Top-of-the-range properties in Bordeaux

A city becoming ever more attractive with numerous classy and residential neighbourhoods, Bordeaux proposes a high-end real-estate market both stable and varied. Focus on its different areas, types of properties, prices and buyers…

Neg­otiators for Grisel Immobilier, a family group founded in 1945 with four agencies in the Gironde (Bordeaux, Libourne, Arcachon and Lège-Cap-Ferret), Valérie Perault and Maïté Chustrac estimate that the upper end of the market in Bordeaux starts from 800,000 €. “That’s the minimum one can expect to pay for a beautiful classy apartment in the “Pearl of Aquitaine”. For an enviable house, you will pay at least 1 million euros, or about 1.2 million for a substantial stone house in excellent condition, benefiting from a prime location. As for the most luxurious mansions and chartreuses, they range from 1.5 to 2 million euros.” Often steeped in history, these properties (usually 18th or 19th century) are inevitably more widespread and coveted in the city’s most elegant neighbourhoods : “The “Golden Triangle” (ie. hyper-centre), Jardin Public, Saint-Seurin, Croix Blanche, and Saint-Genès, where one can find pretty “échoppes”. Not forgetting Caudéran, a highly residential area boasting lovely chartreuses in vast grounds and a few remarkable houses designed by architects. We are currently offering, for example, such a property of 400 m2 with an indoor pool and high-quality contemporary appointments in 2,000 m2 of grounds, priced at 1,850,000 €”. In this prestige market where demand largely outstrips supply, prices naturally remain stable. “The clientele, usually looking for main homes, is mostly comprised of young company directors, including numerous Parisians and ex-pats, as well as a few foreigners.”

Chosen since 2006 to represent Sotheby’s International Realty in Bordeaux and Cap Ferret Pyla-sur-Mer, Anne-Valérie Colas-Deveze offers in her two agencies outstanding properties all over the Gironde. A member of a network of 700 agencies proposing a unique array of prestigious luxury properties in France and all over the world, this expert handles apartments and private mansions in Bordeaux, magnificent villas around the Bassin d’Arcachon, country houses and vineyard estates. “In Bordeaux, our sales correspond to those of Sotheby’s International Realty, ie. an average price of 1.3 million euros.” Following a relatively quiet start to 2014, “marked by a wait-and-see attitude”, the market in Bordeaux witnessed a real up-turn as of September : “Today, the gap between buyers and sellers has narrowed significantly. As proof, we have completed 13 sales in just three months”. By way of example, a private mansion of 500 m2 in need of complete renov­ation, priced at 2 million euros (4,000 € per sqm), a house of 230 m2 with a terrace near Jardin Public at over 4,200 € per sqm, an apartment of almost 170 m2 on the Quais at 7,700 € per sqm, and an apartment of approx. 210 m2 in the Golden Triangle, at over 8,700 € per sqm. “These sales involved a majority of buyers from Bordeaux and Paris, a few foreigners and some ex-pats.” Sotheby’s International Realty’s portolio also contains a beautiful apartment of almost 280 m2 on the Quais de la Garonne with old high-quality appointments, priced at 1,260,000 € (ie. 4,500 € per sqm), and a private mansion of about 400 m2 with a lovely garden and garage in the Tondu neighbourhood, on offer at 1,785,000 € (ie. 4,500 per sqm).

For Aymeric Sabatié-Garat, associate director of the Barnes agency in Bordeaux, “High-end properties are defined by their location - the most prestigious neighbourhoods being the Golden Triangle, definitely the most lively, Parc Bordelais, Jardin Public and Saint-Seurin -, and the appointments they propose : living space, the number of bedrooms, light and orientation, the floor, the quality of old features and any renovation undertaken...”. Representing in Bordeaux a group of international scope (active in France, London, Miami, New York, Saint-Barth, Moscow and Switzerland), a leader for luxury real-estate, his agency recently sold a private mansion of 300 m2 near the hyper-centre, priced at 4,700 € per sqm, a handsome apartment with terraces in Jardin Public, at 6,500 € per sqm, and an apartment of 80 m2 at the heart of the Golden Triangle at 7,000 € per sqm. “Prices can, however, soar to 9,000 € per sqm.” Other illustrations from this agency’s portfolio include a 2-bedroomed apartment of almost 100 m2 in Jardin Public benefiting from smart contemporary renovation, priced at 550,000 € (ie. about 5,500 € per sqm) and, in the centre, a bourgeois house of 400 m2, renovated throughout, with a garden of 300 m2, priced at 1,950,000 € (ie. 4,875 € per sqm). “Underpinned by the appeal of Bordeaux, the market for top-notch properties is seeing steady demand. Prices are even tending to rise in certain areas.” Aymeric Sabatié-Garat is mostly contacted by buyers of year-round homes, and 80 % of his clients are French.