Charming addresses in the middle and upper Var

Radia Amar - 05 February 2016

In areas linking Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Nice and Toulon, communes in the middle and upper Var appeal for their quality living conditions and a well-preserved environment comprised of natural and agricultural areas. Residents working in the large surrounding urban centres appreciate the quietness and Provençal charm of these addresses which have managed to retain their identities.

Seen as the main gateway to the Upper Var, the village of Flayosc is 7 km from Draguignan, 15 km from Salernes. Home to almost 4,500 year-round residents, this commune blending Provençal and medieval charm benefits from a well preserved environment consisting of fields of olive-trees, well-known vineyards, oak forests and “maquis” with thickets of rosemary. “The clientele here is evenly shared out between French buyers looking for year-round homes and foreigners in search of a perfect holiday residence in the Var,” says Kevin Gesbert, a qualified real-estate expert who opened the Gesbert Immobilier agency in 2013. “Mainly a market for villas, Flayosc is characterized by good value for money. There is also a lot of choice, and for the past few months demand has tended to balance out with supply.” The agency proposes a wide variety of properties ranging from studios in the centre of the village to impressive properties priced up to 7 million euros. However, most demand is for villas from 350,000 to 800,000 €. “ A budget of 350,000 € will enable a buyer to acquire a 1960’s or 1970’s house in need of a revamp, with 3 bedrooms and a garden of about 1,500 m2. From 450,000 €, properties naturally gain in quality and spaciousness. Prestigious examples offering sweeping views, enthroned in grounds of over 4,000 m2 with lovely swimming pools in quiet locations will cost around 800,000 €,” explains our specialist, who also proposes a few large building plots, such as one flat plot of 5,000 m2 enjoying clear views, facing south and ideally located less than 2 km from the village, which just sold for 160,000 €. And what about foreign clients ? “The Dutch now tend to be sellers and are gradually being replaced by Scandinavian, Belgian and English buyers, the latter making a comeback to the Var over the last few months, thanks to a favorable exchange rate. As for the French, in addition to a few local families, a good number of people from Paris or Lyon are considering peaceful retirement here, in villas offering the potential to become a permanent home.”

In Salernes, in the valley of La Bresque, after a slow 2015 resulting in slightly lower prices, 2016 has begun to show more promise with a clientele mainly comprised of members of the local working population, usually based in Draguignan or Brignoles, retirees and a few north Europeans, mostly from Belgium and the UK, seeing Salernes as the ideal choice for a holiday home of real charm. “Today, first-time buyers can find houses on the right side of 200,000 €. Two years ago, that would have been impossible,” adds Isabelle Espitalier, manageress of the Arthurimmo agency opened in 2013 and covering Salernes, Aups, Villecroze and Tourtour. “At that price, one can acquire a package with a plot and house to be built, or an old property in need of renovation, with a small garden.” The most frequent requirement is, however, a house as close as possible to the centre of Salernes, Aups, Tourtour or Villecroze, priced from 200,000 to 300,000 €. Clients prepared to spend from 500,000 to 600,000 € can set their sights on impeccable villas of at least 200 m2, with extensive grounds in sunny settings, benefiting from pools, and ideally located in the highly-prized neighbourhood of Saint-Barthelémy in Salernes, surrounded by majestic oak trees and Aleppo pines.