Les Alpilles : a safe haven

Radia Amar - 15 September 2021

Enjoying renown that goes well beyond French borders, villages in the Alpilles are charming, authentic and practical. All qualities now highly-prized by a younger clientele.

Under the management of Valérie Lucien, the Actuel Immobilier agency devotes itself to sales and seasonal rentals in the Alpilles, with a fondness for the area around St-Rémy-de-Provence.

"In our region, two types of properties are targetted by home-hunters : the Provençal "mas" - old or modern - opening out to nature, preferably of over 250 m², and houses near amenities, ideally with a pool. While some residences can be found from 800,000 €, budgets usually range from 1.2 to 2 million euros. Supply is, however, significantly lower than demand, leading to a rise of about 15% in prices over the past year. Today, enthusiasm on the part of buyers - mainly from Paris and Lyon - is still evident, though the market seems to be stabilizing."

Valérie Lucien - Actuel Immobilier. (04 32 60 16 62)

Valérie Lucien estimates that almost 70% of sales here concern second homes. "While real estate is still a safe haven in terms of investment, since the start of the pandemic it has also embodied a haven in more literal terms. Today's buyers are searching for a real oasis for their families. A good number of them are French, working abroad and looking for an anchorage point in the Alpilles. St-Rémy is still the favourite address, though surrounding villages are seeing growing enthusiasm. St-Rémy is a 10-minute drive from these communes offering authentic charm, 20 minutes from Avignon and the TGV station. Furthermore, all the villages in the Alpilles benefit from shops for basic needs, thus meeting an essential requirement on the part of buyers."

Opened in 2008 in Maussane-les-Alpilles, the Colpaert & Wehrle agency was acquired in 2018 by Sébastien Lamarre, Éric Didner and Cyrille Schiffler.

"In 2019, we opened a second agency in Eygalières, to cover both sides of the Alpilles. We focus on the sale of properties of quality, mostly intended as second residences. However, since the Covid crisis began, we have seen a considerable rise in searches for properties to be occupied six months a year, or even year-round. This strong demand has resulted in higher prices - some properties have risen by 20%. In any event, the market is now in the hands of sellers : buyers now hardly ever try to negotiate the prices posted."

Cyrille Schiffler - Colpaert & Wehrle. (04 90 54 73 76)

Cyrille Schiffler says that his clients give priority to properties offering stylishness and authenticity, with 4 bedrooms, spacious interiors and surface areas from 200 to 250 m². For which one would need a budget of 1.2 to 1.5 million euros.

"Properties we add to our portfolio are selected based on the criteria of charm and quality construction, independently of price. We do not restrict ourselves to high-end properties. Our clients are from large French towns. Since the pandemic, their goal is to change the way they live. They are in search of authenticity and closeness to nature. In this respect, the villages of Maussane, Eygalières and St-Rémy appeal as sound values, though new locations are witnessing steady demand, such as Fontvieille and Mouriès."