The Guérande peninsula

16,000 people live in the 32 villages comprising this area of about 20,115 acres. Each year, one million tourists set off to discover its 174,190 m2 of protected areas, 740 acres of woodlands, 2,470 acres of salt-marshes and 39.5 acres of ponds.

The favourite towns of the Dukes of Brittany overlook the “Pays Blanc”, composed of salt flats and marshes, and the “Pays Noir”, known for its peat and the Regional Park of Brière. Since 1996, the salt-marshes have become a remarkable site listed in the World Heritage, while the Regional Park, one of the oldest in France, covers an area of 121,030 acres a few kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean. Built in the 6th century A.D., Guérande left its mark on enlightened souls such as Flaubert, Gracq and Balzac. The ramparts, Porte Saint-Michel, Collégiale Saint-Aubin, Chapelle Notre-Dame-la-Blanche and Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jean recall a past rich in colour, a time when the fortified medieval town made its living from trading in salt and wine. Today, 250 “paludiers” harvest 1,200 tons of salt per year. La Baule/Guérande is a 3-hour train-ride on the TGV from Paris and 1 hour from the Nantes Atlantique Airport. The two largest fishing harbours in the “département”, La Turballe and Le Croisic, lie on the perimeter.

“In 2012, the market underwent a slowdown. Here, 80 % of demand is for main homes,” says Patrick Delprat of Century 21 Bel Air, a family-run agency this year celebrating 50 years of existence. Mortgage rates are low, but first-time buyers are obviously confronted by drastic lending conditions imposed by the banks. Last year, our estate-agent saw more loan rejections than in the four previous years combined for properties in the 150,000 to 200,000 € bracket - the budget required for an unpretentious 3-bedroomed house with a small garden in the outer areas of Guérande. Local people employed on site or in Saint-Nazaire, aged from 35 to 50 and capable of affording an investment of 330,000 to 380,000 €, look for more comfortable homes in the centre - three to four bedrooms, two bath/shower rooms, gardens of 700 m2 and a garage - or properties of character in nearby villages. Buyers pay close attention to EPD ratings ; energy performance is a major factor when it comes to both a choice and bargaining. In addition to the highly-prized heart of Guérande, Careil to the east, Kerhinet to the north, and Clis to the west top the popularity polls. The first enjoys an interesting site between Guérande and La Baule ; the second offers thatched cottages and a summer market selling regional products ; and the third benefits from elev­ated locations with magnificent views of the marshes. Clis boasts a few desirable residences of at least 280 m2 in vast grounds with pools and breathtaking panoramic views, likely to attain 800,000 to 1 million euros, depending on their appointments. Among his latest sales, Patrick Delprat mentions a fully renovated 18th-C. building of 250 m2 with a garden in Guérande, priced at 830,000 €, and a house of 170 m2 in perfect condition with a garden of 700 m2 and a pool near the centre, which sold for 460,000 €. Over the past two months, he has noticed a rising number of requests for estimates.

“With an average budget of 180,000 €, first-time buyers are deserting estate-agencies,” says Catherine Vermote of JCB Immobilier. “More inclined to build their own homes, they then come up against expensive land, whether in Guérande, Saint-Lyphard or La Madeleine.” Today’s trend is more towards smaller plots on subdivisions and urban densification rather than lower prices. The locally employed target properties either old or new, but above all conveniently placed and offering energy savings. However, a combination of these criteria will again justify higher prices. By way of example, the last five transactions orchestrated by JCB ranged from 350,000 to 600,000 € and concerned people transferred to the area or retirees. These clients have often sold homes in their native regions. In which case, the deal isn’t as lucrative as they would have hoped. Inevitably, they have to take their lower profits into account when looking to buy. In spite of all these tensions, Guérande’s attractiveness is in no doubt. A theatre, cinema and swimming pool, shops and amenities, proximity to seaside resorts and beaches... This Town of Art and History clearly offers lots of assets. Starting with year-round liveliness in an enchanting setting.