Bouscat and Caudéran, prized addresses

Radia Amar - 25 October 2019

With the arrival of line D of the tramway at the end of this year, the residential neighbourhood of Caudéran and the commune of Le Bouscat are increasingly popular among families for their pleasant homes.

An expert on the prestige property market in Bordeaux, Caudéran and Le Bouscat, Monique Lecomte and her two associates select properties likely to win a “love at first sight” response among their high-end clients, mostly French but also American and British. “Always giving top priority to quality rather than quantity, and guaranteeing discreet service for our clients, we offer a portfolio consisting of master residences, lofts, bourgeois apartments, “échoppes” typical of Bordeaux, villas designed by architects… I also sometimes present charming small properties at around 500,000 €, otherwise the majority of the sales we handle range from 700,000 to 3.5 million euros,” says Monique Lecomte, adding that there is currently a scarcity of availabilities in the 600,000-900,000 € bracket. “A good number of my clients own vineyard estates, are ex-pats returning home, or people leaving their homes in Biarritz, Lille or Paris. Financially well off, they are looking for family residences with a garage, swimming pool, and a garden of at least 200 m2. Offering 5 bedrooms, with at least one on the ground floor, this year-round residence must be in a prized area, and ideally close to public transport and schools. Our market is at its liveliest in the spring: this is the season when we see the highest turnover of properties, with families preparing for the “back to work/school” period, depending on opportunities or their professional obligations. In the autumn, the market is quieter, featuring visits during the All Saints holiday in November, with decisions usually finalized at the end of the year.” As examples of typical properties in her portfolio, Monique Lecomte mentions a loft of 190 m2 in Le Bouscat. Near the tramway, this rare property benefiting from a pool, garage, a sunny outlook and lots of privacy sold for 920,000 €. On Avenue Carnot in Cauderan, a private mansion of 300 m2 with a pool found a taker for 1.7 million euros. “For prestigious properties that are entrusted to us today, the top price is around 5,800 € per sq.m, with an average of about 5,200 € per sq.m,” says this estate agent, confident in the stability newly restored to the market in Bordeaux.

”Since September, we have in fact seen lots of activity in our market with prices that have stabilized,” says Clément Kaufmann, manager of Espaces Atypiques de Bordeaux, an agency offering expertise in rare and contemporary properties, and outstanding rehabilitations. “Sought-after by families looking for pleasant homes, Le Bouscat and Caudéran are addresses offering appealing living conditions and prices lower than those posted by Les Chartrons. With the tramline coming into service at the end of this year, they have definitely become more attractive. There are still some fine properties on the market, in good locations and at prices that make sense. Here you can find quality renovations entrusted to architects, contemporary and Californian-style villas, and a few lofts.” By way of example, Clément Kaufmann mentions a contemporary house of 281 m2 in Californian style with a pool in the Pins de Francs neighbourhood in Caudéran. Built by an architect in 2006 in quiet leafy grounds of 1,550 m2, it is up for sale at 1,490,000 €. In a different price bracket, an architect-designed house of 125 m2 offers a clean cubic style, a terrace and garden. Also in the residential area of Les Pins Francs, near shops, the golf-course and “grandes écoles”, it is on offer at 600,000 €.