Pézenas, an attractive region

Crossed by the river Peyne, Pézenas lies in the plain of L’Hérault, about 20 km from the Mediterranean, 25 km from Béziers and 63 km from Montpellier. On the A75 and A9 motorways, the commune plays host to over 8,500 inhabitants. A figure that could well rise over the coming years, given the region’s popularity.

In 1261, Pézenas became a royal seigneury. From the Middle Ages onwards, the site was known for its many fairs. One of the main towns in France bearing the “Métiers d’Art” label (arts and crafts), it has always been a very active commercial centre. Since the 15th century, a market has been held on Saturdays, with lots of craftsmen displaying their wares in their little “échoppes”. About 40 antique and bric-à-brac dealers have also set up shop. Doctors, self-employed professionals, supermarkets, banks and a hospital cater for residents’ everyday life, together with two intermediate and four secondary schools. The protected old part of town boasts over 30 listed historic monuments. “If I had the honour of being a native of Pézenas, I would nurture that little seed of partiality which contains our fondness for our home towns and I would say in frank sincerity : Jean-Baptiste Poquelin was born in Paris in 1622, but it was in Pézenas, in 1650, that Molière was born.” This speech delivered by Marcel Pagnol in 1947 left its mark on many minds.

“The property market in Pézenas and villages within a radius of 15 km is very active,” says Philippe Bariant of AOIC Agence Immobilière. Nearly 50 % of the transactions handled by the agency concern holiday homes. Low-cost flights to and from the airport in Béziers encourage the arrival of British and Swedish clients. These north Europeans are fond of the region’s well-preserved nature and authentic old stone, and particularly appreciate the prices, much more affordable than in Provence. Generally speaking, they make trips back and forth throughout the year, especially in winter. Recently, one Scandinavian buyer treated himself to an apartment of 80 m2 on three floors to restore, on Cours Jean-Jaurès, for under 100,000 €. Another paid 250,000 € for a house of 90 m2 in perfect condition in Montagnac, prolonged by a garden of 500 m2, in an elevated position. Then, of course, there is the north-south migration factor within France itself, accounting for 30 % of sales. Approaching retirement age, these purchasers sell their homes elsewhere and embark on the great adventure of moving to the Languedoc-Roussillon. As in the case of foreign buyers, they can pay cash. The A75 also brings people working in Montpellier to the area. For equivalent properties, the first belt around the capital of L’Hérault is 25 % more expensive. While people from Béziers have no financial advantage in opting for Pézenas, it nevertheless attracts those living on the coast who want to escape from the summer crowds. In real terms, budgets allocated for second homes mostly range from 100,000 to 250,000 €, those devoted to year-round residences from 200,000 to 250,000 €. Over and above 400,000 €, very few properties pass the value-for-money criterion. Furthermore, they then come up against direct competition from offerings in the region’s large urban areas.

“80 % of my clientele are looking for main homes,” says Véronique Peyre of Century 21 Socatrimm. “Half of them, composed of seniors, arrive from the Lille-Paris axis or even, to a lesser extent, from Lyon ; the other half are often looking to work in “département 34”.” First-time buyers focus on the 150,000-200,000 € bracket, consisting of building plots or village houses. The village “vigneronne” - 150 m2 with a garage, terrace, small garden or courtyard - tops the popularity polls, whereas propositions without any outside area automatically drops below 100,000 €. Properties ranging from 300,000 to 350,000 € also draw a reasonable amount of interest, especially from retirees. Among her recent transactions, Véronique Peyre cites two villas of 130-160 m2, less than ten years old, with gardens of 1,000 m2 benefitting from pools, which fall into that particular price bracket. There is still some disparity between the prices posted and those actually paid. Running after mandates and coming up with approximate estimates, which only result in a chronic waste of time and energy, are a disservice to the sellers. Real estate is a profession. It’s up to its representatives to clarify and justify their aguments. Especially as the intrinsic attributes of Pézenas - starting with its excellent road network, proximity to the sea and mountains, and its rich array of shops and associations - all point to a rosy future. “In order to correlate the prices posted and improve overall service, 11 agencies in the locality are joining forces,” says Philippe Bariant.