L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and the surrounding area

The birthplace of René Char has won international renown mostly thanks to its antique-dealers. Close to Avignon, the “Venice comtadine” is a real attraction for both Parisians and north Europeans.

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue was originally a town of fishermen, an island in the middle of marshland which was gradually drained with the building of canals, whence its nickname and scenery in which water is never very far away. As far back as the 12th century AD, flour mills were built, then workshops producing wool and silk. Still today, visitors can admire a few intact mill-wheels which have stood the test of time. Built by the Counts of Toulouse in the 13th century, the “Tour d’Argent” stands straight and proud near the apse of the church, and the old town has preserved lovely facades, either Gothic or Renaissance. On a stroll through these narrow streets, visitors can easily imagine what L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue once represented. And in fact, the commune cherishes this memory : every year on the first Sunday in August, locals and tourists attend a “floating market” ; tradesmen sell their products, installed in flat-bottomed boats called “négo chin”. The modern era has seen a strong rise in tourism, with bric-à-brac and antiques making the town a European centre in the field. A flea market is held each Sunday on the Avenue des 4 Otages, and twice a year, at Easter and on August 15th, people descend on the town for the International Bric-à-brac and Antique Fair, the International Contemporary Art Fair and International Fair for Old Books. Lively year round, the town centre plays host to village houses, most of which have been attractively restored. The starting price is 500,000 € for living space of 100 to 130 m2 with a small terrace, and can rise to 800,000 €, or even 1 million euros for a larger property with a garden. Here, second residences occupy the larger part of the market. Because L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue “intra-muros” has a serious disadvantage : many of the village houses are given over on the ground floor to shops through which one has to pass to reach the upper floors. Which puts a brake on a buyer’s enthusiasm. It is also often the case that such properties do not have any outdoor areas, and they never benefit from a garage. Their charm is nevertheless undeniable, and north Europeans (from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and England) set great store on their authenticity.

Nestling on a hill, the very chic and sought-after neighbourhood of Saint-Antoine boasts lovely villas and substantial properties. “It’s the gateway to the Luberon,” explains Carola Wagner of Carola Wagner Immobilier. “It offers villas but also “mas”.” The grounds are large, living space too, and virtually all the properties come with a swimming pool. For a house of 200 m2 in 3,000 m2 of grounds, one needs a budget of 600,000 to 850,000 €. A price bracket that needs to be more closely examined. For if, overall, prices have fallen over the past few months - as shown by one example of a house of 140 m2 in grounds of 2,000 m2, looking for a taker at 495,000 € -, you can also visit a house of 380 m2 in 6,000 m2 of grounds with a view of the Alpilles and the Luberon, up for sale at 1,295,000 €. As always, rarity explains the price. The French (some living here year round) are well-represented on this market shared with buyers from northern Europe. On the road leading to Avignon, properties are slightly less expensive. You can acquire a house for 350,000 € and benefit from fast and easy access to Avignon’s TGV station (placing L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue a 2 hr 50 minute ride from Paris). In high demand, especially from local workers and retirees, the rare apartments in new developments are pegged close on 3,500 € per sq. metre.

”The commune suffers from a scarcity of building land and locals are obliged to find acccommodation in nearby towns and villages,” says Gisèle Lantelme of La Rode Immobilier. Five kilometres from L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Lagnes is a charming village perched on a hill. The views are superb and the commune offers a full range of amenities : a crèche, nursery and primary schools, a doctor’s practice, chemist and food stores. A village house to renovate will cost about 150,000 €, a price that doubles if the property has already been restored. One also finds detached houses (400,000 € for 3 bedrooms and a garden of 800 m2, or 600,000 € for a similar property proposing appointments of higher quality), and desirable properties of considerable size. A house with four or five bedrooms in grounds of 5,000 m2 with a pool will range from 600,000 to 800,000 €. For the local population, whose average budget amounts to 250,000 €, most of these properties are much too expensive. Lagnes mainly attracts people from outside the region, Parisians, Lyonnais and north Europeans. “Our clients are looking for typical villages with lots of charm, and Lagnes fits the bill,” says Martine Sanchez of Soleil de Provence. On the rental market, prices range from 600 €/month for a 1-bedroom apartment to 900 €/month for a 2-bedroom apartment or a house.

Estate-agents agree that the charm and renown of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and its immediate surroundings have won a certain prestige which continues to be confirmed over time. Belgian, Swiss, Dutch and German buyers, not forgetting Parisians, are still searching for authentic properties blessed by the sun. And in these uncertain times, real estate is looked upon as a sound value more than ever before.