A Parisian clientele for Aix-en-Provence

Radia Amar - 20 November 2018

It now takes less than 3 hours to reach Aix-en-Provence from Paris on the TGV or 1 hr 20 by plane. One of the factors inciting many Parisians to target Aix-en-Provence as their second residence in the south. Add an elegant lifestyle and an historic architectural heritage, and you hold the keys to its success...

Based for the past eight years at the heart of the Mazarin neighbourhood, radiating outwards over the entire Bouches-du-Rhône, the Côte d’Azur, and across the Mediterranean to find luxury properties in Marrakesh for its top-notch clientele, the Agence Nicolas Staes approaches real estate with style and the high demands of the world of luxury. Prefering to work on a “collection” of properties meticulously selected for their rare quality and prime locations, rather than on quantity, Nicolas Staes and his team give precedence to exclusive mandates guranteeing fast, confidential transactions. “Most of the sales we orchestrate in Aix range from 1.7 to 2 million euros, though some outstanding mansions in the Mazarin neighbourhood can attain almost 4 million euros,” says this agent, 70% of whose clientele is comprised of Parisians already very familiar with Aix and its countryside. “They are usually looking for a second residence with potential to become their main or semi-main home in the years to come. In Aix intra-muros, they appreciate the stylishness of the Mazarin neighbourhood with its noble apartments which have preserved their precious original features ; out in the countryside, it is now the south-east which is the most popular choice. Known as “Le Grand Site Sainte-Victoire”, this high-end area plays host to Le Tholonet, Les Pinchinats and Saint-Marc-Jaumegarde, charming addresses offering quietness and lovely sweeping views of the countryside around Aix.” In addition to Parisians, a few Belgians, Swiss and, of course, natives of Aix, comprise the clientele of the Agence Nicolas Staes.

Covering Aix and its neighbouring communes, CIP (Consulting Immobilier PACA) now extends its offerings to Avignon in Le Vaucluse, and also Le Var. “We have just developed a new strategy thanks to the family partnership I am fortunate to enjoy with the Agence Peggymmo in Paris, run by my niece, Peggy Martin,” explains Christine Martin whose clientele is, in fact, largely Parisian. “We work in perfect symbiosis to offer a unique and privileged service to clients wanting to sell a property in Paris or the Parisian region, in order to settle in Provence. The connections we have set up in all privacy have already proved successful, as we have already handled several double transactions since the end of the summer. Retired or still actively employed, most of these Parisians are looking for a house within a 10-km radius around Aix-en-Provence. Their budgets often fall into the 800,000 to 1 M € bracket. Even so, they are confronted by few availabilities.” The highest prices are posted in the communes closest to Aix, such as Venelles or Éguilles. They are, however, stabilizing and even tending to fall back in the case of some properties that were overpriced. “Demand still outstrips supply, but clients are not inclined to pay over the odds : they are well-informed and careful,” says Christine Martin, whose portfolio consists of houses priced from 600,000 € for semi-detached examples on estates, to over 1 M € for large properties of quality.