Drôme Provençale, picture-postcard scenery

Radia Amar - 25 July 2024

With well-preserved countryside and charming communes, this first gateway to Provence appeals for its quietness, beauty, and the authenticity of its villages. Here, houses built of stone top the list in the real estate market.

Starting from Montélimar, La Drôme Provençale is reached from the north via the legendary Route Nationale 7. With landscapes characterized by olive-groves, lavender and vines, the climate already begins to feel warmer. In its garrigues, you can hear cicadas, and aromatic plants perfume the air : thyme, rosemary, sage, verbena, basil, peppermint... An address of genuine charm, La Drôme Provençale is dotted with hill-top villages, many listed as one of “Les plus beaux villages de France”.

A must visit is the château of Grignan, made famous by the Marquess of Sévigné who stayed there frequently when visiting her daughter, wife of the Count of Grignan ; or that of Suze-la-Rousse, now a wine university. Heading up five Arienti Immobilier agencies, all in La Drôme Provençale, Laurence Naccache covers a vast territory stretching from Montélimar to Le Pays de Grignan via Valréas and Le Vaucluse, with a team of six experts in sales. Founded in 1966, the Arienti agency in Dieulefit is the original address. Rigour and professionalism are the basic values of Arienti Immobilier : buy, sell, rent, in all security, is its motto.

explains Laurence Naccache.

“Our market is undergoing a transition. New properties collapsed in 2023, and the first stirrings of a gentle recovery have been halted in 2024 by the surprise legislative elections. We were faced by scarce offerings after the Covid crisis, though today choice is again on the cards in all sectors, even the most highly-prized, and prices have stabilized. For buyers, the light thus seems to be green for go,”

And the clientele ?

“Mainly French, preparing for retirement, investors in semi-main homes, and the actively employed who, since the arrival of teleworking, have been leaving large towns to enjoy better living conditions.”

The most sought-after property ? “A stone house with 3 or 4 bedrooms, in peaceful, leafy grounds. A picture-postcard of Provence, in a way!” Essentially a market indeed comprised of houses, La Drôme Provençale is full of lovely, authentic houses, such as one stone house of 100 m2 built in the 19th century, in wooded grounds of almost 2.5 acres in Bourdeaux in the Roubion valley.

Offering a commanding view of the mountains, this farmhouse in need of renovation, typical of the region and joined by two annexes of 60 and 67 m2, several cellars and out-houses, is on offer at 462,000 €. Another example representing the market is an authentic stone “mas” of 220 m2 in the midst of the countryside of La Begude de Mazenc, in grounds of almost 7,000 m2 benefiting from a pool. Completed by several annexes including a semi-open workshop, this property brimming with charm is for sale at 650,000 €.