La Ciotat and Roquefort-la-Bédoule, strategic locations

Less than 10 km separate La Ciotat from Roquefort-la-Bédoule. Strategically located near Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Toulon, these two communes nevertheless have contrasting property markets. An overview…

With its back turned to the rocky peak of Le Bec de l’Aigle and Cap Canaille, La Ciotat is one of just two communes (with Ceyreste) to be situated within the département of Les Bouches-du-Rhône while belonging to the urban commun­ity of Toulon. On the shores of the Mediterranean in an ideal spot about 30 kilometres from Marseille and Toulon, La Ciotat attracts many people working in both agglomer­ations, as well as employees in the naval sector and the Athélia activity zone, which accommodates over 280 firms. With its famous monuments such as Le Palais of the Lumière brothers, the Chapelle de Sainte-Croix and the Eden Theatre (the world’s oldest cinema, listed as an historic monument), La Ciotat welcomes lots of tourists in summer.

“The property market has seen a general drop in prices,” says Carine San Nicolas of the Reflet Marine agencies opened in La Ciotat in 1996. “Many investors are now hunting for bargains.” Her most recent sales include a 1 bedroomed apartment of 50 m2 in the town centre : requiring a little work to extend its surface area, it was up for sale at 120,000 €, and just found a taker at 110,000 €. Suffering less from bargaining, the star property here is the apartment with a terrace facing the sea. Highly-prized, its price ranges from 4,000 to 6,000 € per sqm., depending on its condition and precise location. The most sought-after houses are in residential areas such as Le Clos des Plages, Fontsainte and Saint-Jean, a charming little harbour. Villas here cost from 300,000 to 500,000 €. The neighbourhood of Le Baguier is also popular, especially due to its proximity to Fontsainte and its more appealing land taxes.

Roquefort-la-Bédoule is set on the hills, 9 km from La Ciotat. Offering its 5,000 residents a pleasant life-style and benefiting from a strategic location 15 minutes from Marseille, 20 minutes from Aix-en-Provence and about 10 minutes from the beaches, this village is drawing more and more interest, especially as it lies on the same level as the last free exit from the motorway - a persuasive argument for anyone making daily round-trips. Furthermore, the commune is also accessible from Marseille via the second route of La Gineste. “Demand is steady and available properties are becoming scarce,” explains Charlène Richard, a partner with Le Domaine de l’Immo. This agency specializing in the Bassin de l’Huveaune and the region around Aubagne also incorporates R-Patrimoine, an entity handling asset management, mortgage brokerage, urban surveying and legal consultancy, with Françoise Mouton at the helm, the agency’s new manageress, formerly a not­ary’s clerk. “70 % of the property market in La Bédoule is suburban : it consists of village houses, a few old farmhouses in Le Petit Rouvière, but mainly houses on estates built from 1970 to 1980. Finally, a few low-rise residences have recently been built.” Most demand is for “pavillons” priced from 350,000 to 400,000 €. A budget bringing a villa of 85 to 100 m2 with a garden of 300 m2 in a quiet setting. “Due to strong demand, most of the homes in this price bracket have not been renovated. To modernize them, buyers need to replace the floor and wall coverings, and re-paint the frontages. These improvements have, however, already been done for houses priced over 450,000 €.” What about apartments ? On offer at around 3,400 € per sqm. on average, they are highly sought-after by investors as they bring in appealing rental income. One example is a 1-bedroomed apartment acquired for 170,000 € and rented out for about 700 € per month.