Les Alpilles, charm as far as the eye can see…

Authentic and refined, this area is a must address in Provence. The land of Alphonse Daudet, Frédéric Mistral and Vincent Van Gogh, the Alpilles represent a dream for many foreigners, Parisians and French ex-pats in search of a holiday home.

Lying north-west of the Bouches du Rhône, the Alpilles stretch out like a golden triangle from the area south of Avignon to the edge of the Camargue near Arles and the plain of La Crau, with the rivers Rhône and Durance flowing on either side. Characterized by well-preserved landscapes and communes offering a refined art of living with traditions fondly maintained, this territory embodies the perfect Provençal address in the eyes of a well-to-do clientele, especially as the Alpilles benefit from easy rail connections with large cities from the TGV station of neighbouring Avignon.

”Belgians and Anglo-Saxons, including a few Americans, are still very keen on the Alpilles which they see as the most typical embodiment of the Provençal lifestyle,” says Yannick Bouteloup, manager of the Happy Immobilier agencies specializing in sales all over the Alpilles since 2002, through offices in Maussane and Saint-Rémy with a portfolio containing on average from 250 to 300 properties, shown to their best advantage in high resolution images on their recently modernized website. “Most enquiries concern stone properties of charm and character in good locations, ranging from 1 to 1.5 million euros. In this price bracket, offers are slim as compared to very steady demand. The most desirable properties post stable or slightly higher prices when they offer rare appointments.” Among recent sales handled by the agency and representing the current market, Yannick Bouteloup mentions a large property in Eygalières which fetched 2,100,000 €, and two charming stone houses with gardens in the village of Maussane, priced between 550,000 and 580,000 €.

For over 15 years, the Actuel Immobilier agency based in Saint-Rémy has orchestrated sales, mostly of villas, for a French and foreign clientele. “Most of the transactions we have completed since March involved holiday residences for French ex-pats preparing their retirement in the sun and a good number of north Europeans, clients from Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and even the USA,” explains Valérie Lucien, manageress of this agency which has just extended its team to cope with a very lively market. “Saint-Rémy, Maussane and Eygalières are the three flagship addresses in the Alpilles drawing the most interest, though nearby communes such as Eyragues and Maillane are doing well thanks to their charm, geographical positions and micro-markets with more affordable prices.” Valérie Lucien’s portfolio is comprised of both charming small “mas” on the outskirts pegged around 700,000 €, and large properties on offer at prices exceeding 2 million euros, at the heart of protected natural sites, offering high-quality appointments and views of sublime scenery. As witnessed by a superb example of 637 m2 enjoying total peace and quiet in a sought-after neighbourhood in Eygalières priced at 2,400,000 €.