Pernes-les-Fontaines : lively and appealing

A small go-ahead town with almost 11,000 residents and a full array of amenities, Pernes-les-Fontaines has managed to maintain a delightful village atmosphere and a remarkable architectural heritage. An address in Provence both charming and convenient.

Less than 10 minutes from Carpentras and about 40 minutes from Avignon, Pernes-les-Fontaines has all the attributes and vitality of a town : numerous shops and craftsmen, several shopping zones, seven schools (including a “collège”), lots of associations and sports activities, all ensuring year-round liveliness. Though Pernes-les-Fontaines also proposes a pleasant life-style in a leafy, undulating environment, and an exceptional architectural heritage. Lying at the foot of the Monts du Vaucluse, the village boasts over 22 sites listed as Historic Monuments (including the ramparts, Ferrande Tower and Church of Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth), about 40 public fountains and almost twice as many private fountains.

As for the village’s property market, it is naturally dominated by houses : “Our portfolio of villas in Pernes becomes wider from 645,000 € : one example is a contemporary villa of 170 m2 in 3,000 m2 of grounds with a pool, currently up for sale at 798,000 €”, says Annabelle Favier, manageress of Soleil Immobilier, an agency based in Pernes since 1985, also covering the surrounding communes and specializing in prestige properties. “Above that level, prices rise to 1.2 million euros for so-called properties of charm, sometimes higher. As witnessed by an elegantly renovated residence of 250 m2 on offer at 1,490,000 €.” The average sales price is around 600,000 €. “On the hills above the village, a house of 220 m2 offering a view in 7,500 m2 of grounds thus found a taker at 630,000 €”. Annabelle Favier’s clientele mostly consists of Parisians who have usually sold a 2- or 3-bedroom­ed apartment in the capital to acquire a home here for cash.

Ma Provence Immobilier, an agency founded in 2000 with branches in Saint-Didier and Pernes-les-Fontaines, focuses on middle and high end properties as far as the foot of Mount Ventoux : “In Pernes, village houses in the old centre allow people to reach all amenities on foot”, says manageress Claudine Thalmann. “We are thus proposing , for example, a village house of 350 m2, restored in contemporary style with luxurious appointments and an indoor pool, at 835,000 €.” There is also a wide choice of detached houses : “Villas in 1,000 to 3,000 m2 of grounds are priced from 300,000 to 500,000 €. Then there are stone “mas” which tend to cost more : one example of 260 m2 in grounds of 1,600 m2 with a pool is up for sale at 785,000 €. Ideal as a family residence or for B&B activity”. Finally, magnificent properties on the hills offer unimpeded views of the Vaucluse countryside, like one high-end villa of 320 m2 in a commanding position in 5,500 m2 of grounds with a pool, pegged at 1.2 million euros. “As for building land, a plot of 3,000 m2 in a good location will sell for around 250,000 €.” Buyers who contact Claudine Thalmann with budgets of up to 300,000 € are most often locals. “Above that level, they are Parisians, Europeans – especially from Belgium – and, increasingly, people from the region around Grenoble.”

Corinne Entresangle is the manageress of L’Immobilier des Fontaines, an agency opened in Pernes in 2012 covering the area within a radius of about 20 km : “For a 2-bedroomed apartment here, one expects to pay about 180,000 €. Though the segment for apartments is rather confidential. Our portfolio in fact mostly contains high-end villas and large properties”. Villas of 100 m2 with gardens of about 800 m2 fetch from 280,000 to 350,000 €, possibly more depending on the location and amount of living space. Example : a traditional villa of 170 m2 with a garden of 745 m2 near the centre on offer at 390,000 €. “Then come “mas “ and lovely residences with generous volumes, whose prices range from 650,000 to over 800,000 €. A restored “mas” of 250 m2 in the country with almost 6,900 m2 of grounds and a pool is currently for sale at 777,000 €.” Another illustration : a contemporary villa of 225 m2 offering a view, about 70,000 m2 of grounds, a pool with overflow efect, and a price-tag of 878,000 €. What about building plots ? “A plot of 1,500 m2 sells for 200,000 € at least.” According to Corinne Entresangle, these prices are always subject to bargaining. “We are contacted by two types of clients : locals looking for their main homes, and buyers from outside the region - especially the region around Paris - with more substantial budgets, looking for holiday homes in the sun.”

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