Linxe, Castets and Saint-Julien-en-Born

Situated 110 km from Bordeaux, 70 km from Biarritz and less than 10 km from the Atlantic, this area offers authentic villages and property prices more affordable than those in the southern part of the Landes, despite growing enthusiasm for its harmonious cocktail of beaches and woods.

30 km from the train station in Dax, Linxe stands on the motorway linking the capital of the Gironde to Spain, thus benefitting from good transport services. The economy here mainly relies on agriculture, the wood industry, cultivation of asparagus and corn. In ever-growing numbers, tourists are not only drawn by the ocean and surfing, but also by the forests and cycling. Benefitting from a direct connection with the RN 10, Castets (1,930 inhabitants) is a real gateway to Le Marensin. A 20-minute drive separates it from the Atlantic, a mere 15 minutes from Lake Léon. Fans of sport and relaxation succumb to the charm of this lively village. Slightly set back from the Landaise coast, Saint-Julien-en-Born consists of an area of about 18,000 acres, 80 % of which are covered by pine-trees, a first-rate recreation area. Crossed north to south by the road to the lakes, Saint-Julien offers shops, healthcare services and leisure facilities. The resort of Moliets, golf-courses and the southern part of the Landes in general,” says Mathieu Meilhan of Linxe Immobilier. A good number of commerces are opening their doors in the area. The supermarket and new college make life easier for families, employed by wood factories in Linxe, resin in Saint-Girons or companies connected with tourism. Some even work as far away as Dax. The locals share the region with occasional residents, fully intending to settle in “département 40” as soon as they retire. Most can afford a budget of less than 200,000 €. A single-storey home of 100 m2, built in the 1970’s with a garden of 1,000 m2 can be had for 195,000 €. A house of 90 m2 on two floors in the village, with a terrace or garden of 200 m2, costs around 175,000 €. Ranging from 320,000 to 600,000 € depending on its location,

size and appointments, the famous “Landaise” with open land in the forest remains the most sought-after product. Demand is steady, opportunities few and far between. “The up-coming transformation of the RN 10 into a motorway, passing close to Castets, could reduce the 30 and 75 minutes currently needed to reach Bayonne and Bordeaux respectively,” comments Patricia Fauret of Beauregard Immobilier. She is also waiting for the opening of the bike trail, scheduled for July, between the commune located in a rural revitalization area and Vielle-Saint-Girons. The other advantage of the canton’s capital, dedicated more to primary residences, lies in the 1,500 jobs created on site. Further away from the ocean, Castets is also less expensive. Building land costs 45-50 €/m2 versus 80 €/m2 over in Linxe. Similarly, a fully renovated village house of 115 m2 with a garden of 300 m2 has just found a buyer at 170,000 €. In the case of houses, the sq. metre generally ranges from 1,300 to 1,500 €. Last year, a client paid 245,000 € for a property in need of rehabilitation, split into five apartments and two shop units, a lot which also included a derelict building. Finally, a property of 250 m2 with outbuildings of 280 m2 in almost 2.5 acres of land sold for 400,000 €. “The market is still rather tense,” concludes Patricia Fauret, who deplores the attitude of banks, unwilling to back investors unless they have a substantial deposit. “And yet, since October 2009, this is undoubtedly the most promising market. Suffering from the lack of activity, smaller agencies could have kept their heads above water through rental management, if the legislative framework had not applied so many constraints.”

“The main advantage of Saint-Julien-en-Born is the short distance that separates it from the ocean and the beach so popular with surfers,” explain Tiou Tripier and Stéphanie Zucaro of Bay’ Immo. 99 % of buyers, mostly French since the departure of the Germans and English, are looking for holiday homes. Prices rise the closer one gets to the ocean. Only 10 km apart, an identical property can well cost twice as much. At Saint-Julien, houses range from 200,000 €, the sum required for 80 m2 with a garden of 800 m2, to 450,000 €, while Contis, the resort at the end of the cycling path, starts at 400,000 € and tops out with a few spikes at 1.2 million euros. In the area between 4 and 6 km from the sea, the bulk of transactions observed over recent months are in the 250,000-300,000 € bracket. Apartments at the entrance to Contis, priced from 135,000 to 255,000 €, are meeting with great success. In this coastal town, demand exceeds supply and prices are sometimes over the top. Saint-Julien benefits from the postponement of building projects, as well as numerous facilities originally intended for tourists.

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