Aix, the prestige sector

Radia Amar - 02 May 2017

Nestling in the midst of Provence's loveliest landscapes, Aix-en-Provence, a town of art and history boasting an exceptional architectural heritage, has succeeded in preserving its human dimension while pursuing its development and modernization. Accompanied to the north and east by charming, peaceful communes, this address offers a top-notch property market with prices that are indeed high, though now more coherent.

"In this year of the presidential election, the market has maintained its liveliness, though some areas are a little sluggish. There is definitely a "wait-and-see" attitude," says Guillaume Rey of Actuel Immobilier, an agency launched in 1992 on the Cours Mirabeau in Aix-en-Provence. Specializing in prestige properties, it selects town houses and apartments meeting the requirements of a high-end clientele, together with properties of charm on the most select communes lying east and north of the town. "In Aix-en-Provence, clients looking for a house or an apartment extended by a terrace in a soundly-built residence with a lift are confronted by rather scarce offerings. If you are aiming for a classy town house of at least 150 m2 in a neighbourhood in the historic centre, you will need a budget of at least 1 million euros. And exceptional addresses can easily exceed 2 millions euros," explains Guillaume Rey, mentioning for example a private mansion for which he is acting as sole agent. Completed by a self-contained apartment of 40 m2, this 19th-C. residence of 250 m2 has been treated to luxurious renovation. Surrounded by a charming garden, it is up for sale at 2,390,000 €. And the clientele for this type of property ? "Mainly Parisians and buyers from the north, most often looking for a permanent home or one that will soon become permanent, when they retire." Limited offerings also extend to high-quality apartments with generous terraces, on upper floors : such as a spacious 2-bedroomed example of 75 m2 with a terrace of 30 m2 on the top floor of a recent gated residence with a pool, in the residential neighbourhood of La Torse. It just found a taker at 620,000 €, with a garage included, ie. over 8,000 € per sq.m. "As soon as you move away from the centre of Aix, the choice becomes wider. In Sainte-Marthe, Le Tholonet, Puyricard and Eguilles, there are more properties available meeting the needs of our clients, like a recent "bastide" of 200 m2 set in grounds of 2,500 m2 with a pool. On the plateau of Célony, near the Country Club, it just sold for slightly over 1.1 million euros."

After more than 30 years of experience in high-end real estate and property development both in France and abroad, Christiane Cools, who owns an agency in Belgium, has just opened an office on Cours Mirabeau. "My activities focus on the foreign clientele - mainly from northern Europe -, in search of the perfect holiday residence in Provence, to buy or rent," explains this professional, whose offerings consist of a meticulous selection of properties of charm and character, with high-spec or truly outstanding appointments. "The properties I represent are in Aix-en-Provence, on the loveliest communes around the town, and also in the Upper Var. I concentrate solely on a few exclusive properties which I present at fair market prices. Then I make them more visible abroad, through finely targetted communication." One such property, of 365 m2 in grounds of 8,000 m2 near Aix-en-Provence, is on offer at 1,850,000 €. Properties selected by the C. Cools agency all provide the best that Provence can offer in terms of location, views, amenities and the environment.