You are quite right in thinking that most of us Forumites have no idea about Vente Viager. 
Iit is clearly laid out on the government site… if you can find your way around the bits and bobs…which most of us have never had to do… 
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To find the definitions you have to know what you’re looking for and if you don’t know the options exist…
But then, places where housing is an issue often have a “taxe sur les logement vacants”, which coincidentally works out at around exactly the same figure as taxe d’habitation, or so I’ve heard. So you cop for one or the other.
I guess the moral is don’t think of buying a second home in one of the 28 areas that are having housing problems as you not only may cause resentment from the locals, which may make holidays uncomfortable, but it could be costly in taxes.
I wish there was a housing shortage in the area I own a ‘second home’ (actually an abandoned ex marital home) and then I might be able to sell the blooming place!
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We have viager libre. We pay a monthly amount until death of both owners, no specified period.
We are responsible for all maintenance, taxes and bills.
If we default in the monthly payments the property reverts to the previous owners!
It is a kind of gamble as to how much we will end up paying, but is better for us than most as we have vacant possession. The case of the 113 year old lady had her remaining in the property and therefore there was no benefit to the purchaser!
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