Grimaud and Port Grimaud, between land and sea

Radia Amar - 01 October 2015

Situated at the edge of the Massif des Maures, Grimaud is a charming old Provençal village overlooking the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. At its feet, the “lagoon city” of Port Grimaud offers its originality and the colourful character of a village at the edge of the sea with housing in marina style.

“The property market in and around Grimaud mainly consists of houses,” says Olivier de Saint Martin, in charge of the Select Immo agency. “They are comprised of village houses, villas with pools on private gated estates, and properties in the countryside.” Mainly used as holiday homes, they are highly-prized by a foreign clientele from Belgium, the Netherlands, England and Germany, plus a few French buyers. They appreciate the casual life-style and family atmosphere characteristic of the area. A good number of properties are currently up for sale, though the prices posted do not always seem to correspond to market reality. “The area has seen a decline of 20 to 30 % in prices, all types of properties combined,” says our estate-agent. “High prices inevitably come up against bargaining.” The most frequent criteria of potential buyers are a view of the sea, typical Provençal architecture and a contemporary interior. “Gated estates with security are also popular. Most of them were built in the 1970’s and 1980’s, the most recent in the years 2000. Renovated villas find takers more readily, as clients are no longer inclined to launch themselves into carrying out work on a holiday home.” A property of 200 m2 with 4 or 5 bedrooms in grounds of 1,500 to 2,000 m2 with a pool will be advertised from 1.8 to 2 M €. Village houses also have their fans. However, only those offering terraces or small gardens sell easily. When renovated, they are priced around 1.2 M €. Set further back, luxury properties with refined appointments, enthroned in 5,000 to 7,000 m2 of grounds with annexes, are petty much reserved for Belgian, Dutch and English buyers, whose financial situations allow them to spend 5 M € on residences guaranteeing luxury and discretion.

Down on the coast, the “cité lacustre” of Port Grimaud is a niche market nicknamed the “Venice of Provence”. Designed by visionary architect François Spoerry in the 1960’s, it stands on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Brimming with Provençal charm and character, it is comprised of little squares, canals and narrow streets lined with small blocks of apartments and houses with colourful façades and Roman roof-tiles. A real maritime village, its properties – both houses and apartments, reached by both roads and the canals - are most often sold with a boat mooring. Named “Ostale”, “Balandrine” or “Cassine” depending on their size and characteristics, the houses range from 800,000 € to 2 M €. As for apartments, they are priced from 7,000 to 10,000 € per sq. metre depending on their location, condition, and whether or not they benefit from a mooring. “Prices are stable, and houses with boat moorings are the most widely sought-after type of property,” says Jocelyne Lhermitte of the ABC Immobilier agency. “This season, we have received enquiries from a considerable number of French clients, as well as serious buyers from Scandinavia and Northern Europe. The latter have budgets enabling them to set their sights on the most desirable properties. Those in the middle of the range stuggle more to find takers.” By way of example, she mentions the recent sale of a house at the water’s edge benefiting from a swimming pool and 15-metre boat mooring. It was love at first sight for a British buyer, who just paid 2 M € cash to treat himself to this little corner of paradise for wealthy fans of sailing.