This is a very simplified overview of the property buying process in France.

In France you make a verbal offer to the owner. If it's accepted you then sign the Compromis de Vente (the formal offer) and pay the deposit, normally 10%. The deposit is paid into the Notaire's account and held until the sale completes.

The purchaser has a 7-day cooling off period after the compromis is signed. In that time they can withdraw from the purchase for any reason with no penalty. From signing the compromis to signing the Acte de Vente, the official purchase document that transfers ownership, is usually 2 months. Once the 7-day period is over the notaire starts doing the things that are necessary.

This includes things like verifying title and checking to see if there are outstanding loans registered against the property. He also checks that there are no plans in place to build a road or anything on the property.

Many villages in the Aude have the right to decide to buy the property at the price that has been offered to the vendor. If the village has the right then the Notaire has to offer them the property and they have two months in which to make a decision. That's the main reason that it takes two months. If the village doesn't have the right to buy the property then it takes about three weeks to complete the sale. As an aside - villages almost never exercise their right to buy a property. I've never heard of it happening.

The compromis can include clauses suspensives inserted by the purchaser or the vendor. The most common is a clause relating to a mortgage application. A vendor is given x amount of time, usually about three weeks to apply and get approval for a mortgage. If they can't get approval they notify the notaire and the sale is off. They do have to prove that they diligently tried to get a mortgage otherwise they are liable to forfeit the deposit.

There are also clause suspensives relating to the inspections for termites, lead, and asbestos - which the owner has to have done before the house can be sold. If any of the three are found at levels above those allowed the owner has to pay to have them removed. The purchaser has the option to decide not to go ahead with the purchase.

You don't have to be in France for any of this. The Notaire can send you the Compromis by registered post, you sign it and send it back by registered post. You can use a procuration to sign the Acte de Vente. This is basically a one-time power of attorney that gives someone in the Notaire's office the authority to sign on your behalf.

At some point before the sale completes you should open a bank account. You will also need to make sure you have insurance on the house starting on the day the sale completes.