Arcachon, pleasant in all four seasons

Radia Amar - 02 May 2024

The main town on the Bassin d’Arcachon, this well-known seaside resort is home to about 12,000 residents. A prized address on the Atlantic coast, it is lively year-round and offers, more than ever before, a setting ideal for families and retirees.

Steeped in history, desirable sites and neighbourhoods, Arcachon is becoming livelier than ever. Right at the water’s edge, full of charm and contrasts, it can claim unique layout on the Atlantic seaboard. An important port for fishing and sailing, and an active commercial centre, Arcachon came into being in the 19th century in Le Pays de Buch. Known as the “town for all four seasons”, it is comprised of seven neighbourhoods, four of which are named after the seasons : La Ville de Printemps, La Ville d’Éte´, La Ville d’Automne, and La Ville d’Hiver, playing host to pretty residences and picturesque “Belle Époque” villas built at the initiative of the Pereire brothers.

A leading seaside resort boasting remarkable architecture. Here, between sand dunes and the ocean, many buyers from Paris and Lyon search for pleasant second homes or a new main residence in which to retire. A trend which has continued to grow since embellishment of the town’s historic centre, the introduction of the high-speed train service to Bordeaux - Paris, placing it less than three hours from the capital. Active in Arcachon since 2019, and strategically located on the market square for the past two years, the Gauthier Immo agency offers expertise in sales of all kinds of properties ranging from 200,000 to 4 million euros, in the centre of Arcachon, and especially in the Ville d’Été and Ville de Printemps neighbourhoods.

The property the most widely sought-after by Gauthier Immo clients ?

“A 2-bedroomed apartment of 60 to 70 m2 priced from 600,000 to 1.2 million euros depending on its location and appointments, targetted by a clientele of French retirees, mostly Parisian, opting to live year-round in Arcachon,”

says Renan Sainte Cluque, Manager of this agency with a team of five. These clients are increasingly capable of carrying out their plans : since interest rates have begun to fall, they can sell their properties more easily in Paris, Lyon or even Strasbourg, and re-invest immediately without having any recourse to a bank. Some buyers set their sights on town houses.

“Offering living space of around 120 m2, usually with small outdoor areas, they are highly rated as second residences by a family clientele,”

says Renan Sainte Cluque. “In our neighbourhoods, they post prices from 850,000 to 1.5 million euros.” Overall, Arcachon’s real estate market proves to be stable in terms of both prices for properties not requiring renovation, and the balance between supply and demand, which is always buoyant for this fine address on the Atlantic coast. The most highly-prized location ?

“The front rows, of course,” says Renan Sainte Cluque, who mainly works with a clientele preferring face-to-face contact. With its location on the market square guaranteeing high visibility, the agency will also be open on Sunday mornings from Pentecost to All Saints’ Day.