Bonnieux, lively year-round

This hill-top village on the northern slope of the Massif du Luberon faces Lacoste, offering magnificent views of of the Petit Luberon and Monts du Vaucluse. The plain of Le Calavon stretches out to the west, while the plateau of Les Claparèdes lies to the east.

Bonnieux is in immediate proximity to Roussillon, Apt, Buoux, Lourmarin, Lacoste and Goult. 1,420 people live year-round in the village, which has a junior school. The site’s economic activity is closely linked to tourism, with AOC Ventoux and Luberon wines also produced. On Fridays, the market for farm and seasonal produce gets into full swing. Tall houses rub shoulders with those said to be “à terre”, with courtyards or towers. Out in the fields, one can still glimpse “cabanons” and “bories”, though the famous “mas” still reigns supreme as far as local architecture goes. This place propitious for relaxation is occasionally transformed into a movie set. As exemplified by the series “A Year in Provence”, based on Peter Mayle’s novel, “A Good Year” by the same author, revisited by Ridley Scott, and “Swimming Pool, the surprising film directed by Ozon.

“As authentic as one could wish, the village of Bonnieux is lively year-round,” confirm Ludivine Le Monnier and Chris Banks of Bacon Immobilier, an agency launched in 1975. “No doubt less invaded by tourists than Roussillon and Gordes, it proposes all the shops and services required for basic necessities, an undeniable argument from our buyers’ point of view.” The presence of vine-growers and farmers give Bonnieux a more luxuriant and definitely less mineral appearance than that of Gordes. 20 % of the buyers are looking for permanent homes, 80 % holiday residences, a market underpinned by Parisians, happy to benefit from a 45-minute drive from the TGV station placing the capital 2 hrs 40 away, Belgians, English and Germans, with foreigners accounting for 60 % of the sales. Stays are getting longer throughout the year, no longer concentrated on just the summer season. Autumn and spring are, in fact, very pleasant seasons in the Luberon. Exceptions aside, the large majority of transactions orchestrated over the past six months ranged from 600,000 to one million euros. Our estate-agents mention a house of 170 m2 requiring renovation on almost 7.5 acres of land, priced at 800,000 €, and a village house of 200 m2 in perfect condition, with a garden and pool, which sold for 1.2 million euros. The address’s popularity is echoed on the market for seasonal rentals. While Gordes still retains its traditional head start, prices prove to be more or less homogeneous within the “Golden Triangle”. The market is lively, though bargaining is tough. The term “readjustment” describes the reality of this sector more accurately than that of “collapse”.

“On the road to Lourmarin, Bonnieux also attracts lots of visitors. One of the village’s main assets is its plunging views of the valley,” says Sylvie Debord of Patrimoine en Provence. Its very layout is original, starting with the two churches which define two distinct neighbourhoods, finally comparable whether in terms of amenities or the type of accommodation. Sylvie Debord currently has a house of 180 m2 for sale, built of authentic old materials, in gently sloping grounds of 5,400 m2 facing south, for 945,000 €. The value for money aspect of this charming property, likely to appeal to north Europeans, is totally justified. The absence of a realistic attitude on the part of certain owners leads to some malfunctioning in the market. Unfortunately, some of them still have a tendency to overvalue their homes. But only properties which have been fairly estimated are likely to sell. The budget for a holiday residence once ranged from 1 to 1.2 million euros, versus 500,000 to 800,000 € today, a price bracket with rather few offerings.

Bonnieux is one of the liveliest villages in winter in the Luberon, thanks in particular to its wine and farming activities,” comments Olivier Valancogne of Valancogne Partners. In Gordes, building rights include an outer cladding obligatorily composed of exposed stone, whereas traditional architecture takes pride of place in Bonnieux, which still has authentic domains, “bastides” of character several centuries old, on several acres of land. Largely built since the change of the century, Gordes focuses more on holiday homes. Olivier Valancogne mentions the sale of a 50-acre property near Bonnieux in 2012, offering living space of 450 m2 in perfect condition, snapped up at over 3 M €. The geographic location, 10 minutes from Apt and Cavaillon, 35 minutes from Aix via La Combe de Lourmarin, is a persuasive asset.

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