market is holding up very well, even in these difficult times."

 

Gilles Martin, a Swiss tax consultant⁸, reported the same trend. "Since the socialists⁹ came to power in France, I have been deluged¹⁰ with inquiries¹¹ from rich French people who would rather pay their tax in Switzerland," he told Switzerland's 20 Minutes newspaper.

 

A report earlier this year by London estate agents also showed France's richest people were heading to Britain to escape new higher taxes.

 

Inquiries from wealthy French for London homes worth more than five million pounds soared by 30 percent in the first three months of this year, UK estate agency statistics showed.

 

And interest in homes worth between one and five million rose by 11 percent, it was found.

 

British estate agent Knight¹² Frank said the tax plans had sent French interest in luxury London homes rocketing.

 

Liam Bailey, Knight Frank's global head of residential⁶ research, said: "It is too early to see the impact of the proposed wealth taxes in France in terms of actual purchases in London.

 

"But there is strong evidence from our web search statistics.

 

"This evidence from web search activity backs up a noticeable spike¹³ in anecdotal comments from our office network, where French applicants¹⁴ have become much more noticeable in recent months."

 

Prime minister David Cameron angered the French last month when he said he would "roll out the red carpet" to wealthy French citizens and firms who wanted move out and pay their taxes in Britain.

 

He told the B20 business summit in Mexico in June: "I think it's wrong to have a completely uncompetitive top rate of tax.

 

"If the French go ahead with a 75 percent top rate of tax we will roll out the red carpet and welcome more French businesses to Britain and they can pay tax in Britain and pay for our health service and schools and everything else."

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