Pyla-sur-Mer, an idyllic site between forest and ocean

The charming seaside resort of Pyla-sur-Mer shares with nearby Arcachon the edge of Le Moulleau, while stretching out on the other side as far as the famous sand dune of Le Pilat. In this enchanting setting, which also encompasses the Côte d’Argent and the superb forest of Les Landes, it enjoys its success with both residents and visitors.

Julie Lemoine of the Moulleau Immobilier agency has her own way of describing the market in Pyla-sur-Mer. While confirming that it is indeed a micro-market, she also mentions subdivisions worthy of note. She draws a distinction between what she calls the “blue band” and the “green band”. The first corresponds to Pilat-plage. Everything less than a kilometre from the ocean-front is part of this privileged and extremely coveted area. “Houses here enjoy extraordinary views,” says Julie Lemoine. “Their prices are high, but they sell very quickly, sometimes in just two weeks !” The “green band” covers areas more than 1 kilometre from the ocean : Pyla-sur-Mer, near the forest, and everything that is further out, but still benefits from an appreciable view of the sea. Properties here are less expensive, but thinner on the ground. On the subject of prices, Julie Lemoine points to a very wide range : “Moulleau Immobilier is a neighbourhood agency handling the sale of all kinds of properties in the area, from the most modest to the most prestigious. Our portfolio therefore contains homes ranging from 150,000 to 13 M €”. By way of example, the agency recently orchestrated the sale of a Basco-Landaise house of approx. 300 m2 on the front row in Le Pyla, with direct access to the beach and in grounds of over 1,500 m2, at a price close on 4 M €. Further back, 600 metres from the beach, it sold a contemporary house of 160 m2 with a garden of over 1,000 m2 for 900,000 €. What about apartments ? As Julie Lemoine explains : “They are very rare. There are only a few small blocks built in the 1980’s, no more than three storeys high”.

Juliette Guérin of the ACI agency sees location as the N°1 criterion among clients focusing on Pyla-sur-Mer, ie. proximity to, and a view of, the ocean. “The market is doing rather well, with even a renewed surge of activity since the end of the summer.” In Le Pyla, houses cost from 600,000 to 10 M €. The further one gets from the sea, the lower the prices, unless there is a lovely view of the Bassin or forest, with quietness and sunshine as a bonus for the latter. Clients are mostly Parisians and the new TGV Atlantique 2017 will no doubt accentuate the phenomenon. Neighbouring residents, Belgian and Swiss, also choose this address for their holiday homes, the main component of the market in this seaside resort. Even so, these acquisitions are often transformed into permanent residences when their owners retire. “As for availabilities, you mainly find 1950’s villas and ageing Basque houses in need of renovation,” says Juliette Guérin. The last two houses sold by the agency did, in fact, require refurbishment. One on the edge of Le Moulleau, in a very lovely location, with a garden, sold for 1.7 M €. The other won over a Parisian family, intending to make it their second residence : in a slightly elevated position at the heart of Le Moulleau, a 700-metre walk to the beach, this little house of about 100 m2 changed hands for 750,000 €. “On the other hand, there is virtually no more building land, so clients occasionally buy a house which does not appeal to today’s taste, and redesign it from top to bottom.”

”The market comprised of high-end villas is very active,” says the expert in Le Pyla, Christophe Vaissié, manager of the Barnes office for the Bassin d’Arcachon, a large international network specializing in luxury properties. “In 2016, we sold, in particular, three front-row properties at prices ranging from 3 to 6 M€, thanks to the reach of our network.” At Barnes, the majority of transactions can be credited to personalized follow-up of future buyers. “They often belong to the world of business and travel a great deal : when the opportunity arises, it is up to us to propose properties corresponding to their criteria and budget.” Such as a house of 200 m2 in need of renovation, offering a panoramic view of the ocean, in a highly sought-after residential neighbourhood, that the agency just sold for 1.7 M € to a family residing in London. Sellers also make use of the agency’s services for “off-market” sales which must remain confidential right up until the deeds are signed in the notary’s office. As for buyers, they are still very keen on villas with sea views, examples of which have been sold by Barnes at prices in the 1.5-2 M € bracket. Locations preferred by both French and foreign clients are those close to the beach and shops in Le Pyla and Le Moulleau. It would seem that Le Pyla’s property market is rather tense due to the limited number of homes for sale : “In fact, demand exceeds supply, and we are benefiting from a very buoyant year-end, allowing us to look forward to 2017 with promising prospects for the property market in Le Pyla,” concludes Christophe Vaissié.

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