Vaison-la-Romaine, an authentic town in Provence

In close proximity to large towns in the Rhône Valley, in the upper part of Le Vaucluse and at the foot of Mont-Ventoux (aptly nicknamed the “giant of Provence”), Vaison-la-Romaine plays host to 6,429 residents in an area of approx. 6,670 acres at the heart of exuberant nature crossed by the River Ouvèze.

Connected with two projects for regional nature parks, those of Les Baronnies Provençales and Le Mont-Ventoux, Vaison with its medieval churches is one of the 100 most beautiful detours in France. It offers visitors the ruins of the ancient Vasio Vocontiorum and lovely fountains on charming old squares. The many festivals and events organized by the town make it a well-known centre for culture.

Antoine Mattar of L’Immobilière du Ventoux specializes in properties of character in Vaison or Les Baronnies, almost exclusively built of stone and situated within a radius of 20 km around the main site, at the heart of villages as renowned as Séguret, Sablet, Gigondas or Rasteau. These beautiful farmhouses have often been restored by foreigners, particularly keen on high-quality finishing touches. Antoine Mattar, who works with three correspondents based in Paris, Brussels and Los Angeles, has in fact just sold a “mas” of 130 m2 in Cairanne, in grounds of 600 m2 with a swimming pool, to a British couple who paid 480,000 € for their holiday home. The market usually ranges from 750,000 to 800,000 €, a sum bringing living space of 200-300 m2, exceptional examples aside. Very active despite the crisis, the address is popular among self-employed professionals and company executives, drawing a majority of French clients from the area between Lyon and Paris, the prefecture of the Rhone being a 2-hour drive away and the capital a 2 hour 40 minute ride on the TGV. Among foreign buyers, Belgians tend to hold pole position. Often seen initially as a holiday home, the residence becomes a year-round base when its owners retire. Aware that service is of great importance, Antoine Mattar provides a selection of firms capable of carrying out the most ambitious

restoration projects. He is currently proposing a hamlet 40 minutes from Vaison bearing a price-tag of 980,000 € - a house of 250 m2 and a “bergerie” of 70 m2, both fully renovated, plus a farm of 450 m2 awaiting refurbishment. Vineyard estates (Côtes du Rhone), another of his specialties, range from 2.5 to 6 million euros. This sector of activity, which needs a shot in the arm, beckons beguilingly to wine producers from Burgundy and enthusiastic entrepreneurs.

“2010 proved to be relatively difficult from April to September but showed more promise in the fourth quarter,” comments Arnaud Bercker of Accord Immobilier FNAIM. Buyers often pay cash to secure their savings while combining business with pleasure, an investment with personal enjoyment, in the form of a second residence. Transactions cover a wide spectrum, from 150,000 € to over 1 million euros, without a more condensed price-bracket really coming to the fore. Locals invest from 200,000 to 400,000 €. As the region has few large companies, this category is not very buoyant, though some buyers accept considerable daily commuting in exchange for a quality life-style. The supply of apartments is far out stripped by demand. Arnaud Bercker is currently marketing eight luxury units of 100 m2 with terraces, cellars and garages, priced from 330,000 to 380,000 €, and will soon have new offerings available from 150,000 to 300,000 €. The main source of activity is therefore assured by sales of individual dwellings : both villas and village houses start at 150,000 €, while restored farms continue to top the bill. However, generalization is a dangerous exercise in a market as disparate as this. Enlisting the help of a real-estate professional is particularly advisable here, to avoid any potential pitfalls.

“Vaison enjoys an appealing image in the outside world and this aura inevitably rubs off on the surrounding villages, though the charm offered by Gigondas and Séguret is in no doubt,” adds Ghislaine Vargoz of Confidences Immobilières. The building of the secondary school should serve as another attraction or, in any case, be a real advantage to families all over the area, who, until then had been obliged to send their teenagers to Orange or Carpentras. Vaison is an undisputed magnet, but the Massif d’Uchaux, closer to major highways, and Les Baronies in the Drôme Provençale, an ultra-popular address, also offer housing solutions. Though their fans, looking for a return to nature and outdoor sports, have a slightly different profile. In fact, clients who come to Ghislaine Vargoz are more national and international than local.