Chiberta and Bassussary
At the gateway to the centre of Biarritz, these two luxuriant addresses benefit from an outstanding natural setting marked by the presence of a golf-course. Underpinned by high-quality properties, these residential areas are drawing a growing number of buyers fond of peacefulness and nature.
Nestling in the midst of well-preserved nature and enjoying total peace and quiet, the golf-course areas in Chiberta and Bassussarry provide residential neighbourhoods with lots of assets : “They are both residential areas with high potential, offering living conditions of self-evident quality. Natural greenery, quietness and a protected environment, all characteristics which attract home-buyers and fans of golf,” says Didier Lepinoux, sales agent for the Bliss & Foch agency. “For these two communes, the golf-courses represent a weighty argument. Only five minutes from Biarritz, Chiberta is an uppercrust area edged by pinewoods and beaches, which really has the wind in its sails. Houses here are modern, with most construction beginning in the 1980’s followed by extensive development in the years 2000. Chiberta posts high prices and draws a considerable number of well-off clients, including active young retirees with high purchasing power. Ten minutes from Biarritz but close to Bayonne, Bassussarry appeals more to young memers of the working population, who can afford charming houses here at competitive prices. Both Chiberta and Bassussarry offer very lovely quiet properties benefiting from sizeable grounds.”
The distance from Biarritz has an effect on prices, especially in Bassussarry, the more accessible commune, which has many local residents living here year-round, whereas Chiberta has more holiday residences and prices which are close to those posted in Biarritz. Benoit Verdet, director of the Garcin Côte Basque agency explains : “Just like Anglet, Chiberta is a market comprised of high-end, year-round and holiday homes which appeal to a rather young, active clientele drawn by the proximity of the beaches, golf-course and tennis clubs. Chiberta offers a sporty, contemporary life-style. Even though it is a relatively expensive neighbourhood, there is still an even balance between supply and demand. Most of the properties are in the 1.5 to 2 million euro bracket, though prices can easily soar to 5 million euros for homes benefiting from privileged locations with views of the greens or the ocean. Bassussarry offers much more affordable prices, ranging on average from 500,000 to 1 million euros for houses with gardens. It is a strategic and easily accessible location when compared to other towns on the Basque Coast. Due to its closeness to Bayonne, Bassussarry has a significant local clientele living here year-round : there are more permanent homes here than in Chiberta. The Bassussarry golf-course is increasingly attractive, and the village is very lively. It is a commune showing intelligent development based on its natural assets”.
Two addresses, two golf-courses, two different atmospheres : the Chiberta vs. Bassussarry contest is also played out in terms of their properties’ architecture, again offering differences as pointed out by Julie Lamboley of Ateliers Lofts & Associés. “In Chiberta, buyers are drawn by contemporary villas. The PLU here authorizes modern construction : cubic houses, flat roofs, wooden or concrete façades… There is an interesting architectural diversity in this neighbourhood, which sticks as closely as possible to today’s art of living. The holiday atmosphere which reigns here appeals to buyers looking for second residences : it is also a resort highly-prized by foreigners who really appreciate its life-style. In Bassussarry, constraints resulting from urban planning are more strict than in Chiberta. Houses here do not share the same features : they mostly give priority to the neo-Basque style, though one can find contemporary homes designed by architects, like one we are currently proposing for sale. Like Biarritz, Bassussarry is a more conservative commune, though its properties benefit from much larger grounds and fabulous views of the forest and mountains.”
