The “Communauté du Pays d’Aix”
This territory in the Bouches-du-Rhône is made up of 34 communes, from La Roque d’Anthéron and Saint-Estève to the north, to Mimet and Peynier to the south, and from Coudoux to the west, to Puyloubier to the east. A total 361,836 inhabitants, one-third of whom live in Aix-en-Provence.
The “Pays d’Aix” contains five areas which are particularly lively. With 85,000 residents, the south (Vitrolles, Les Pennes-Mirabeau, Cabriès, Bouc-Bel-Air, Simiane-Collongue and Mimet) is under a lot of pressure in terms of population density, explained by its strategic position. The public authorities are constantly organizing and controlling its development, as well as traffic flows within this extremely busy sector. Le Val de Durance (Jouques, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, Pertuis, Peyrolles-en-Provence, Saint-Estèves-Janson, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, Venelles and La Roque d’Anthéron), home to 46,200 people, serves as a kind of junction, largely focusing on agriculture and tourism, between the metropolis formed by Aix-Marseille and the protected regions of the Luberon and Upper Provence. With 31,000 inhabitants, the chain of Les Côtes and La Trévaresse (Lambesc, Rognes, Saint-Cannat, Eguilles, Ventabren and Coudoux) constitutes a nerve-centre between Aix, known for its thermal spa and art, the region around Salon and the Étang de Berre. Agriculture is a flourishing activity in this locality, appreciated for its natural beauty. The upper Arc valley (Beaurecueil, Châteauneuf-le-Rouge, Fuveau, Peynier, Rousset, Puyloubier, Saint-Antonin-sur-Bayon, Trets and Meyreuil) is being treated to the creation of an industrial centre revolving around micro-electronics. Like all sites experiencing rapid growth, it is confronted by a gap between the current level of facilities and the real needs of some 31,000 residents. Then there is the centre, spread out around the Sainte-Victoire mountain and the town dear to Paul Cézanne. Aix-en-Provence is home to 138,000 people, including 40,000 students. One should be aware of the part it plays, at regional but also national level, in the fields of law and education. From 1999 to 2006, the number of residents in the communauty of the “Pays d’Aix” rose by 5.8 %. The address also draws 800,000 tourists per year, charmed by the Provençal landscapes, the authenticity of ancestral villages, the architectural heritage, the blend of culture, history and tradition. Fairs, markets and shows are colourful and well-attended attractions.*
Jean-Pierre Bec of the Bec Capron agency covers all of the periphery around Aix, with a preference for the north, “the compass-point drawing the strongest demand”. Puyricard is very popular, though Les Pinchinats benefit from a generous and luxuriant environment. The further one goes from Aix, the more space one obtains for the same amount of money. Ideal for holiday-makers and people working from home, this 17th-century property of 230 m2 with almost 6.2 acres of land in Lambesc, just 20 minutes from Aix, is on offer at 1,260,000 €. Then two of the most sought-after areas lie to the east : Le Tholonet and Saint-Marc-Jaumegarde enjoy magnificent views of the Sainte-Victoire mountain. Eguilles, to the west, is also very highly-prized. As soon as one leaves the first circle around Aix, heading for Ventabren, prices are slightly lower. By way of example, a peaceful property of 200 m2 in grounds of 3,000-4,000 m2 with a pool, costing 1 million euros in Ventabren, would fetch 1.2 million in Eguilles. Highly selective, Jean-Pierre Bec gives priority to homes of character, a commodity ranging from 1 to 2.5 million euros in the region around Aix, versus 1 to 6 million euros within its walls. A magnificently restored guest-house of 230 m2 at La Roque d’Anthéron, with grounds of 3,500 m2, is worth around 1,050,000 €. This type of property is shared out evenly between locals and buyers from outside the region, retirees or vacationers, mainly French, from the Lille-Paris-Lyon corridor. The French capital is 3 hours by TGV from the homeland of Emile Zola. People from the Parisian region appreciate the quality of life, the lovely, serene yet lively commune of “La Provence Verte”.
While demand is both steady and stable to the north, Valérie Viallon of the John Taylor agency notes a renewal of interest in the south. The international secondary school in Luynes plays a part in this new trend. People employed in Marseille are also interested in this part of the region. One has just bought a house of 200 m2 with 6.5 acres of land in Le Montaiguet for 1,145,000 €. As long as the location proves to be of good quality, the belt around Aix posts homogeneous prices. Geographic considerations have more of an impact of the buyer profile. Families of executives, sometimes of Anglo-Saxon origin, like high-class villas to the south, whereas fans of the countryside are looking for old stones in the area to the north. The popularity of Le Tholonet, a smart address to the east, remains intact. Prices really start to drop as from Châteauneuf-le-Rouge, a boundary equivalent to Ventabren, to the west, Bouc-Bel-Air to the south, and Venelles to the north. The average transaction in the “Pays aixois” is about 1.1 to 1.2 million euros. The market is healthy, even if it rouses less interest than the historic centre of Aix. It seems, however, that properties in need of restoration are somewhat penalized. Little by little, budgets are creeping up again. Buyers are demanding, better informed than in the past, and keen to obtain good value - and quality - for money.
“Most are looking for homes of 150-200 m2 in impeccable condition with grounds of at least 1,000 m2, without any noise or eyesores, and within a radius of 15 km around Cours Mirabeau, that’s to say, a 10-minute drive,” notes Martial Badia of Actus Immobilier. A house of 160 m2 with a garden of 1,000 m2 recently changed hands for 900,000 € after spending only 45 days in the agency’s window. Such properties are rare, and some clients agree to broaden their horizons. The Eguilles-Puyricard-Celony triangle has its fans. Members of the working population are concerned about accessibility to motorways, the TGV station and the heart of Aix, while seniors give priority to authenticity, tranquillity and public transport, without wanting to be too far from cultural life. A drive of over 20 minutes, and retirees refuse to even visit. The Belgians, Dutch and Germans fall for the charm of the region, and the appeal of the “Pays aubagnais”. Less expensive, the stronghold of Pagnol can nevertheless come close to 4,500 €/m2 over towards Roquevaire and Lascours. Beyond the famous symbolic barriers, individual houses range from 500,000 to 900,000 €. As a general rule, the south, characterized by a less dense concentration of desirable homes, is more affordable. One of the main effects of the crisis seems to have been a rise in the number of audacious offers, as much as 20 % below the prices posted. Despite this phenomenon, the market remains particularly active.
• Source : Communauté du Pays d’Aix
By Laetitia Rossi
