The Luberon and Alpilles : quality assured
Properties here attract both foreigners and people who work locally.
Properties here attract both foreigners and people who work locally. Both top-notch and more affordable homes are on offer, outstanding properties stand next to old farms, a drystone “mas” contrasts with typical village houses. All aboard for the tour…
The press often publish articles on these regions, evoking the market for B&Bs or the many Anglo-Saxon residents. A celebrity staying at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence or Maussane-les-Alpilles, Gordes and its festival or Roussillon and its ochre pigments… In geographical, historic and cultural terms, the Alpilles and the Luberon have a great deal going for them.
Valérie Lucien of Actuel Immobilier says that demand is evenly distributed in the northern part of the Alpilles. If the fashion is currently for village houses, a “mas” with character or a beautiful property also have their admirers. The first, which is ideally a 15-minute walk at most from the centre, ranges from 400,000 (150 m2, two bedrooms) to 1 million € (300 m2 with a courtyard or garden). Expect to pay from 1 to 1.5 million € for the “mas” and from 1.5 to 3 million € for a property of 300 to 400 m2 in grounds of 2.5 to 5 acres. Saint-Rémy serves as a reference for the northern part of the Alpilles. Everyone from outside the region starts their home-hunting here, possibly looking elsewhere later on. In fact, distinctions should be drawn between Saint-Rémy, Maussane, Eygalières, Les Baux-de-Provence and the neighbouring villages. For the four main communes, there’s hardly any difference in prices. For equivalent types of properties, the other areas post prices 10 to 25 % lower. Locals working in the northern part of the Alpilles, who can’t afford these addresses, head for Eyragues, Noves, Mollégès and Maillane. Blocks of flats are a rare commodity : in new developments at Saint-Rémy, the price per sq. metre is 3,000 €. This sector attracts more and more investors intending to rent, as well as first-time buyers. Building land is expensive : 250 to 300 €/m2 for small plots, 100 €/m2 for plots of over 3,000 m2. Reflecting the European trend, the region favours close quarters : the average size of building plots ranges from 800 to 3,000 m2.
The decision to live in the northern or southern part of the Alpilles is a matter of taste. The north offers easy access to Avignon, a 20-minute drive from Saint-Rémy. From the TGV station in the capital of the Vaucluse, Paris is only 2 hrs 40 away. Which explains the high concentration of the French in this area. The advantage of being in the southern Alpilles lies in a good motorway network and the proximity of the airports of Nîmes and Marignane, both 40 km away. “Turned towards the Camargue, the southern Alpilles are more undulating. Olives are cultivated on this dry, pebbly land.” Christine Duclot of Activ’Immo Provence leads the tour. Maussane plays host to stars such as Michel Drucker and Françoise Fabian. A village house of 100 m2 without a garden costs 300,000 €, a country house between 1 and 2 million €, and an exceptional property can soar to 4 million. The few houses for sale at Les Baux are all outstanding for their architecture and location. Their huge bonus : plunging and sweeping views. 2.5 acres of land will cost 600,000 €. Slightly less expensive, yet also highly-prized, Mouriès is a lively, festive and commercial village, fond of its folklore and local associations. One little-known hill-top village also deserves a mention : Aureille. It offers the charm of its citadel and narrow streets, but unfortunately has few houses for sale. One can, however, quote an old residence of 180 m2 in a pine-grove of 4,000 m2 with pool, at 499,000 €.
Once in the valley of La Crau, private mansions with marble hearths, moulded ceilings and cornices replace the old stone “mas”. One example in excellent condition with living space of 800 m2 in 27.5 acres of land is on offer at 2,250,000 €. The same type of property near Les Baux would be worth 5 million €. One also comes across farm buildings, more affordable than the traditional country house due to the more simple architecture. Locals in this region opt for Saint-Martin-de-Crau, 15 km from Arles. Extensive development is underway here. A house of 100 m2 with a garden of 500 m2 costs 250,000 €. There are very few apartments in these typical villages. Here again, one has to head for Saint-Martin-de-Crau : a 44 m2 flat (one bedroom) with a small garden sells for 137,000 €, a duplex of 77 m2 will be pegged at 197,000 €. Some people set their sights on Eyguières, comparable in amenities and prices. Corinne Joutel and Olivier Valancogne of Valancogne Partners define the criteria which determine a property’s value : the location, the quality of any renovation, and stylishness. Another aspect not to be neglected in this area is the exceptional and even rare character of certain properties, whose prices involve a more precise analysis. According to Valérie Lucien, the clientele for the Alpilles is shared out equally between French and foreigners, Anglo-Saxons, Belgians and Swiss. They are initially looking for holiday homes, while always bearing in mind the possibility of making them their main residences when they retire. They prefer homes that are ready to move in rather than those requiring restoration. The condition of properties in fact reflects this trend (not true of the Luberon). Very numerous six years ago, clients looking to run guest-houses deserted the market for a couple of years before turning up again. This kind of investment demands initial funds of 1.2 million € and has more to do with an idea of a certain life-style than a desire for rapid profitability. In the Alpilles, prices rose 25 % a year from 1999 to 2003. “After a slowdown then a drop, the market is again active and well-balanced. Properly valued, a house will sell in under 3 months.”
The luberon, a sound reputation
Wilder and more private, the Luberon has ridden the wave of success for at least a decade. Jean-Christophe Rosier of Gordes Immobilier places the Golden Triangle above the normal market. The perimeter formed by Gordes, Ménerbes and Bonnieux boasts villages with inimitable charm. On the southern slopes of the Monts du Vaucluse and 35 minutes from Avignon, Gordes and its stone houses comprise a harmonious ensemble. The heart of the village is comprised of about 100 houses ; only two or three a year appear on agencies’ books. If they have a little garden, they are immediately snapped up. Prices range from 600,000 to over 2 million €. Around this historic centre, one finds some very large properties. Most are worth between 2 and 3 million €, some from 5 to 6 million €, not to mention exceptional cases. Here, 60 % of the houses are occupied all year round. At Ménerbes, which faces north, the impact of environmental policies is making itself felt. Roussillon is popular for its architectural style. With fewer tourists, Goult hangs on to its pleasant life-style and is 90 % home to local people. Not very commercially minded and sheltered from the Mistral wind, Joucas benefits from its serenity and the fact that it faces due south. Bonnieux, facing north-west, and Lacoste, due east, are home to some very lovely properties, some originally agricultural. Within the triangle, whose longest side is 11 km, prices are stable. What places Gordes at the top of the list is its constant market and extremely easy re-selling. An open view will raise a property’s price 50 %. Half the purchasers are French (90 % of them Parisians). Foreigners include the Swiss, Belgians and English (30 % of the total). The Germans, Dutch and Americans account for 10 %, other countries the remaining 10 %. Client profiles include company directors and industrialists looking to invest for personal use. Costs doubled from 1997 to 2000, rose 25 % from 2000 to 2002, and have remained stable since 2003. The market is active ; a house will sell in six months, and exclusive properties always find a buyer.
In the southern Luberon, prices have risen significantly in the past 5 years. Yet the area is 20 % cheaper than the north. Facing due south, with fewer restrictions on urban development, the area is home to Lourmarin, Cadenet, Cucuron and Lauris, and attracts people from Marseille and Aix. To the north, the valley after Apt, where one finds Sault and Banon, posts prices 50 % lower than in the Golden Triangle. Large properties can be found here : a farm of 1,000 m2 needing a lick of paint with 250 acres of land costs 1.7 million €.
By Laetitia Rossi - photos : press
