The Gulf of Morbihan, Quiberon and the Rhuys peninsula

The true character of Brittany is expressed by these wild peninsulas and sheltered coves. The Gulf of Morbihan is 20 km long and 15 km wide. Relatively shallow except in the narrow channels of Port-Navalo, this haunt of fishermen and oyster-farmers opens out to the bay of Quiberon, forming a maze of rocks, capes, headlands and islands, more than 40 in all...

Like the Gulf of Morbihan, sheltering the harbours of Arradon, Blanc and the Ile aux Moines, the bay of Quiberon, protected from the eddies of the open sea by the peninsula of the same name, plays host to La Trinité-sur-Mer, Le Crouesty and Port-Haliguen. This last address is Europe’s largest stretch of water capable of accommodating all types of nautical events and competitions. Families also like being able to sail here in all safety. La Trinité, the area’s most elegant destination, places its bets on both the typical character of its fishing village and the serenity of the seaside resort, while Le Crouesty fiercely defends its status as the largest yacht harbour, acclaimed for its infrastructures and technical assistance facilities. The group of communes on the Rhuys peninsula is comprised of five addresses - Arzon, Saint-Armel, Sarzeau, Le Tour du Parc and Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys -, shared by about 12,700 residents. Situated at the southern tip of the Gulf of Morbihan, it offers lots of marked trails, including 16 trails suitable for hiking enthusiasts.

“In the bay of Quiberon, 75 % of buyers, mostly from Paris and its surrounding region, are looking for holiday homes,” says Frédéric Mocquard of the agency bearing his name. Some still set their sights on high price brackets, even if the current time seems more inclined towards a downward revision of budgets. One client, for example, has just paid 735,000 € for a house of 150 m2 in grounds of 1,500 m2 enjoying a view of the river and ocean in the background. Most buyers pay 400,000-450,000 € for detached 4-bedroom houses with gardens of 800 m2, close to the beach, though not necessarily with sea view. Young retirees from the Parisian region invest similar amounts after selling a larger home and acquiring a pied-à-terre in the capital. All enjoy the sailing possibilities, beautiful scenery, the quiet, safe and protected environment, a 15-minute drive from Vannes and 30 minutes from Lorient. First-time buyers spend 200,000-250,000 € on their homes : some opt for 1970’s houses of 120-140 m2 which they restore, while others pay 180-250 €/m2 for building plots. The Gulf of Morbihan attracts a more substantial clientele, usually working in Vannes and capable of raising 250,000 to 400,000 €. The area boasts castles and manor-houses at the water’s edge, pegged at 2.5 million euros and more, a market segment which is curiously very active. As long as a property offers a view or proximity to the ocean, prices posted in the Gulf and the Bay of Quiberon are comparable. As one retreats further inland, the second of the two proves to be significantly cheaper.

“On the Quiberon peninsula, 20-25 % of buyers hail from the Parisian region, 40 % from Brittany, Rennes and Nantes. The average budget for second homes ranges from 300,000 to 350,000 €, a disparity explained by the wider availability of apartments in this area,” explains Michel Palais of Century 21 Michel Palais. Apartments in fact account for nearly 40 % of sales, with studios costing around 100,000 €, 1- and 2-bedroom apartments from 250,000 to 300,000 €, with front-row addresses rising to 400,000-500,000 €. Without a sea view, apartments fetch from 3,500 to 4,000 €/m2. On the other hand, building land, which is scarce and expensive, ranges from 250 to 400 €/m2. Traditionally more up-scale, La Trinité and Carnac top the popularity polls : Quiberon, Saint-Pierre, Crac’h and Saint-Philibert are a notch below. The market is currently stable, without any particular euphoria.

“The specific charcacteristic of the Rhuys peninsula, also a very popular address for holiday-makers, lies in its double frontage facing the gulf and the ocean. This configuration makes for a good diversity of landscapes,” notes Jean-Hervé Rondot of Ofic Immobilier. It is important to distinguish the rest of the area from the tip of the peninsula, where one finds Arzon and Port-Navalo, posting much higher prices due to a more limited stock of available properties. Buyers are all drawn by the harbour of Le Crouesty, a recent seaside resort with a casino and thalassotherapy centre. Without a sea view, apartments here cost 4,000-4,500 €/m2, houses about 5,500 €/m2. Sarzeau, at the heart of the peninsula, is close on 3,200-3,300 €/m2. Senior citizens are the main buyers of year-round homes. If the crisis is no longer on the agenda, activity, even though much more steady, is still struggling to get into its stride. Estate-agents explain the fact to a persistent disparity between sellers’s expectations and buyers’ budgets.