Pierrelatte, homes for the workers

Occupying some 12,240 acres in the south-western tip of the Drôme, Pierrelatte saw its industrial development start with the construction of the Donzère canal. Then it became home to Tricastin. A site that generates jobs…

Pierrelatte is bordered to the west by the Rhône and the hills of the Ardèche. Its neighbours are Donzère to the north, La Garde Adhémar and Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to the east, and Bollène to the south. Valencia is 70 km away, Montelimar 25 km and Avignon 60 km. It was in the 1960’s that the town entered the era of nuclear power. As a result, its population tripled from 1936 to 1968. Today, Pierrelatte is home to 12,571 people, many of whom work on the Tricastin site which is shared by Areva, EDF and the French Atomic Energy Commission. The site encompas­ses the three towns of Bollène, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux and Pierrelatte, employing 2,900 people, of whom 35 % live on the neighbouring communes, with 2,000 jobs generated off-site. Pierrelatte hosts two of the six companies of Areva Tricastin : Areva NC with 936 emp­loyees, and FBFC-CERCA with 135 employees. The 1970’s saw the emergence of the first industrial zone, which also supplies the population with jobs. The south­ern part of the town is in higher demand than the north (because of its proximity to the nuclear plant), though the market is fairly uniform.

The old part of Pierrelatte offers village houses, many of which have been renovated, and a traditional market on Friday mornings that makes for a lot of liveliness. Here, you would expect to pay 120,000-130,000 € for a renov­ated home of 70 to 75 m2 with a garage. Houses that appeal especially to first-time buyers. “This population of young people wanting to become home-owners can afford a maximum 150,000 €,” says Joëlle Marie Kaczmareck of Kaczmareck Immobilier. “We specialize in this market of first-time buyers and offer them financing sol­utions and all-round assistance.”

Beyond the heart of the village, Pierrelate mainly consists of individual housing. So-called “horizontal accommod­ation”, with semi-detached 3-bedroom houses of 80 to 90 m2 with gardens of 200 to 400 m2, on the outskirts of town, built on former agricultural land. “Besides the work­ing population, which represents a large portion of the property market, there are also retirees, owning houses of about 150 m2, which they sell for 300,000 to 350,000 €,” says David Bremand of Allo Immobilier. “As they grow older, they opt for houses all on one floor.” These desir­able homes draw the attention of buyers from the north of France, executives who are transferred to the area, most of whom are buying their second home. As for apartments, supply is more limited. Two residences are under construction, scheduled for delivery at the end of 2012. From studios to 3-bedroom apartments, the sq. metre will be pegged around 2,000 €. This type of accommodation suits young retirees who leave the town centre for a quality apartment, not too far out. Investors are also interested in these apartments. There is, in fact, strong rental demand in Pierrelatte. A new 1-bedroom apartment of 50 m2 costs 430 € per month, one with 2/3 bedrooms about 600 € per month. For a villa, prices can attain 700 or 800 €. A restored town house without a garden or garage can be rented for 600 € per month.

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