La Teste-de-Buch, a town experiencing a real boom
Rose Benoit - 19 January 2017
The dune of Le Pilat, the Bassin d’Arcachon and a forest of maritime pines... La Teste-de-Buch is surrounded by magnificent natural sites. Thanks to its ideal geographic location and the recent development of its town centre, the commune draws both tourists and home-buyers.
Occupying an area of over 180 sq. kilometres, La Teste-de-Buch provides residents with a good array of amenities. A healthcare centre, shopping malls, a well-known market, and easy access thanks to various means of transport. The introduction of the LGV train is scheduled for 2017, and the Bordeaux-Mérignac airport is only a 40-minute drive away.
“The town centre has changed a great deal over the past few years, due to refurbishment work and the appearance of new property developments. The heart of La Teste-de-Buch mostly draws a quality clientele of senior citizens,” says Emilie Bajan, manageress of Alpha Conseil immobilier, a family-run agency based in the centre of the commune. An expert on the area, she has been working for the past 10 years in sales of properties, particularly new offerings. “We have noticed that there is more and more demand for permanent homes, with clients wanting to move here from the Parisian region. To acquire a property today in the town centre, you can expect to pay from 3,000 to 4,000 € per sqm.” Contemporary villas with grounds of over 1,000 m2 can be found about 10 kilometres away, south of the centre of La Teste-de-Buch, in the neighbourhood of Les Portes de l’Océan. “Houses here are close to the beaches and sand dunes, some enjoying panoramic views,” adds Emilie Bajan. “In the midst of nature, they offer living space of over 100 m2, refined appointments, interior finishes of quality, and swimming pools. Prices for this type of property range from 500,000 to 800,000 €.”
“The recent neighbourhood around the harbour of La Teste-de-Buch attracts clients who fall for the charm of the Bassin d’Arcachon,” explains Virginie Irigoin, manageress of the Agence Carnot, an agency specializing in sales and acquisitions, at the very heart of the commune. “Built of wood, the houses here offer very lovely views of the harbour and Bassin. With pools, garages, and living space from 160 to 200 m2, homes around the harbour fetch from 600,000 to 900,000 €. This zone sees mixed demand for both year-round and holiday homes, with an increasing number of buyers from the Parisian region.” La Teste-de-Buch does, hower, also offer clients a good choice of very different areas. “It is very stretched out. The neighbourhood of Les Bordes runs along the coast, Clair Bois is in the middle of the forest, etc. There is something for all tastes and all budgets. For example, the area of Les Miquelots is made up of small houses on estates, posting attractive prices. It appeals to first-time buyers and young working couples with small children. Here, a house of 60 to 80 m2 sells for around 200,000 €.” A market chalking up high growth, as demand on the part of buyers with varied profiles is clearly on the rise. In Virginie Irigoin’s opinion: “It is going to continue : the arrival of the LGV slated for 2017 with a Paris-Arcachon service taking just over 2 hrs 30 is a considerable asset for La Teste-de-Buch and offers excellent prospects for the future”.