Bordeaux’s “Golden Triangle”, a neighbourhood that never goes out of fashion

Bordeaux is one of the most highly sought-after communes in the Gironde. Within the city, there is a “Golden Triangle”, a micro-market where prices break all the local records.

The Golden Triangle in Bordeaux is an area defined by the Cours Georges Clémenceau, Cours de l’Intendance and the Allées de Tourny. A neighbourhood playing host to many buildings dating back to the late 18th century, now comprised of properties offering stylishness and character.

“Our clients are all set on charm : large surface areas, high ceilings, lovely parquet floors, pretty views,” says Anne-Valérie Colas, manageress of Bordeaux Sotheby’s International Realty. “The current trend is for an apartment in an old building with contemporary decor. Though clients also want lifts and parking facilities.” These assets are offered by an apartment of 210 m2 near the Grand Théâtre. On the second floor, it benefits from lofty volumes, a cellar and double parking place. Not forgetting the Holy Grail of properties in the Golden Triangle : a lift ! Only 15-20% of the neighbourhood’s buildings boast this vital feature. All characteristics which led to the property finding a taker at 1,528,000 €. “If an apartment comes with a lift, it sells within three months,” comments Anne-Valérie Colas. Bordeaux Sotheby’s International Realty specializes in luxury properties, and while it is true that the majority of homes in the Golden Triangle are indeed luxurious, that is not the end of the story. As Anne-Valérie Colas explains : “Owners wanting to sell these high-quality properties often place them in very few agencies, which allows them to preserve the unique status of their apartments. Our role is to centralize this market.” With properties ranging on average from 1.2 to 1.7 M€, Anne-Valérie Colas disposes of a substantial array of offerings. Her portfolio also contains truly unique propeties, such as a building in the historic centre of Bordeaux, currently up for sale at 1,940,000 €.

Based within the Golden Triangle, the Agence Lafaye is part and parcel of the neighbourhood’s scenery. Since 1930, it has been handling transactions in the region, and properties in this area inevitably account for a considerable share of its activity. Its manager, Bruno Lafaye, says that the clientele has changed a lot : “Previously, local families bought homes in the Golden Triangle. Today, however, Bordeaux also exercises a certain fascination on people from outside the town, and we now have Parisians and people from Lyon coming to settle here. There are also former ex-pats returning to France who acquire properties in the Golden Triangle. Mainly aged from 50 to 60, they are looking for permanent homes, usually something with authentic character.” Authenticity is probably the term which best describes an apartment of 132 m2 offering a drawing-room with period decor and real stylishness, thanks to its original fireplaces and pretty plasterwork. On the Quai des Chartrons, it is up for sale at 945,000 €. “Buyer profiles are changing, but also their demands,” continues Brune Lafaye. “Clients are in search of prestigious properties with lovely old features. But they also want them to go hand-in-hand with the latest technologies and a contemporary atmosphere.” One example of this kind of hybrid home is an apartment of 280 m2 all on one floor, with a terrace of 150 m2, priced at 1,732,500 €. A spacious lounge, parquet floors, wood panelling and period fireplaces are combined with a very light and airy ambiance. “Here we are just one hour from the sea, one hour from the mountains and the excellent food in Le Périgord. It’s hardly surprising that people want to live here !” says Bruno Lafaye.

The agency Ateliers, Lofts et Associés focuses on unusual properties. Cédric Fourteau, who founded the branch in Bordeaux, explains that demand far outstrips supply : “In the Golden Triangle, there are very few original properties, so we are sometimes obliged to look beyond this neighbourhood. The advantage of acquiring a property which stands out from the rest in the Triangle is, however, that one can occasionally stumble across lower prices”. He mentions a property consisting of converted old attic space. On the top floor of a building on Cours Clémenceau, it provides living space of 82 m2 including a lovely living-room with open-plan kitchen and destructured volumes, for only 335,000 €. At around 4,000 € per sqm., it is a real find in the Golden Triangle, as Cédric Fourteau explains : “In this neighbourhood, the average is somewhere between 4,500 and 6,500 € per sq. metre, with rare spikes soaring to 10,000 €. Our advantage is that our clients are very precise about what they are looking for. And their requirements correspond very well to market reality.” Even so, unusual properties are not necessarily less expensive : some reflect the average price for the Triangle, such as one prestigious apartment of 250 m2 in the hyper-centre, benefiting from a terrace of 100 m2 and priced at 1.5 M €.