French Property Watch: August 2019
Main centre: Bordeaux Departments: Dordogne (24), Gironde (33), Landes (40), Lot-et-Garonne (47), Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) Main cities and Towns: Périgueux, Bergerac, Nontron, Sarlat-la-Canéda, Arcachon, Blaye, Langon, Lesparre-Médoc, Libourne, Mont-de-Marsan, Dax, Agen, Marmande, Nérac, Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Pau, Bayonne, Oloron-Sainte-Marie
Given its stunning scenery, easy-to-enjoy weather, great food and wine, and historic buildings, it is easy to see why Aquitaine – now making up a sizeable part of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the largest of France’s regions and an area about the size of Austria – is so popular.
Boasting a variety of landscapes, from the rolling Bordeaux vineyards to the Pyrenees mountains, the utterly charming Dordogne valley, or the picturesque Pays Basque, this is a magnificent – and easy to reach – part of France.
Its vineyards produce world-renowned wines, its farmers supply everything from potatoes to strawberries and kiwi fruit, while the region is also at the forefront of aviation, digital and tourism industries.
Temperatures generally range from 3C in January to 27C in July, though highs of more than 40C have been recorded.
Property prices are rocketing in Bordeaux, with figures from the Notaires de France showing prices for a typical older property now at more than €328,800 – a near-8% year-on-year rise. Older apartments in the Unesco-recognised city are even more sought-after, with prices jumping nearly 6% in the past year to break through the €4,170/m² barrier.
Further down the coast, in Bayonne, a similar property costs about €200,000. Inland, in Pau, for example, it would set buyers back in the region of €187,750 – while in Agen you could expect to pay €175,000.
