Southern Luberon : a shortage of properties
Situated to the extreme south-east of the Vaucluse, this area hosts 22 little towns shared out between Les Portes du Luberon, the “community of communes” of Luberon-Durance and Le Pays d’Aix, where one finds Pertuis. This address offers all the services and facilities of a town with over 20,000 residents, while La Tour d’Aigues and its surrounding region meet the requirements of both locals and owners of holiday homes - who also fall for the charm of Lourmarin, the most select address in the region.
Localities within the Regional Nature Park stretching from the Luberon to the plain of the Durance are home to some 53,000 people year round, and also attract many tourists. The Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône and the Var mark the boundaries of this area. Lying at the intersection of the main roads Aix-Forcalquier and Manosque-Cavaillon, Pertuis has 20,300 inhabitants and all the necessary infrastructures for everyday life. But it is Lourmarin, a tourist attraction “par excellence”, which is the real standard-bearer of the southern part of the Luberon, while La Tour d’Aigues, surrounded by vineyards, stands out for its schools and good array of neighbourhood shops.
“The market has not regained the momentum we witnessed in 2006 and 2007, despite a portfolio of top-quality clients with high demands,” admit Sophie Cittadino and Christophe Chapelon of Michaël Zingraf Lourmarin. On the market for holiday homes, the group’s specialty, buyers mostly prepared to pay from 1 to 2 million euros are looking for beautifully renovated stone “mas”, quiet rural surroundings and sweeping views. Following the very profitable sale of an apartment in London, a French couple recently paid 860,000 € for a property of 300 m2 accompanied by several outbuildings with high development potential, on about 7.5 acres of land with olive- and fruit-trees. A Belgian client is currently interested in restoring a property of 550 m2 on almost 20 acres in an agricultural zone at the foot of the Luberon, priced at 1.6 million euros. Intending to use it initially as a holiday residence, he is also considering moving in permanently when he retires.
“The scarcity of quality properties in Lourmarin, Ansouis and Cucuron, certainly the most popular villages in the area, poses a real problem, especially as demand is both steady and serious,” notes Rudi Janssens of Janssens Immobilier. Ideally located, 30 minutes from Aix-en-Provence and 50 minutes from Avignon, Lourmarin offers shops which open year round and a rich cultural agenda. The home of Albert Camus and his castle, which hosts concerts, exhibitions and art workshops, are real attractions for this region brought into the limelight by Peter Mayle, author of “A Year in Provence”. Just as easily accessible, the hill-top village of Ansouis has retained all its charm and character. Very quiet, it also boasts a castle which drew the attention of Pierre Cardin when it came up for sale. Protected from vast crowds of tourists, Cucuron is becoming highly-prized among potential buyers. The restaurant La Petite Maison has won a “macaron”, and the wine cooperative is particularly active. Turnkey homes are in demand, as many buyers recoil from the prospect of large-scale renovation. Right now, three farmhouses of over 500 m2, over towards Lourmarin, on offer from 1 to 1.5 million euros, are struggling to find takers. In terms of price and quality of construction, Lourmarin, Ansouis and Cucuron bear comparison with the “Golden Triangle” formed by Gordes, Bonnieux and Ménerbes, while Le Pays d’Aigues is closer to the Grand Luberon. Except for the fact, however, that the south is divided more evenly between main and second homes. For holiday homes, the area is also less expensive than Le Pays d’Aix whose “bastides” and lovely gardens are traditionally more sophisticated than the typical “mas”.
“One of the main assets proposed by Le Pays d’Aigues is its proximity to the Avignon TGV station, a 40-minute drive, and the Marseille-Marignane airport, 50 minutes away,” adds Marie-Christine Valette of the Agence Bonpré, who agrees with her colleague on the dual vocation of the site. Here, in fact, one finds local workers, retirees from all over France as well as foreigners, mostly from northern Europe. Naturally, investment levels differ from one group to another, the last two often prepared to invest over 500,000 €. By way of example, one client has just paid 650,000 € for a house of 190 m2 in grounds of 2,000 m2 with a pool, in a pretty hamlet built of stone, while first-time buyers content themselves with a choice of village houses priced from 150,000 to 230,000 €. “In Le Pays d’Aigues, less than a quarter of buyers are solely looking for holiday homes,” comments Marie-Christine Valette, pleased with the market’s steady progression. “A property with a certain stylishness starts here at 600,000 € and rarely exceeds one million euros, except for a few forays to two million euros and more.”
By Laetitia Rossi
