Opportunities north of Aix-en-Provence

Puyricard, Célony, Rognes, Venelles, Peyrolles-en-Provence... These communes in the northern part of the Bouches-du-Rhône offer a market characterized by villas whose prices vary depending on their closeness to Aix-en-Provence. Their point in common? Undeniable Provençal charm...

“Puyricard and Célony are the two addresses most highly-prized by residents of Aix-en-Provence, partly due to their immediate proximity to the centre of Aix, and secondly for the quality of the properties they propose,” explains Valentin Huc-Débat, co-manager of L'Agence d’Aix-en-Provence on Cours Mirabeau. With overall budgets ranging from 600,000 to 800,000 €, a good many retirees and members of the working population search here mainly for pleasant villas with gardens. Like a traditional house of 188 m2, renovated throughout, offering 4 bedrooms in grounds of 3,000 m2 with a pool, typical of the properties most widely sought-after in this area. “Retirees and ex-pats returning to France have the most substantial budgets, often exceeding 1 million euros,” comments our specialist. To meet the criteria of this demanding clientele, desirable properties are not lacking : as exemplified by an impeccable villa of 295 m2 all on one floor, situated in Célony, on offer at 1,060,000 €. “In this price range, despite a general slowdown, many properties now present real opportunities. Prices are currently at their most advantageous, and stocks are high.” A little further out, Venelles is a market apart, targetted by executives from Cadarache who benefit from fast direct access to the well-known research centre.

About 20 minutes from the centre of Aix-en-Provence, Saint-Cannat and Rognes offer more affordable prices. In 2009, Marina Dejasse opened the Scarlett agency on the outskirts of Rognes, a leafy, well-preserved village with almost 5,000 residents. Here, she mostly sells pleasant houses to the taste of English and Belgian couples, set on enjoying a pleasant retirement in the midst of Provençal scenery. “They appreciate the village’s authenticity, its total peace and quiet.” Properties here include village houses starting from 300,000 €. Often put up for sale as inheritances, they mostly belong to families of farm-workers. They often still have the genuine rustic charm that appeals to north Europeans. Surrounding the village, more recent villas benefitting from vast gardens range from 400,000 to 500,000 € if they need modernizing, from 700,000 to 1 million euros if they offer living space of around 300 m2 in impeccable condition (tasteful appointments, recent mater­ials, high energy performance…). “The market is currently seeing a slowdown for this type of property,” says Marina Dejasse. “Sellers who acquired homes 7 or 8 years ago and then invested in renovation find it hard to accept the general decline in prices : they put their homes up for sale at prices which do not correspond to market reality. Offers are then sharply lower than they expected. The only ones who give in are those who need to sell urgently or have taken out a bridging loan.”

Twenty minutes from Aix-en-Provence, 15 minutes from Pertuis and also close to Cadarache, in the valley of the Durance between the Massif du Luberon and that of La Sainte-Victoire, Peyrolles-en-Provence offers crèches, primary and intermediate schools, and a brand new shopping mall with a supermarket and 15 boutiques (Les Rivaux, inaugurated in April 2013). It draws many working people with limited budgets wanting to treat their families to a pleasant home with a garden. “Our clients can set their sights on 3-bedroomed houses with gardens for 300,000 €. And apartments with 2 or 3 bedrooms are available from 150,000 to 170,000 €,” explains Florence Meisson of Cimm Immobilier. As for village houses without terraces or gardens, they can be found under 200,000 €, though with some refurbishment on the cards. In the future, with changes in urban planning regulations allowing building on smaller plots of land, properties at prices matching the budgets of many locals, especially first-time buyers, should soon create new opportunities in this privileged area, close to many activity zones, yet still preserving its soul and authentic landscapes.