Arbonne, Bassussarry, Arcangues, the countryside behind the Basque coast
Radia Amar - 25 March 2014
The quietness of the countryside just 15 minutes from the beach, such is the main attribute offered by the ABA market (Arbonne, Bassussarry, Arcangues). Not forgetting, for comparable homes, prices considerably lower than those on the coast.
Nestling at the heart of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, these communes are set back from the ocean, bordered to the north by the Landes, to the south by Spain. Many properties here offer splendid views of undulating scenery where nature reigns supreme.
”In this market consisting of pleasant villages, our buyers are mainly looking for year-round homes. Often working in Bayonne, they can become home-owners more easily here than on the coast,” explains Chantal Marthan, manageress of Guéthary Immobilier. In Arbonne, Arcangues and Ahetze, foremerly known as the “Golden Triangle”, disturbances are few and far between ; no trains, motorways or planes in the immediate proximity. In Arbonne, for a house of 180 m2 in grounds of 2000 m2, one can expect to pay from 650,000 to 700,000 €. A comparable property would be pegged at over 1 million euros in Biarritz, which is less than 5 km away. The market here is mainly comprised of houses, with very few apartments. In Bassussarry, many more homes are available, as the municipality has authorized construction on small plots of land. As a result, housing here is more densely packed together and prices are naturally even lower. Conversely, Arcangues is the most expensive address, due to the aura cast by its château and golf-course, scattered around which one finds lovely properties of character, but also due to the astonishing annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Luis Mariano (up to eight tourist coaches a day as from the spring, according to the Tourist Office). Philippe Thomine Desmazures, associate director of Barnes Côte Basque, believes that “this market can provide a fall-back option for those unable to afford Biarritz. In any event, fans of peace and quiet will have trouble finding a very quiet property in the centre of Biarritz. They prefer to live a few kilometres inland. Arcangues, Bassussarry and Arbonne then naturally become their first choice, with a preference for Arcangues. The village’s authenticity and the appeal of the golf-course are very real assets”. Our expert continues : “This clientele will above all be looking for properties of character, offering a view and extensive grounds. We propose some residences boasting parks of several acres”. The prices of these outstanding homes usually maintain their high levels. However, since 2010, the disparity between supply and demand has led to a decline of 20 to 25 %, with a trend towards stabilization over the past 12 months. François Dianez, negotiator with Koté Palais, also specializes in luxury villas destined to become holiday homes, of interest to a clientele which is 80 % French. In this agency which mainly devotes itself to prestige properties, François Dianez deals with many buyers from Bordeaux and Toulouse who have also opted for the Basque countryside. “Their only condition is not to be more than 5 km from the coast. They want large grounds in which to spend pleasant holidays with the family, something which can no longer be found on the Basque Coast.” They are proposed contemporary villas in Arbonne and charming properties in Arcangues and Bassussarry. One such example is a Basque-style villa in Arcangues, renovated throughout in contemporary style by an architect. Offering living space of 200 m2 and grounds of 2,000 m2, it has just been sold for 1.1 million euros. A region full of character, the countryside in the Pays Basque continues to draw a clientele in search of an authentic life-style in which spaciousness, tranquillity and nature play predominant roles.