The hinterland in the Aude, a wealth of vocations

Le Minervois, Les Corbières and Le Carcassonnais offer extremely varied rural scenery. The first two regions are of interest to occasional residents and seniors in search of the sun, while the third also appeals to people working in the Prefecture. An overview…

Hillsides, plateaux and foothills characterize Le Minervois, a region steeped in tradition spanning the Hérault and the Aude. Dotted with low hills and crossed by the Canal du Midi, this wine-producing area comes up against the Montagne Noire to the north and the river to the south, the same one that separates it from Les Corbières. Borrowing its name from the goddess Minerva, its real centre is Olonzac, ranked among the ten most beautiful villages in France. Also known for its wine, the mountain range of Les Corbières, located between “départements” 11 and 66 from the lake of Leucate to Carcassonne, produces a famous honey with hints of rosemary. A distinction should be drawn between La Haute Corbière, the west, maritime and Catalan areas, all offering different climates. The land rises to an altitude of 1,231 metres and is frequently 500- 600 metres above sea level. Le Carcassonnais is composed of seven groups of communes and a group of urban areas, accommodating 112,670 inhabitants in all. The area is particularly convenient, served by the A61 to Toulouse and the A9 towards Perpignan and Spain on one side, Montpellier and Marseille on the other.

“Le Minervois, situated between Béziers and Narbonne, a 30-minute drive from the Mediterranean and 20 minutes from the ancient Gallo-Roman capital, benefits from good-quality roads. Autonomous harbours with their typical barges are dotted along the Canal du Midi, a navigable waterway which is part of UNESCO’s World Heritage,” explain Mr. and Mrs. Mondié of Must Propriétés, an agency specializing in medium and high-end properties in the Aude and Hérault. French retirees are looking for houses close to small towns, while Belgian, British, Dutch and Swiss clients prefer isolated spots and old stone buildings with character. A few Parisians are considering a change in life-style offered by the guest-house project, once again back in vogue. Accounting for no more than 10 % of buyers, the locals pay 300,000 to 400,000 € for villas situated 15 km at most from Narbonne. 90 % of buyers thus come from outside the region and pay about 500,000 € when the property is intended for their own personal enjoyment, a sum bringing living space of 300-400 m2 plus outbuildings, all opening out to a courtyard or a small garden within a village, or grounds of 1,000 m2 on the immediate outskirts. The 500,000 to 1 million euro bracket proposes solutions for fans of renovated vineyard estates, hamlets to be acquired in their entirety, or castles built in the 18th or 19th centuries. Closer to the international airport of Carcassonne which caters for the low-cost airline Ryanair, among others, Les Corbières appeal to the same type of clients as Le Minervois and propose pretty much the same type of product, though this rougher terrain also offers stone sheepfarms on a few acres of land, a product that is subject to stringent planning regulations.

Rosalie Blay of the Aud’Immo agency refuses to make comparisons. The upper part of Les Corbières is mountainous and green. The so-called eastern portion, around Lézignan, gives pride of place to vine-covered plains. The maritime area, as its name suggests, is close to the Deep Blue Sea and enjoys more of a Mediterranean climate. More than half of potential purchasers are searching for year-round homes. First-time buyers, very present on the market, target village houses of 60-80 m2 to renovate, without a garage or terrace, and priced around 60,000 €. Other clients, often from outside the region, invest in buildings of character, a commodity available from 350,000 to 400,000 €. Les Corbières offer three advantages : the quality of the air (there is, in fact, no industry here), low density (far below population figures in Le Minervois), and the light, much appreciated by many artists. During the crisis, the mass departure of the British upset the balance in the market. Even today, supply outstrips demand. Even if activity looks as if could get going again, the buyer is in a strong position. Another consequence of the financial crash : government measures favouring new developments have led to less interest in old properties. And the environmental issue has become a major concern. “Small localities in Le Pays Carcassonnais meet with great success as long as they provide the amenities required for everyday life, convenience stores and a school,” says Patricia Arias of Arias & Selme Immobilier. Unlike Le Minervois and Les Corbières, this area hosts residents on a year-round basis. A short distance from Carcassonne, the rural scenery is as varied as one could wish and the quality of life leaves no-one in any doubt. Among Patricia Arias’s most recent sales : a “pavillon” of 105 m2 in good condition with a garden of 900 m2 in Villalbe, acquired by a retiree for 190,000 €, and a stone house of 150 m2 awaiting refurbishment, extended by a garden of 350 m2 at the heart of Monze, and purchased by first-time buyers for 180,000 €. Most budgets range from 150,000 to 250,000 €. Compared with Narbonne and especially Montpellier, prices are still affordable and, over the past few months, the market has clearly begun to pick up.