Pernes-les-Fontaines, opting for quality

Situated to the south of Mont Ventoux in the “département” of Le Vaucluse, 11 km from L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and 7 km from Carpentras, this thousand year-old village owes its renown, and the second part of its name, to its 40 public fountains. For its 10,300 inhabitants and numerous occasional residents, the former capital of Le Comtat Venaissin offers an extremely pleasant setting.

17th- and 18th-C. mansions, the Porte Notre-Dame, the dungeon of the Château built for the Counts of Toulouse and the covered 18th-C. market-hall recall the rich history of Pernes-les-Fontaines. Twenty-two of its sites are in fact listed as Historic Monuments. Crossed by the river of La Nesque, the locality offers a swimming pool, tennis courts and schools up to intermediate level. Fans of hiking and horse-riding are in their element here. There are lots of events on the annual agenda, including a street theatre festival and festivities celebrating local folklore and heritage.

“Pernes is a happy compromise between a town and a village, characterized by amenities and a life-style of excellent quality. A 25-minute drive away, Avignon is a very good job-provider with its technology park to the south and a booming commercial zone to the north,” says Christiane Rousset of Orée Sud Immobilier. The micro-market has shown stiff resistance to the recent crisis, notably thanks to the site’s popularity among senior citizens, both French and foreign, able to afford relatively high prices. Even first-time buyers can acquire a village house to revamp (usually on three floors of 30 m2 each) without a garden, for 2,000 €/m2, while renovated apartments of 85 m2 change hands between 210,000 and 220,000 €. Sometimes rather out-dated, neo-Provençal villas built in the ’seventies, offering living space of 120 m2, gardens of 2,000 m2 and pools, range from 300,000 to 450,000 €. Then, depending on the view and location, one can spend from 500,000 to 800,000 € on a contemporary residence with tasteful appointments. In this category, strong demand is confronted by limited stocks. The famous stone “mas” of 300 m2 or more costs from 600,000 to 1.2 million euros, exceptions aside. Originally built for practical reasons by the side of the road, these old farmhouses unfortunately suffer from a certain amount of noise. Mansions proposing the luxury of a garden right in the town centre share the same price-bracket and have as many fans. Overall, the market is doing well, despite tough negotiations in the case of properties requiring refurbishment.

“Accommodation in Pernes consists 67 % of houses, 32 % of apartments,” notes Anne Peroni of Action Immobilière, an agency which opened here over 20 years ago. The historic heart of town boasts some beautiful buildings. An example of 120 m2 benefitting from a pleasant garden is worth somewhere between 300,000 and 400,000 €. The immediate outskirts, offering the very real advantage of being within walking distance of neighbourhood shops, also offer some attractive, sturdy residences. The hills, a luxuriant, undulating and residential locality facing the Monts du Vaucluse or the surrounding mountains, are dotted with more modern villas. As for the nearby countryside, it is known for hill-top villages such as Le Beaucet, La Roque-sur-Pernes and Venasque. The area attracts a majority of buyers looking for second residences, with budgets of 300,000 to 400,000 € on average. Nowadays, they tend to be well-informed : and a judicious estimate made from the start by estate agents benefits both parties and encourages a steady flow of activity.

Based in Pernes since 1985, Jacqueline Sardin and Marie Masson of Soleil Immobilier specialize in residences of charm and holiday homes. Parisian, Belgian and English clients are very fond of old stones, even if it means settling for a simple “mazet”. They are looking for peacefulness, but do not want to be isolated : many insist on being close to the centre, though they then have to abandon the idea of acquiring generous grounds. Old “mas” within the village sell with virtually no bargaining. An old building of 300 m2 already treated to ultra-modern interior renovation and decor, in almost 2.5 acres of grounds, is currently the subject of a preliminary sales agreement at 1.2 million euros, despite its considerable distance from the urban area. An enlarged “mazet” of 122 m2 with a garden of 1,500 m2 is also in the process of acquiring a new owner at 370,000 €. A highly-prized commodity over the past decade, the guest-house finally seems to have lost its appeal.