Saint-Julien and Collonges, two facets of the Franco-Swiss border

Currently home to 12,000 people, Saint-Julien should play host by 2015 to 15,000 residents, drawn by its proximity to Geneva. Meanwhile, Collonges with its 3,650 inhabitants continues to rely on its rural charm and breathtaking views of the city and Lake of Geneva.

A sub-prefecture, hospital, medical centre, a “Maison de la Justice et du Droit”, food stores, boutiques selling clothes and household goods, restaurants, a weekly market… Clearly, nothing is missing in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois. Not even cultural and leisure facilities. The townspeople in fact benefit from a cinema, library, music school, sports complexes, a youth club and leisure centre. The main town in the canton lies north-west of Upper Savoy between the Jura and Mount Salève, the Lakes of Geneva and Annecy, only a few kilometres from Geneva itself. At an altitude of 465 metres, the health resort serves as the southern gateway to the Franco-Valdo-Swiss agglomeration, a young and lively area next to Archamps, the N°1 Euro-Swiss technopolis. Sometimes facing Geneva and its lake, Collonges-sous-Salève covers an area of about 1,515 acres on the border with La Croix-de-Rozon, between Saint-Julien and Annemasse, at the foot of this area with changing elevations bearing the same name. Its name in fact goes back to a rural settlement founded in the Middle Ages. Over the years, handsome properties began to replace the old farmland. “70 % of home-seekers in Saint-Julien work in Switzerland,” says Christophe Duchosal of Genevois Immobilier. Attracted by the town’s human dimension, its closeness to the economic pulse of Switzerland (a 30-minute drive or bus-ride in the rush hour), and prices at least 20 % lower on the French side of the border for equivalent properties, they are mostly looking for apartments. Which are priced at around 4,000 €/m2, but prove to be thin on the ground. The most modest house costs 400,000 €, and the average budget (for houses) is about 500,000 €, bringing a home of 120-130 m2 with a garden of 800 m2. The remaining 30 % of buyers work in the town or in Archamp. Their purchasing power is nothing like that of the “frontaliers” (people employed in Switzerland). The area’s proximity to Geneva helps to keep the property market bouyant. Compared with Frangy and Annemasse, there seems to be no slowdown in activity here.

“All surface areas combined, fans of apartments usually pay from 350,000 to 500,000 € in Saint-Julien. One should expect to pay 4,800 €/m2 for good quality, a well-maintained residence, a terrace, cellar, garage, gardens, sometimes even a pool. This segment can be compared with L’Ain and Le Pays de Gex which, however, post prices a notch higher,” say Alain Kaing and Adrien Belkhiri of ALKimmo. For 4,000 €/m2, the buyer can only aspire to basic appointments. Large surface areas are in demand : 2-bedroom apartments of at least 80 m2, or 3-bedroom apartments of 100-120 m2, costing from 350,000 to 650,000 €. One house of 142 m2 with modern architecture and irreprochable appointments in grounds of 1,200 m2 in a highly-prized neighbourhood has just found a taker at 835,000 €. Another of 146 m2 in grounds of 1,000 m2 on a sought-after estate on the hills of Beaumont, just below Le Salève, changed hands at 950,000 €.

Collonges is in high demand, for both villas and building plots. Buyers appreciate the rural scenery and panoramic views of Geneva and its lake. 85 % of the accommodation here consists of indivual houses. If the property does not enjoy a view of the famous fountain, prices are identical to those posted in Saint-Julien. Serviced building plots range from 350 to 400 €/m2 without the view, 450 €/m2 with. Finally, the commune boasts some so-called “premium” properties, with price-tags between 1 and 2.5 million euros. There is a particularly severe scarcity of properties in the 500,000-750,000 € bracket, with activity picking up in the segment from 750,000 to 1 million euros.

“A 15-minute drive takes you to Geneva from Collonges, whose geographic location enables residents to avoid roads with heavy traffic,” notes Christian Petament of Affairimmo. “At the heart of the village, recent 2-storey houses blend in harmoniously with old buildings. Residents benefit from on-site shops and basic amenities.” A villa of 200-250 m2 facing the lake costs 1.2-1.3 million euros. Mainly acquired by “frontaliers” and Swiss clients, executives in international firms, properties sold at this price level are commonplace. However, the five most recent sales orchestrated by the agency ranged from 390,000 to 500,000 €. Christian Petament explains the figures by a slight sluggishness observed in May, a slowdown likely to continue until the start of the new tax year. While they are still keen to visit properties up for sale, buyers with substantial budgets are waiting for the new reforms before taking the plunge. Even so, demand still outstrips supply, with prices thus maintained at a relatively high level.

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