Overview of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez

The summer capital of the South of France is beginning to get into its stride, while its more discreet neighbours unveil their finest attractions to discerning connoisseurs in search of authenticity, charm and peacefulness.

Designed by a visionary architect in the 1960’s, Port Grimaud is a unique lagoon village where most of the acccommodation - apartments or “fishermen’s” houses - is sold with boat moorings included. A persuasive argument attracting many sailing fans from northern Europe. “Our clientele is European,” confirms Elisa­beth Morice of the Logi-service agency. “Our most recent sales involved English, Swiss, French and Belgian buyers. Most of them are looking for a house or a large apartment with a boat mooring. A newer clientele is also showing interest in small properties priced under 200,000 €, often with the aim of acquiring a larger home later on.” This type of budget will bring a cosy studio without a mooring. Houses range from 700,000 to 1 million euros depending on their characteristics and the size of their mooring. Apartments are also in high demand. Among her recent sales, Elisabeth Morice mentions a 1-bedroom apartment of 37 m2 with a 12-metre mooring, priced at 10,000 € per sq. metre. “There are more properties currently up for sale as we are witnessing the end of a cycle. Many homes acquired when Port-Grimaud was created are now on offer due to inheritances.” Hence a wide choice.

In Port Cogolin, sailing enthusiasts, many from Belgium, are keen to acquire apartments offering a delightful view of the marina or “fishermen’s” houses with fully-owned boat moorings as holiday homes. “Prices have fallen by about 20 % in this sector. A 1-bedroomed apartment which would have been worth 210,000 € four years ago will now be on offer at around 170,000 €,” explains Annabelle Lavagna, manageress of the Immobilière du Golfe de Saint-Tropez agency. A truly seasonal seaside resort, this charming harbour is lively from Easter weekend to October, just after “Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez”, the sailing event that ends the season in the Gulf. “There’s a wide choice and prices are very appealing. This year, we can really talk about a market of opportunities.” Members of the local working population, and especially numerous first-time buyers, tend to do their home-hunting over towards Gassin. With its shops, junior, intermediate and secondary schools, this little town is lively year-round. Villas here range from 500,000 to 1 million euros, apartments from 150,000 to 500,000 €.

Launched in 2003, the Agence Thoniel specializes in the markets of Grimaud, Cogolin, La Croix Valmer, Gassin and La Garde-Freinet. “Seventy-five per cent of our clients are looking for holiday homes, with quietness and nature as their top priorities,” says Carine Thoniel. Many English, Belgian, German clients, and a few from northern France, Paris or Lyon, prefer settings combining the countryside and protected seaside areas. In search of authenticity, they mostly set their sights on houses surrounded by nature and offering a clear view or village houses with small outdoor areas. “Village houses can be found from around 400,000 €. The largest, benefiting from gardens, start from 600,000 €. Over the past few years, prices have fallen by about 15 to 20 %. The situation is now becoming more well-balanced, with sellers accepting our estimates more easily. This is clearly a buyers’ market : they have lots of choice and prices have never been so low for a really long time. It’s time to take advantage of these opportunities.”

The most desirable properties in the countryside consisting of prestigious villas and luxury residences range from 1 to 4 M €, prices which can soar if they have a Saint-Tropez address. “As soon as we see this type of budget, the clients are extremely demanding in terms of quality (building mat­erials, contemporary-style houses or lovely Provençal villas built of stone…), though the main factor is still location. It frequently happens that buyers fall for the charm of a site offering breathtaking views and a sunny orientation, and decide to demolish the existing house in order to build the home of their dreams.” With an array of properties in a wide choice of styles and sharply lower prices, the communes around the Gulf of Saint-Tropez offer genuine opportunities for the acquisition of a pied-à-terre or a more substantial property around this idyllic bay of international renown.