Croix-Rousse, Lyon’s own Montmartre

Once known as the “working hill” with its slopes and plateau, this iconic neighbourhood in Lyon’s 4th arrondissement is now the most popular address among a discerning clientele in search of a pleasant neighbourhood life-style.

Covering an area of 723.70 acres, Lyon’s 4th arrondissement is bounded to the south by the 1st arrrondissement, to the east by the Rhône separating it from the 6th, to the west by the Saône, and to the north by the commune of Caluire-et-Cuire. On the famous hill of La Croix-Rousse, it encompasses the neighbourhoods of Serin-Gillet, Le Gros Caillou and, finallly, the famous plateau of La Croix-Rousse itself, a real village at the heart of town. With its market, cafés-théâtres, the “Maison des Canuts” museum displaying looms that once made Lyon’s legendary silk, its designer boutiques, good restaurants and many other amenities, this pleasant artsy neighbourhood has become a signature over the years, synonymous with a lively urban life-style.

Virginie and Bruno Delhaye of Croix-Rousse Immobilier, based in Lyon for about 30 years, have watched the neighbourhood gradually evolve. “Its main draw is still the Canut buildings, designed to accommodate the silk-spinners’ work­shops in the 19th century. They are now the main attraction in the arrondissement.” The main feature of the famous Canut apartments is their ceilings over 4 metres high, easily allowing for the creation of mezzanines providing extra living space. Another charming asset offered by these properties is the liberal use of exposed stone and beams. A property of this kind costs from 3,500 € per sq. metre, depending on its location and overall condition. In addition to these rather special properties, some fine bourgeois apartments are also to be found on the market in this arrondissement, together with practical apartments in residences built in the 1960’s.

Sandra Viricel, a specialist in transactions, “property-hunter” and manageress of the Actuel Transactions agency which opened in Lyon in 2006, agrees that, despite the general economic situation, La Croix-Rousse is protected thanks to its charm and liveliness. “Today’s clients are more wary with regard to the prices posted. A property has to be impeccable, otherwise the price-tag is challenged im­mediately. Even so, La Croix-Rousse is still seen as a blue-chip investment over the long-term.” The clientele is very mixed : members of the working population, families, retirees who have sold their houses and want to move closer to amenities, as well as young first-time buyers, more numer­ous than before. “They don’t have homes to sell, which could delay their acquisitions, and as mortgage rates are appealing, we are seeing this new clientele appear in the area.” High-quality properties priced at around 600,000 € struggle more to find takers. The most widely sought-after homes are currently 1- and 2-bedroomed apartments on the plateau, around the main square. On average, they are proposed at approx. 4,000 € per sq. metre and are seen as the guarantee of a

sound investment.

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