Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a dream address
Radia Amar - 22 November 2016
Near the border with Spain, stretching along a shoreline 7.5 km long, Saint-Jean-de-Luz is known for its superb bay, charming architecture and its historic centre, dating back to the 16th century. Owning a home here is the dream of many French buyers.
The reputation of this seaside resort with 14,500 residents goes back to the late 19th century. Previously, the town had been nicknamed “the vipers’ nest” by the English, as fierce Basque fishermen who had become pirates populated its coastline and narrow streets. Even today, some streets still bear their names. One of the most famous is probably Johannès de Suhigaraychipi, known as “Coursic”. Legend has it that he seized over a hundred ships, singlehanded ! Other pirates and ship-builders have left their mark on the history of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, including Chibau, Hayet, Saint-Martin, Cépé… Engraved on a commemorative plaque and certain street signs, their names recall the town’s turbulent past. Conducive to fantasies, these old sagas confer a very special aura on Saint-Jean’s historic centre.
“Apartments here are being taken by storm,” says Christophe Passieux, manager of the Agence Laforêt for the past three years. “Many buyers are prepared to pay the top end of market prices in order to acquire a charming pied-à-terre here.” These properties of character in typical buildings and old shipbuilder’s houses dot the pedestrian streets, not far from the beach, attracting a good number of French retirees, a few English clients, and active senior executives looking for unusual holiday homes. “On the seafront, prices for apartments range from 8,000 to 10,000 € per sq. metre. Further back from the beaches, they fall to around 4,000-4,500 € per sqm.” Christophe Passieux mentions one example of 70 m2 offering a sea view, which found a taker at 400,000 €. Another apartment of 60 m2, without a view, just sold for 280,000 €. “Demand is constant. Confronted by very limited offerings, some buyers wait patiently for years, hoping that the property of their dreams will become available on Rue Mazarin or Boulevard Thiers...”
What about houses ? “Always in demand, the market for houses in Saint-Jean continues to suffer from a wide gap between demand and supply,” says Pierre Deglaire, manager of the Coldwell Banker agency. “This summer was excellent in terms of on-site enquiries, until the end of September. We have also handled quite a few sales and are thus seeing a constantly falling stock of available properties. Very few houses are appearing on the market.” Neighbouring communes are thus feeling the benefit : these pleasant fall-back markets are now considered with enthusiasm by many clients, even those with the heftiest bugets. “Our latest sales in Ascain and Ahetze (both a few minutes from Saint-Jean-de-Luz) involved houses ranging from 750,000 to 3 million euros. With a budget of several million euros, buyers can quickly set their sights on properties boasting top-notch appointments and extensive grounds. These two communes offer houses at prices ranging from 3,500 to 5,000 € per sqm.” By comparison, on the periphery of the centre of Saint-Jean, houses in good condition start from 4,000 € per sqm. A town house close to the centre, without a view, will cost from 7,000 € per sqm. If it enjoys a view, it will be pegged from 10,000 to 12,000 € per sqm, depending on its condition and appointments.