From L’Oust to Brocéliande and Le Pays de Vilaine

Between myth and reality, picture-postcard images, economic development and population growth, this vast area, more or less close to the towns of Vannes, Rennes and Nantes, finds favour among occasional residents drawn by nature and the ocean, and locals attached to a certain quality of life.

One can hardly mention the famous forest of Brocéliande without immediately thinking of King Arthur, Merlin, the fairies Morgane and Viviane, or the valiant Knights of the Round Table. Renowned for its sorcerers, Druids, legends and tales, the paradise that is Brittany is dotted with abbeys and châteaux. The communes of L’Oust go by the names of Malestroit, Guer, Josselin or Ploërmel. Dubbed as the “Pearl of L’Oust”, Malestroit is home to 2,450 inhabitants. In the central-eastern part of Brittany between the Gulf of Morbihan and the forest of Brocéliande, this thousand year-old town, once fortified, shares a commercial/arts-and-crafts zone with Saint-Marcel. Surrounded by wooded hills, it has succeeded in attracting spearhead industries. Guer consists of three distinct sites : the centre, Bellevue/Saint-Raoul and La Telhaie. With 7,000 residents, it is 25 minutes from Rennes, 40 minutes from Vannes. Founded in the 11th century, Josselin is an obligatory port-of-call on the Route of the Dukes of Brittany. Its many timber framed houses and the Château of Rohan overhang the River Oust. The 2,450 residents benefit from open natural spaces, river halts, hiking paths, a lively array of shops, a rich calendar of events and a weekly market. Josselin also offers schools up to professional secondary level, a leisure base and healthcare centre. Ploërmel with 8,670 residents is equally well-endowed : from the sailing centre to the golf-course, via a swimming pool, tennis courts, sports centres and “green” paths. Rope manufacturing, a steelworks and industries focusing on medication, hygiene products and plastics for the car sector all provide jobs. Muzillac enjoys an interesting location 5 km from the Atlantic, 30 km from Vannes, 50 km from Saint-Nazaire and 90 km from Nantes. Its early development was spurred by the building of the fortified castle in the 11th century. Today, its 4,600 residents benefit from a broad range of shops and services. Its two primary schools are close to the intermediate schools, sports centres, stadiums and a retirement home. On the left bank of the mouth of La Vilaine, Pénestin has a coastline 25 km long. Between soft and salt water, the listed site of La Mine d’Or alternates golden cliffs and sandy beaches. The wild creeks hold a candle to the fishing port of Tréhiguier, while the surrounding countryside offers lots of picture-postcard scenery.

Bertrand Guillemot and Patrick Goudy of Bretagne Propriétés Services run four agencies, in Malestroit, Guer, Josselin and Ploërmel, radiating out from the Pays de l’Oust to the forest of Brocéliande. The proximity of the Gulf of Morbihan produces a micro-climate. 50 % of their clients, from the Paris region, the “département du Nord”, Rennes or Nantes, are looking for second homes. They appreciate the peacefulness and open spaces, far from the bustle of large cities, hiking, strolls in the forest or along the Brittany beaches a 30-minute drive away. Ploërmel’s natural lake is the icing on the cake. These buyers are hoping to find a local house of 50 to 60 m2 with exposed stone or slate, priced between 80,000 and 130,000 €. More rarely, some are ready to pay up to 200,000 € for “longère” farmhouses with generous volumes. People working locally and retirees returning to the land of their childhood, with budgets of around 180,000 €, prefer to be closer to urban centres, which means recent houses of 110-120 m2 with gardens of 700 m2. They are more interested in convenience than authenticity, especially as that segment of the market posts prices starting at around 150,000 €. Prices naturally rise as one gets closer to the ocean. The perimeter offers lots of diversity in terms of architecture, something to suit all tastes and budgets. 2011 has been a relatively good year with a respectable volume of business, though our estate-agents are looking forward to 2012 with a certain amount of prudence.

“With La Roche-Bernard, Muzillac is the other important town on the estuary of La Vilaine,” explains Denis G. Boivin of Laforêt Immobilier Muzillac. It is popular among retirees living there permanently or semi-permanently, charmed by the scenery, pleasant climate and easy access to Paris, particularly by TGV. Over the past six months, the average sales price has been 200,000-220,000 €. Among his most recent transactions, Denis Boivin mentions a fully renovated “neo-Bretonne” of 95 m2 with grounds of 1,800 m2, acquired by a senior citizen from the Ile-de-France for 215,000 €. Some deeds are signed over and above the symbolic barrier, as witnessed by a house of 200 m2 in a park of 9,000 m2, overlooking La Vilaine, sold for 511,000 €, and another residence of 200 m2 in grounds of 4,500 m2, acquired for 425,000 €. The first of the two buyers will be retiring in four years’ time ; the second is planning to transform the property into a guest-house, a change of direction in his career, when aged almost 60. The market would be even busier if there were not a chronic tendency towards over evaluation, encouraged by some estate-agents trying to obtain representation. Nowadays, a transaction’s rapid completion mainly depends on the initial estimate of the property’s worth.

“Between the ocean and the River Vilaine, Pénestin is the last commune before one sets foot in the Pays de la Loire. The capital of mussels is proud of its title, and an activity that creates jobs, together with the crafts industry,” says Fabienne Papillon of Atlantic Littoral. Owners of holiday homes, in the majority here, come from Tours, Angers, Nantes and Rennes. They do not spend more than 200,000 €, the amount recently required for a house of 75 m2 with a garden of 500 m2, just 700 metres from the beaches and 800 metres from shops. At the moment, another type of property is meeting with real success in the seaside resort, due to its price and configuration : a turn-key home of 50 m2, opening out to a garden of 100 m2, within a radius of 300 metres around the bathing areas and costing 170,000 €. Families fond of water-sports activities all acclaim Pénestin with its affordable prices, just 30 minutes from La Baule. As for first-time buyers in the region, they head inland, towards Camoël or Férel.