Montélimar : take to the hill

Radia Amar - 30 November 2021

Raced by rare offerings in the town, demand is turning to nearby hill-top villages where old stone and commanding views are further enhanced by lively activity all year round.

Launched in 1960 at the heart of Montélimar, Provence Immobilier specializes in property sales in the Drôme-Ardèche, under the management of Gaëtan Terras-Lacroix.

“Our portfolio contains a vast selection of old and new properties, with the core of the market requiring a budget of 200,000 to 600,000 €. Our agency in Montélimar covers an area extending 25 kilometres around the town, while our second agency is located in Valréas. Synergy between our two addresses enables us to include the northern Vaucluse and the east side of L’Ardèche. In Montélimar, buyers give priority to properties priced from 180,000 to 300,000 €, ie. small houses with modest outdoor areas or large apartments benefiting from a balcony or terrace. Since the pandemic, this criterion has become decisive.”

Gaëtan Terras-Lacroix, Provence Immobilier. (04 75 01 66 42).

Gaëtan Terras-Lacroix has observed that recent properties and those in very good condition are also attracting rising demand. “Buyers are strongly focused on the issue of energy performance. That being the case, all properties combined, supply is proving insufficient to meet rising demand. Owners living in large neighbouring cities, such as Lyon, are keen to acquire a property in our region as their main residence, or semi-main, when teleworking makes that possible.”

In this respect, neighbourhoods south and east of Montélimar are seen as sound values, together with villages east and south of the town, known for their year-round liveliness and attractiveness. The founder of the Agence Adhémar Immobilier, with a second agency in Le Gard, Benjamin Le Ny manages a team of eight specialising in sales, management and rentals in the area around Montélimar.

“In the southern part of the Drôme, buyers naturally set their sights on properties with outdoor areas to benefit year-round from the mild climate. Since the pandemic, this demand has grown significantly. In town, neighbourhoods to the east and south-east are highly prized, while nearby hill-top villages continue to appeal, such as those of Marsanne, Puygiron, La Laupie and Savasse, offering old stone and panoramic views of the plains, vineyards and surrounding valleys. Even so, the actively employed no longer wish to live a 20-minute drive from their workplaces. Togther with Valence and Romans-sur-Isère, Montélimar forms the N°1 trio of towns in the Drôme. It has also witnessed a price rise of 6 to 7 % like that registered in the Rhône-Alpes region. A rise that can partly be put down to soaring prices of building land, now become rare.”

Benjamin Le Ny, Adhémar Immobilier. (04 75 54 42 14).

A partner of the developer La Demeure Toscane, the Agence Adhémar Immobilier also proposes new developments of quality. “We have already finalized the sale of six developments which appealed to many investors drawn by tax benefits offered by the Pinel scheme. At the end of the year, we will be offering small new units for sale on plans, with high-spec appointments, benefiting from gardens and very trendy mini-pools of 9 m² !”