Arcachon : town of all four seasons

Radia Amar - 11 July 2023

Benefiting from the unique configuration of its bay on the Atlantic coast, Arcachon is an important fishing and sailing harbour, as well as a lively commercial centre. Well-known beyond the borders of France, this seaside resort unfurls its charms in the vicinity of Europe’s tallest sand dune.

Famous for the dune of Le Pilat, its oysters and beaches, Le Bassin (or Bay) of Arcachon offers an incomparably pleasant lifestyle. Fifty km from Bordeaux and 2 hrs 45 mins. from Paris on the TGV, it has convinced many Parisians to treat themselves to a second or semi-main home here. An essential seaside resort on the Atlantic coast, Arcachon came into being in the 19th century in Le Pays de Buch.

Known as the town of all four seasons, it is comprised of seven neighbourhoods, four of which bear the names of the seasons : “Ville de Printemps”, “Ville d’Eté”, “Ville d’Automne” and “Ville d’Hiver”, playing host to spectacular villas, picturesque and “Belle Époque”, built at the initiative of the Pereire brothers. With almost 11,000 residents, Arcachon is enthroned at the centre of an urban area with over 60,000 inhabitants. A leading seaside resort, it offers remarkable architecture.

One of the first franchise contracts, the Stéphane Plaza Immobilier Arcachon agency set up shop in one of the town’s historic agencies, run by Nathalie Foulon since 2005. Heading three Stéphane Plaza Immobilier agencies around the Bay of Arcachon, she has also been President of the Chambre Syndicale des Agents Immobiliers of Le Bassin d’Arcachon since 2009. Benefiting from an exceptional address book, Nathalie Foulon knows the secrets of her trade and her territory, down to the very last detail. Managing a team of 12 employees, she directs with the friendly attentiveness typical of the Stéphane Plaza group, her three agencies specializing in sales, and management of year-round and seasonal rentals. Aware of working in a privileged area, Nathalie Foulon is nonetheless realistic.

“After weathering the big crisis of 2008, I knew that only solid and serious structures can confront the successive crises we have seen since the pandemic : the war in Ukraine, lower purchasing power, rising interest rates, climate law... We must constantly adapt. However, our region is extraordinary, and still draws steady interest on the part of a fine clientele. During the COVID crisis, demand was such that prices rose by 20 to 30 %. Today, the market is back to its cruising speed and, even though prices are gradually seeing reason, they remain relatively high. Yet the market has done a turn-around. We have gone from a sellers’ to a buyers’ market.”

And the relationship between supply and demand ?

“Clients now benefit from a wider range of properties. From studios to villas, our agencies can present numerous homes of quality. Most of the sales we handle involve second residences for members of the the upper socio-professional category, very fond of Le Bassin.”