Hollowed out by a strong current of water, this huge limestone canyon straddling the Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is home to a bountiful Nature and colourful villages. Listed as a nature park in 1997, it has won international fans drawn by rafting, hiking, mountain-biking and para-gliding. The popularity of these famous gorges inevitably rubs off on communes located within a 10 to 30 minute radius...

Steven Lobbezoo of the Rev’Immo agency distinguishes three distinct areas. The first, consisting of Ginasservis, an area fond of its traditions, Rians, a village built spiral-fashion at the foot of the Tour de l’Horloge, and Vinon-sur-Verdon, home to France’s first gliding centre, is of interest to people working in Aix-en-Provence and Cadarache. Prices here were artificially boosted by the announcement of the ITER project, though they finally dropped by 30 % due to the crisis. A village house of 150-250 m2 with a small garden now ranges from 180,000 to 200,000 €. In scattered areas, houses usually offering living space of 100-120 m2 with grounds of 1,500-2,000 m2 are worth 250,000 €. Rare building plots of 2,000 m2 cost close on 120,000 €. If locals consitute the majority, occasional residents, drawn by attractive prices, are beginning to enter the market.
The second area is composed of Barjols, surrounded by a forest of green oaks, Montmeyan, 500 metres above sea level near the Lac Sainte-Croix, La Verdière, simultaneously facing Castellane, Mont Ventoux, the Luberon, Sainte-Baume, Sainte-Victoire and the Maures mountains, and Régusse, known for its 12th- and 13th-century windmills, legacies from the Knights Templar. Far from sources of employment, this area lives mainly from tourism. Seniors in search of the sun, and foreigners, Belgian, Scandinavian and Dutch, share the region equally. Able to pay from 350,00 to 450,000 €, they appreciate the climate, elevated views and enchanting scenery, and are looking for a country atmosphere and, if possible, old stones. Among recent buyers, the French do not exceed 10 %.
Finally, Correns, Carcès, Montfort, Salernes and Cotignac draw sustained interest. The home of tile production offers a varied choice of housing that suits fans of Provence as well as local workers. Montfort has been on a roll since the Jolie-Pitt couple acquired a property here. As for the listed site of Cotignac, dominated by a rock 80 metres high and 400 metres wide, it is still an obligatory route for pilgrims. Besides visits paid by Anne of Austria and Louis XIV, it boasts three apparitions recognized by the church, one made by St. Joseph and two by the Virgin Mary. 90 % of buyers are from other French or European regions, with budgets ranging from 400,000 to 2 million euros. One of them recently acquired an old “bastide” of 500 m2 in perfect condition, on an estate of about 40 acres at Entrecasteaux, for 1.2 million euros. Another bought a modern house of 180 m2 with grounds of 2,000 m2 at Carcès for 500,000 €. A budget of 2.5 million euros is required for a small hamlet composed of four dwellings, including one of 600 m2, with about 75 acres of land. Most transactions are, however, concluded, at around 600,000 €. Prices at the top end of the market are holding, even if bargaining is tough and finalizations less numerous since the departure of the British.
With agencies in Salernes, Sillans-la-Cascade, Villecroze and Aups, Olivier Demory of the Cabinet Conseils Demory stresses the specific identity of each village. Villecroze, for instance, is seen as a chic, pastoral address for foreigners, despite a downward trend probably due to excessive fragmentation of the land. Salernes, which has on-site shops and amenities for everyday life, is popular among the Dracénois able to spend about 300,000 €, and happy to benefit from prices 15 % lower than those applicable in the immediate environment of the sub-prefecture. Comparable to Salernes, Aups enjoys enchanting views and a broad range of housing meeting the requirements of those looking for holiday homes. Sillans is a paradise for fans of outdoor leisure activities. In addition to a few handsome properties starting at 350,000 €, it offers functional “pavillons” of 100 m2 at around 250,000 €. Finally, investors are clearly keen on acquiring legacies here, taking advantage or not of the Scellier Act, with homes for renovation costing on average about 1,200 € per sq. metre. Demanding and even tough in their proposals, buyers are taking advantage of the massive replenishment of stocks to invest at reasonable prices.