Villefranche-sur-Saône, a counterbalance to the giant of Lyon

The capital of Le Beaujolais lies 35 km north of Lyon on the left bank of the Saône. 34,160 people live in this sub-prefecture, 50,000 in its greater urban area. Villefranche is an appealing alternative to prices posted in Lyon. Our estate-agents fill in the details...

Within its ramparts, the centre of Villefranche revolves around the very lively shopping street, Rue Nationale, 1,500 metres long and one of the oldest in town. The neighbourhood is shared by the Hôtel de Ville, Palais de Justice, sub-prefecture, theatre, tourist office and covered market. The River Saône with its harbour lies to the east where one also finds ParcExpo, while Arnas plays host to a large industrial zone. A shopping centre and leisure base occupy the northern area, with the residential west side of town proposing the parks of Vermorel and Haute-Claire.

“Lyon is a 30-minute drive from Villefranche, a small town on a human scale at the edge of the countryside, benefiting from good connections by road and rail,” say Jean-Luc Ante and Lionel Bonnefond of the Amiltone Villefranche agency. Only 28 % of the town’s residents (known as “Caladois”) own their own homes, which allows for real potential. A distinction should be drawn between the three main areas : the east, a more working-class enclave slightly further from the centre, posts prices under 2,200 € per sq. metre. The west, a quiet, highly-prized area benefiting from a country setting, ranges from 2,200 to 2,400 €. As for the very popular hyper-centre, the average price per sq. metre is 2,400 € in old buildings, 3,000 € in new ones. 25 % of the sales handled by Amiltone are above the 2,500 €/m2 level. After selling their homes on the outskirts of town, the buyers concerned often demand a certain standing and a first-class address. Thanks to this clientele and people working in Lyon drawn by the attractive prices, activity maintains a good cruising speed. Apartments are 30 % cheaper than the average observed in the Rhône. Over the past few years, a good number of developments have risen from the ground. Today, they have all been filled, whence the steady prices posted by availabilities in old buildings.

Specializing in transactions, asset management and “syndic” services, Pascal Montagne and Thierry Liatout of the Agence Montagne et Liatout note considerable differences between prices in the east and west. A standard 30 year-old villa of 100 m2 with a garden of 800 m2 ranges from 220,000 to 230,000 €. The unrivalled “golden stone” to the west - in Gleizé, Limas, Pommiers and Cogny - gives rise to sustained demand and limited supply. Charmed by authentic architecture, vaulted cellars and typical Beaujolais staircases, the buyers, one-third of whom are employed in Lyon, are ready to pay 200,000 € even when the property still requires considerable renovation. The result : a total budget of 350,000-400,000 €, supposing that one can find a prime location less than 5 km from Villefranche. The figures naturally drop if one is prepared to move further out into Le Beaujolais. The same focus on quality prevails in the case of apartments. Potential purchasers will part with a certain sum in exchange for generous volumes with character, preferably in a 1900’s building, with a fireplace, parquet floors and a lift. Parking facilities are seen as added value. Without this level of appeal, old apartments do not make anything like the same claims. A basic 2-bedroomed apartment of 70 m2 can then be found for 120,000 €. Senior citizens hope to get closer to the centre after selling a villa requiring high maintenance. They include fans of new apartments, ready to spend from 2,800 to 3,500 €/m2 for a central location and an outdoor area worthy of the name. The stocks of available building land are not sufficient to meet demand. A serviced plot of 600 m2 on an estate will cost 80,000-85,000 €. Another of 1,500 m2 in a less built-up area, a 10-minute drive from Villefranche, costs close on 150,000 €. For all sectors and types of housing combined, demand is steady. A property taking a while to sell inevitably lays itself open to the question of the price initially fixed. The estate-agent’s task begins, in fact, as soon as he takes on the sale of a property. The time it takes to sell depends on his advice and the owner’s willingness to listen.

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