Situated between Cannes, Théoule-sur-Mer and Pégomas, the commune is home to 20,850 residents, on the shores of the Mediterranean, directly beneath the mountains of Le Tanneron and the Estérel. The deep blue sea, mimosa forests, marinas, yacht harbour and airport compose its varied scenery.

“The main advantage of Mandelieu is its geographic location and excellent road services : the A8 motorway in fact passes through the centre of this area, built to the west of the Festival City and a 30-minute drive from the Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport,” says Pierre Laurent of L’Adresse Locagence. The economy relies mainly on the tourist industry. Moreover, the community, committed to taking care of its environment, is fully equipped with leisure facilities including golf, sandy beaches, tennis courts, a rowing centre, hiking paths and the yacht marina with its high capacity for moorings.
“The property market offers a wide variety, from studios at 70,000 € to properties that change hands for several million euros,” adds Pierre Laurent, who can claim 36 years of experience in the sector. Capitou and La Napoule are the two historical poles. The development of the first began four decades ago. High-class apartment blocks very quickly replaced cultivated land. Once featuring fishermen’s houses, La Napoule has emerged as an attractive but limited seafront. The villas sold in 2009 mostly ranged from 500,000 to 800,000 €. Interest is less frequent at prices beyond one million euros. Our estate-agent mentions a house of 160 m2 in need of refurbishment in grounds of 1,500 m2, recently sold for 760,000 €. The local working population, currently the main target in terms of buyers, typically pay less than 200,000 € for a 1-bedroom flat and below 300,000 € for 2 bedrooms. The slump that began on September 15th, 2008, seems to have passed. Bricks and mortar are still the favourite investment among the French. Everyone seems to have accepted the end of the speculative era and considers real estate at its current market value, or as an excellent investment to supplement retirement pensions.
“The crisis has meant slower demand and makes foreigners postpone their projects. However, prices are holding steady. The latest indications are more of a logical correction to prices posted in 2006 than a significant decline,” says Christian Berti of L’Agence de la Poste. The sector for houses ranges from 500,000 to 3 million euros. The lower end of the range corresponds to a recent semi-detached home of 90 m2 with a private garden of 100 m2, or living space of 110 m2, needing some renovation, in grounds of 500 m2. The top end of the range, drawing very little interest, entitles the buyer to 300 m2 in a beautiful setting, facing the vast blue sea. 750,000 €, the most common price bracket, brings living space of 160 m2 in grounds of 1,000-1,500 m2. For about 100,000 € more, one can enjoy a sea view. Apartments cost from 3,000 to 6,000 €/m2 at Capitou, 4,500-8,000 €/m2 at Les Termes/Grand Duc, 5,200-7,500 €/m2 near the greens and fairways, 4,800-10,000 € near La Napoule/Théoule and 3,800-8,000 €/m2 in apartment buildings with seven to twelve floors at Cannes Marinas that sprang up between 1970 and 1990. Both prices and taxes are lower here than for similar accommodation in neighbouring Cannes, which traditionally enjoys high prestige.
Pierre Levy of the Arthur Amilton agency partly works with buyers of holiday homes. Less numerous over the past 16 months, they are largely French, from Paris, Bordeaux and Strasbourg, already retired or close. Looking for both a property asset and an investment for their personal enjoyment, their priorities are peacefulness, security, a panoramic sea view and proximity to Cannes. 1- and 2-bedroom apartments in luxury residences with price-tags of 250,000-450,000 € are in steady demand. The Domaine du Grand Duc - 600 units from studios to villas, with swimming pool, tennis courts and a clubhouse overlooking the bay of Cannes and the Estérel hills - continues to enjoy resounding success. If the market for apartments is usually more active than that for houses, it is simply a matter of cost.