Spotlight on Mougins
Spotlight on Mougins
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Spotlight on Mougins

This popular village offers private villas in a residential neighbourhood.


Close to Cannes and Grasse, this highly-prized village plays the ace of individual properties in a residential neighbourhood…

People often describe Mougins as “one of France’s largest communes”. The idea this gives is very different from reality. Above all a market for villas, Mougins has seen 18 % of its territory occupied by the science and technology park of Sophia Antipolis. And it is home to much more vegetation than housing. The Valmasque forest takes up 1,067 acres, and only 16,287 residents share the total space. The old village stands on a hill (260 m) offering a view of the Bay of Cannes, the Lérins Islands, Grasse and the Alps. Two golf-courses, 40 restaurants and close ties with art and culture… Picasso, Cocteau, Paul Eluard, Man Ray, Churchill, Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Christian Dior and Catherine Deneuve have all owned properties here.

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From the drive, it’s difficult to imagine the property’s layout. Then one discovers the huge paved terrace, the elegant swimming pool and a sublime view of the Bay of Cannes, La Napoule and the Estérel mountains. Built in the ’seventies, this modern property of 400 m2 (three bedrooms) on two floors has been treated to complete renovation. Each floor is laid out around a spacious lounge, extremely graphic in design. As for building materials, slate, wood and stucco prevail in subtly changing hues. Guests and guardians have their own self-contained apartments. 5,000,000 €. Michaël Zingraf (04 92 92 87 87).
From the drive, it’s difficult to imagine the property’s layout. Then one discovers the huge paved terrace, the elegant swimming pool and a sublime view of the Bay of Cannes, La Napoule and the Estérel mountains. Built in the ’seventies, this modern property of 400 m2 (three bedrooms) on two floors has been treated to complete renovation. Each floor is laid out around a spacious lounge, extremely graphic in design. As for building materials, slate, wood and stucco prevail in subtly changing hues. Guests and guardians have their own self-contained apartments. 5,000,000 €. Michaël Zingraf (04 92 92 87 87).
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In Les Parcs de Mougins. The entrance to this property of 600 m2 is at the rear. From its lounge, one can contemplate the magnificent garden of 4,870 m2 with its pines, palms, pool, cascade and decorative rockeries. Giving an initial impression of having just one floor, there is in fact a second level for the master suite and a lower level shared by 2 guest flats with their own kitchens, a wine cellar and a fitness and relaxation area. Decorated rather like a ship, the billiard room looks out through porthole windows into the pool. Inside, while priority is given to lofty volumes. 3,400,000 €. Mougins Prestige (04 93 75 01 75).
In Les Parcs de Mougins. The entrance to this property of 600 m2 is at the rear. From its lounge, one can contemplate the magnificent garden of 4,870 m2 with its pines, palms, pool, cascade and decorative rockeries. Giving an initial impression of having just one floor, there is in fact a second level for the master suite and a lower level shared by 2 guest flats with their own kitchens, a wine cellar and a fitness and relaxation area. Decorated rather like a ship, the billiard room looks out through porthole windows into the pool. Inside, while priority is given to lofty volumes. 3,400,000 €. Mougins Prestige (04 93 75 01 75).
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While the architecture takes inspiration from the Mediterranean style, one also notices a touch of the colonies in this residence of 484 m2 built on three floors. Appreciable, the size of the lounge ; original, the aquarium occupying an entire wall. The grounds of 9,000 m2 also play host to a second house of 150 m2 (four bedrooms) with its own gate and swimming pool. 2,700,000 €. Agence Europa (04 92 98 98 98). www.agence-europa.fr
While the architecture takes inspiration from the Mediterranean style, one also notices a touch of the colonies in this residence of 484 m2 built on three floors. Appreciable, the size of the lounge ; original, the aquarium occupying an entire wall. The grounds of 9,000 m2 also play host to a second house of 150 m2 (four bedrooms) with its own gate and swimming pool. 2,700,000 €. Agence Europa (04 92 98 98 98). www.agence-europa.fr

Christian Monnier of the Europa agency immediately eliminates apartments, only to be found in Tournamy and Mougins-le-Haut. Few and far between, they are for local residents and cost 3,000 per m2 for the first, 3,000 to 4,000 for the second. Demand therefore targets villas. A neighbourhood’s popularity depends on one major factor : noise, a problem for a locality crossed by a main road and the motorway. Peace and quiet are thus rare commodities only afforded by one third of the commune’s total surface area. Le Redon and Les Colles top the list, zones for properties of 10,000 m2 with a building ratio of 4 %. Owners, including the son of the Emir of Qatar, often acquire several lots. Also much appreciated, Le Chemin de Pigranel is definitely one of the more pleasant spots thanks to its tranquillity, views of the sea and village, and south or south-west orientation. Here, a villa of 250 m2 in about 2.5 acres of land will cost 2,500,000 €. The same property with a view of the Med may well cost twice as much. In Mougins, the concept of the gated and guarded estate caught on early. One often hears about Les Terres de Pigranel and Le Domaine des Collines for their sea views. A 6-bedroomed villa with 7,000 m2 of grounds recently sold for 2,200,000 €. And one of the most sought-after estates is still Les Parcs de Mougins, with prices ranging from 2 to 4 million euros, with two or three exceptions. Also of interest, Le Domaine de la Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Vie offers properties of up to 7,000 m2 with price-tags between 2.5 and 3 million euros for living space of 400 m2. Then there’s Le Domaine de Ranguin, whose main attributes consist of the size of the grounds and proximity to Cannes. It hasn’t, however, met with its expected success because of its borderline location, considered less residential, and planes from the Cannes-Mandelieu airport flying overhead. You’ll also hear about the Domaine de la Roseraie and Domaine de Saint-Bazile ; expect prices from 900,000 to 3,500,000 €. Then come the 150 villas of La Peyrière, more affordable for the local working population. Built in the ’sixties, these properties cost between 800,000 and 1,500,000 €. Since 1990, Mougins has also offered the sector around the Royal Golf. The technical level of this sports complex and improvement of access infrastructures have encouraged development of this area to the west.

The old village is something of an isolated case on Mougins’ real-estate scene. While luxury is certainly a major factor, the limited number of villas prevents this area from being listed in the rankings. It is split into two parts. The less attractive overlooks the main road to Grasse. The other part is home to some magnificent residences : La Grace Dieu (7,000 m2 of grounds with view of the sea and Estérel mountains, accessible on foot from the village), Le Relais des Postes, La Chapelle San Sébastien… The average price for a “classic” Provençal property is 3 million euros. Really beautiful properties range from 5 to 8 million euros.

“The clientele, 80% foreign at the top end of the market, comes here all year round,” says Anne-Marie Garcin of the Michaël Zingraf agency. So it’s not really a market for holiday homes. These owners aged 40 to 60 years old, from the world of business, are prepared to make round-trips to equate their desire to live in Mougins with their professional obligations. The international CIV school has thus grown from 1,700 to 2,600 pupils over the past ten years. The Mougins School is just as highly-prized for its Anglo-Saxon curriculum. And Mougins also attracts fans of golf.

Generally speaking, clients prefer homes that are ready to move in rather than those requiring renovation : and they keep them for five years on average. They appreciate the closeness to Cannes, prices 30 % lower versus those in the Festival City, and the countryside, an advantage which should be maintained in the PLU currently in the pipeline. Unlike their neighbours down on the coast, these buyers aren’t keen on marble or columns, preferring the country-house style or an old stone “mas”. Their north European origins explain their high demands in terms of home automation.

Daniel Conti of the Mougins Prestige agency says that the trend that started at the beginning of this year is tending to be confirmed : only properties with fair market prices are selling. If the price is reasonable and there is no major noise problem, a transaction can be completed very quickly. Demand is there, and offers can be very aggressive. The market is well balanced, leaning slightly in favour of purchasers. By paying 800,000 to 1,000,000 €, clients can acquire a home west of the village. There are lots of buyers in the 1.5 to 2.5 million bracket, but only a few properties meet their expectations. At prices above 4 million euros, there are fewer buyers and a wider choice. As for records, prices soar above 15 million euros for several acres of land and outstanding appointments. Some good deals can still be found : short-term with acquisitions for renovation and re-sale, or medium-term, by building on land acquired at a good price.

By Laetitia Rossi - Photos Edith Andreotta