Split AC installation on the Côte d'Azur, from English-speaking specialists

The indoor unit sits high on an inside wall, so the cooled air falls into the room. The outdoor unit holds the compressor and goes on a wall bracket, a terrace or a roof. The installer drills one hole through the wall for the pipes, the cable and the drain, then connects and commissions the system.

When the outdoor unit sits right behind the indoor one, fitting takes 4-8 hours. A longer pipe run adds time, as the price section below explains.

Check where the drain goes. A badly run drain is one of the commonest causes of water damage from AC: the condensation drips inside instead of draining away outside. It should leave through the same hole as the pipes and end at a drain point or on the outside wall.

After-sales support (spare parts, local engineers, warranty claims) depends on how present a brand is in France. Global reputation counts for less, so the pecking order here differs from the UK, the US or Germany.

Look for a brand with a wide network of trained installers and service engineers in the Alpes-Maritimes and Var, and well-stocked spares. For a property you'll use for years, that network counts.

Large Japanese and Korean manufacturers all sell here, with service cover that varies by brand. Ask the installer how often they fit and service the brand they quote. Some French manufacturers have strong local distribution and a domestic after-sales network, which can help.

Some capable units have thinner installer and service networks in the Alpes-Maritimes. That is fine for a spare room, but less so as the main system in a house you rely on all year. Also check the exact manufacturer on the quote, as similar names can belong to different companies. For brand comparisons, see our guide to heat pump brands in France.

The outdoor unit's position sets the length of the pipe run. A run round a corner, down a facade or up to a roof adds pipe and labour, and a roof may need access equipment. Ask where the unit will go and how much pipe the price covers.

Older Riviera houses often have thick stone walls, which take longer to drill. Then there's how the pipes are hidden: plastic trunking along the wall is quicker than chasing them into the plaster and making good. If the drain can't run down to an outside wall, the unit needs a small pump. Ask which of these the quote assumes.

Check the electrics too. The unit may need its own circuit, and an older fuse board or a low-power electricity contract may need upgrading first. In a flat, the copropriété has to approve the outdoor unit, and a facade unit may need a déclaration préalable (planning declaration) at the mairie (town hall). In a protected old town, the ABF (the heritage architects) can refuse a visible unit.

Get at least two written quotes for the same unit size, the same outdoor position and the same pipe run. Each should name the brand and model and show the TVA (French VAT) rate, so you're comparing like with like.