Cassis and La Ciotat, a contrasting shoreline

Neighbouring communes east of Marseille on the coast of Les Bouches du Rhône, Cassis and La Ciotat nevertheless propose properties with very distinct positionings. Cross analysis of two complementary markets.

Well-known for the cliffs and creeks on its coast and the wine produced in the region, Cassis benefits from lots of tourists. Christophe Falbo, dir­ector of the Marseille Littoral agency in the Emile Garcin group, a family firm founded in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence 50 years ago, specializes in prestige properties : “Cassis is a high-end micro-market, mostly consisting of holiday homes. Unusual and rare, the luxury properties we propose are always extremely highly prized by a clientele now evenly balanced between French and foreign buyers : mostly Dutch, Swiss and Belgian”. The budget required to acquire a villa designed by an architect with a clear view of the sea is around 2 million euros. For such a price, buyers can lay claim to premium properties in elevated positions offering enchanting views of the vineyards, the sea and Cap Canaille. Endowed with infinity pools, pool-houses, designer kitchens and generous terraces, they are visited in total confidentiality. Some residences are even fitted with alarms and telesurveillance systems, directly linked to the municipal police. Building land is also in demand though offerings are rare.

Just next door but with a radically different market, La Ciotat lies in the hollow of a cresent-shaped bay, its back to the rocky peak of Le Bec de l’Aigle and Cap Canaille. Didier Bei, associate manager of the Cap Immobilier agency opened in La Ciotat in the early 1980’s, says that “the market here is now shared out pretty equally between houses and apartments”. The average budget for a 2-bedroomed apartment ranges from 200,000 to 300,000 €. For a terraced house, one can expect to pay about 350,000 €, while a villa with a garden costs around 550,000 €. “La Ciotat also proposes studios from 100,000 to 120,000 €, bringing rental investors a return of 4 to 6 %,” adds our specialist. Over the past five years, many new properties have appeared on the market to meet the needs of people working in Marseille or Toulon who appreciate the quiet, residential life-style offered by La Ciotat. On new estates, villas of 180 m2 in neo-Provençal or cubic contemporary style with gardens of 800 m2 and pools can be found for about 500,000 €. “The re-sale market has suffered from the arrival of these attractive homes, pegged from 3,500 to 5,000 €/m2,” comments Didier Bei. In fact, in the town centre, an old apartment now sells from 2,000 to 2,500 €/m2. And there can be important price differences for apartments depending on whether they are on the seafront or in the centre. While the market remains stable and buoyant, a clear lack of balance between buyers and sellers leads to negotatiations that are sometimes very hard to reconcile. “About ten years ago, prices soared in La Ciotat. The value of some properties rose by 50 to 60 % ! Even though the market has become more reasonable, a professional expertise is necessary more than ever before, to assist both buyers and sellers, sometimes floundering in a market which has experienced some rather crazy years.”

Between the high-class properties proposed by Cassis and the diverse offerings in La Ciotat, these small communes on the shore of Les Bouches du Rhône finally benefit from a go-ahead market, both varied and of on-going interest.