Property prices in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

A major European centre for antiques and bric-à-brac, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a pleasant and lively address between town and country. Its property prices are slightly higher than those in the rest of the Vaucluse.

Nicknamed “La Venise Comtadine (or Provençal)” due to the numerous streams from the River Sorgue which flow through its centre, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (population almost 20,000) benefits from the proximity of Avignon (20 km) and its infrastructures (TGV station, airport…). Even so, it is itself an active and well-equipped locality, as evidenced by its five nursery schools, seven primary schools, two intermediate schools and two secondary schools (polyvalent and professional), a hospital and numerous sports facilities. Not forgetting the large, internationally renowned fairs devoted to antiques and bric-à-brac, making the town the third most important centre in Europe for this activity (after Saint-Ouen and London), as well as local tourism, which draws on its protected environment and remarkable architectural heritage (Boutin tower, former public granary, Hôtel de Palerne, Hôpital-Hospice, Collégiale Notre-Dame-des-Anges…).

In this authentic Provençal address, Daniel Follain has been manager of Orpi L’Orée de l’Isle since 2012, an agency covering a radius of up to 20 km around the town : “The property market here mainly focuses on permanent homes in the form of houses, though there is also an interesting array of apartments ranging from studios at 80,000 € to 2 bedroomed apartments of about 65 m2 in good condition, at around 235,000 €”. Most transactions thus concern houses in the 200,000-400,000 € bracket, such as a small terraced villa all on one floor with a garden of 450 m2, which recently sold for 233,000 €, and two properties currently up for sale : a villa of 135 m2 with six main rooms in a garden of 550 m2 with a pool, priced at 355,000 €, and a house of 150 m2 with seven main rooms in grounds of 1,200 m2, at 391,000 €. “Building plots cost from 180 to 200 € per sq. metre, but they are extremely rare.” All prices that are now relatively stable. Daniel Follain’s clientele is mainly comprised of Parisians, Lyonnais and people from northern France coming here to retire. “Younger clients usually have lower budgets ranging from 180,000 to 230,000 €.”

Another estate-agent based in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Franck de Mondésir, manager of Janssens Immobilier since 2013, specializes in properties of character from L’Isle to Le Mont Ventoux (other Janssens agencies cover the Luberon and Alpilles) : “The price bracket for desirable properties is very wide, some exceeding 5 million euros. The starting price is 500,000 € for a detached house of 150-200 m2 with a pool, and renovation frequently on the cards, or at least some modernization”. In the case of apartments, however, offerings are very limited (with two or three exceptional examples worth close on 500,000 €) as demand is virtually non-existent : “Our clients, mostly from northern France and elsewhere in Europe - especially Belgium and the UK, as Janssens is a partner in the Knight Frank property group based in London - come here to benefit from the climate and then look for a house”. In Franck de Mondésir’s opinion, impeccable properties proposed at the right price soon find takers : “A property renovated in “mas” style, for example, with quality appointments and fairly estimated at 650,000 €, recently sold

within one month”.