Lorgues, a town on a human scale

Reached via the departmental roads 10 and 50, this town in the Var is home to close on 9,000 residents. It stands at an altitude of 210 metres, in the midst of a valley. Equidistant from the Mediterranean shore and the Verdon Gorges, this lovely undulating commune in the centre of the Var gives priority to nature.

The presence of numerous mills, ovens and presses tells a lot about the role played by Lorgues in the 19th century. Today, it still boasts fourteen vineyard properties. Its geographic location between the Mediterranean and Verdon draws fans of beaches, “green tourism” and activities in the great outdoors. The town’s rich past is particularly reflected in its legacy of church architecture. Local residents benefit from a wide on-site choice of sports associations, schools up to BTS level and a healthcare centre.

”The French, Belgians, Dutch and Norwegians all appreciate Lorgues, whether they are looking for a holiday home or to move permanently to the sun,” says Rob Brink of New Home. Most of them pay from 400,000 € - the sum required for an unpretentious house with 3 or 4 bedrooms in grounds of 2,000-3,000 m2 with a pool, not far from the village – to 800,000 € - the price of a comfortable villa of 250 m2 with a guest cottage in grounds offering a sweeping view of its pool and pool-house. A few clients aim for the so-called top end of the market. Such as an American couple who paid 2.1 million euros for a property of 260 m2 accompanied by annexes, a house for guardians and a helipad in a 12.5-acre park with a heated pool, facing the vineyards and Massif des Maures. Lorgues is in fact one of the largest villages in the central part of the Var. Lively year-round, it has a very popular weekly market and three large supermarkets, less than 1 hr 15 minutes from three airports and not far from the TGV station in Les Arcs. Its generous grounds give residents an impression of space without being too far from towns.

Among the last ten transactions orchestrated by the Pierre Azur agency, Dominique Varé mentions six building plots, and estate and three properties in the 400,000-800,000 € bracket, already an impressive price range. Building land is of interest to the locals in general, and first-time buyers in particular. On average, plots of 1,200-4,000 m2 are priced from 180,000 to 220,000 €. In this first half of 2013, small plots of 1,200-2,000 m2 have found takers for under 150,000 €, giving a total budget of 260,000 € for a home of 100 m2. Lorgues still has building land available, especially targeted by craftsmen and civil servants in the area around Draguignan. Another speciality offered by this agency consists of unusual properties, vineyards and other large estates, a market which is till buoyant despite the crisis, underpinned by scarce offerings. After selling their companies in large towns, lively 60 year-olds from France or other European countries dream of active retirement, producing wine or olive-oil and reserving part of their properties to rent out to tourists. It’s hard, however, to ignore the impact of new tax regul­ations on this type of clientele. And given the change in legislation on capital gains, sellers are withdrawing their homes from the market. Estates are a real godsend : about fifteen of them change hands every year in the Var, at prices ranging from 2.5 to 15 million euros, exceptions aside.