Luxury properties in Mougins
The “garden city” on the hills behind Cannes owes its nickname to its landscaped territory, largely devoted to the construction of private villas. According to statistics recorded in 1999, 62 % of dwellings here are houses rather than apartments. Furthermore, this village with its 19,910 inhabitants is clearly focused on prestige.
Six km from the Mediterranean, north of the Festival City and Le Cannet, and south of Grasse, this luxuriant suburb of Cannes plays host to 18 % of Sophia-Antipolis. The landscape is dotted with green oaks, pines and cypress trees. Since the second half of the 20th century, Mougins has been a favourite excursion among tourists. Its historic centre, a very picturesque hill-top village, is home to a score of art galleries and renowned restaurants, while the 12.5-acre Etang de Fontmerle and the forest park of La Valmasque, 1,055 acres, provide a huge outdoor playground. Within seven years, the population has increased by 22 %. And life is made easy for residents with four clinics, four crèches, six primary schools and two colleges, along with numerous shops.
“The excellent image of Mougins is the result of good communication with the outside world. Benfitting from rare proximity, the town is both the exclusive suburb of Cannes and the gateway to the hinterland,” say Maria-Anna Burger, co-founder of the Burger Sotheby’s International Realty group, and its manager, Jean-François Favelier. In addition, the address stands out for its high level of amenities. The Country Club Cannes Mougins and Royal Mougins golf-courses are its standard bearers, together with its gated and guarded estates, including Les Parcs de Mougins, Le Domaine de la Chapelle and Le Parc Saint-Martin. Highly appreciated by foreign clients, the “estate” label is a guarantee of security and community life, a reassuring concept borrowed from a principle widely-known internationally. Quiet residential neighbourhoods with views of the village and glimpses of the Med, Le Redon, Notre-Dame-de-Vie and even the immediate surroundings of the old village, are also highly-prized as long as they do not suffer from noise. The luxury category starts at 2.5 to 3.5 million euros, the budget required for a house of 300 m2 in grounds of 1,500-3,000 m2 on a private estate, and rises to 20 million euros, which will bring a villa of over 700 m2 in several acres of grounds in the sought-after neighbourhood of Le Redon, for example. Of the last five transactions handled by the prestigious agency in Mougins, three left
their files at prices between 4.5 and 10 million euros.
“Even at the market’s low ebb, the area is in constant demand. Any slowdown in activity is due more to a shortage of properties meeting the expectations of buyers accustomed to applying international criteria.” Alexandra Merz of the L&F agency has to work hard to offer potential clients ten properties in line with their requirements in the 5-10 million euro bracket. “At 10,000-12,000 €/m2, the buyer should be able to expect top-notch appointments. Yet he often comes up against the reality of a very different market. Properties that are ready to move in and offer all the latest amenities sell without delay. The same goes for those with sea views, flat grounds and generous living space - 450 m2 at least in over 7,000 m2 of grounds.” Originally targetted for holiday homes, Mougins is now mostly of interest for year-round living. It is without doubt one of the towns in the Alpes-Maritimes that has experienced the fastest rise in population over recent years. A fact that reflects the quality of life. Until 2008, British and Scandinavian buyers topped the list. Since 2009, they have made way for the French, Swiss, Belgian and Lebanese, even new customers including Indians, South Africans or Chinese. East Europeans prefer the coast, though the recent opening of the Russian section at the CIV (International School in Valbonne) has drawn some interest.
“Some clients looking for spaciousness and tranquillity try out the idea of a Provençal retreat, so near and yet so far from the bustle of Cannes,” adds Scarlett Rac of the John Taylor agency. Such a property of 600 m2 on about 7.5 acres of land is apparently subject to contract, for a little over 5 million euros. As for this agency, it recently handled the sale of a villa of 300 m2, plus a guest-house, in grounds of 5,000 m2 near Saint-Barthélémy, acquired for a similar amount by a Franco-Russian couple as their main residence. In the same price bracket, a residence of 600 m2 with 7,000 m2 of grounds over towards Pibonson is about to become the home of a family from Northern Europe. Monsieur will be making business trips back and forth while the children complete their schooling at the Mougins School. If we set the minimum price of “luxury” at 2.5 million euros, it accounts for 80 % of the sales orchestrated by John Taylor in Mougins. Even though personal enjoyment and “love at first sight” are essential in the decision-making process, they are nevertheless less important than the property’s potential for appreciation over the long term.
By Laetitia Rossi
