The many facets of the Luberon
Professionals in the field give their opinions.
Rich and varied, this nature park is the perfect example of a return to basics and a search for a quality life-style - two themes that are currently very popular. Professionals in the field give their opinions.
Top end of the market
In the Luberon, this means private homes at Lourmarin, Gordes, Ménerbes and Bonnieux, and budgets above 1 million €. Sylvain Lenoir of the agency Provence Secrète goes into details.
Three criteria are required to deserve the label “top end of the market” : a garden with a pool, a sweeping view and proximity to a village. Provençal “mas” draw two types of buyers : the first wanting to renovate, the second seeking a fully operational home. The first pays 1,150,000 € for 740 m2 in grounds of approx. 40 acres and spends almost as much again on refurbishment. The second pays 1,775,500 € for 475 m2 in perfect condition with 9.5 acres of grounds at Bonnieux. Village houses in the “Petit Luberon” (a triangle formed by Gordes, Ménerbes and Bonnieux) cost on average from 800,000 € to 1.5 million € and meet with growing success. A phenomenon explained by lower maintenance costs than at Lourmarin and a feeling of security, two factors appreciated by foreign clients looking for holiday homes. In this category, one also finds a few exceptions such as a property of 1,100 m2 in 5 acres of grounds, at the entrance to Gordes, at 5 million €. Most properties need restoring or at least a lick of paint, and contemporary design is winning out over the Provençal style. After the 1.2 million € barrier, the French only account for 15 to 20 % of buyers versus 80 % of north Europeans. The market tends to “wait and see” and functions more in cycles. At prices under 2 million €, it remains, however, active. Above that level, it’s harder to convince the clientele. And in this area, sellers tend to over-value : properties put up for sale four years ago, for example, are finding buyers today. And the future of estate agencies lies in networks : Provence Secrète, for instance, shares its property portfolio with Janssens and other agencies under the banner “Châteaux & Co”.
From Reillanne to Banon
The media rave about the southern Luberon, Lourmarin and the “Golden Triangle” headed by Gordes. Less familiar, the north has a wilder feel and lower prices. Further details from Hélène Estournel of Accueil Luberon.
Hill-top villages in this part of the Luberon are 20 minutes from Manosque, between Apt and Forcalquier. Prices have doubled over the past 5 years, but are still cheaper than elsewhere in the regional park. The village of Vachères, facing due south, has very few shops. Banon is like a medieval bourg with typical boutiques. Reillanne clusters round its church tower, facing south. Old stone farms cost from 400,000 € (300 m2 requiring renovation in 15 acres of land) to 1 million € (300-600 m2 in perfect condition + about 57 acres). The Belgians, English and Dutch love these properties as holiday homes, then as their main residence or even to run as guest-houses. These clients, plus Parisians and buyers from Lyon, are also drawn by smaller “mas”. 100 m2 in grounds of 2,000 m2 with pool and views of the Luberon, the valley of Forcalquier and the Sainte-Victoire mountain sells for 390,000 €. Locals spend 210,000 € for a village house of 90 m2 with a garden of 100 m2. At Lauris, a new home of 77 m2 with a garden of 600 m2 costs 216,000 € while the same living space in an older building with a smaller garden costs 276,000 €. There’s no lack of choice and, for the past 6 months, demand has slackened off. As for the future, the northern part of the Luberon still offers solutions for those who can’t afford the south or the famous “triangle”.
The region around forcalquier
A real magnet for fans of nature and authenticity, this area draws an atypical clientele to its olive-groves, lavender fields and wide open spaces. Described by Sybil Elisabeth Gosselin of SEG Provence Company.
Banon, Saint-Etienne-les-Orgues, Cruis, Lardiers, Ongles, Limans, Mane, Dauphin, Saint-Maine… all in the region around Forcalquier to the far east of the Luberon. This town which had 12,600 inhabitants in the 16th century is now home to 4,600. Its tale is well-known : the Count of Provence had four daughters ; the two eldest married Saint-Louis and the King of England, the two youngest, their brothers. Today, its eclectic clientele is especially fond of its many cultural events and the 1000 year-old market on Mondays. French people nearing retirement fall beneath its charm. Foreigners, often more wealthy, follow their cue. Some try to run guest-houses. Others regret that the market no longer offers openings for locals looking for first acquisitions. Sellers often tend to over-price : the last excuse, ITER (an international research project a 35-minute drive away), is quite unfounded. ITER employees prefer the Valley of the Durance or Aix-en-Provence. Here, people get on well together and enjoy the town’s simple way of life. Occupied equally by main residences and holiday homes, the site offers village houses, “mas”, noble country houses and large agricultural estates. Prices are slightly higher than at Reillanne. Examples include 90,000 € for an apartment of 35 m2 facing the Lure mountain ; 205,000 € for 160 m2 in a small town ; and 2.2 million € for 600 m2 (400 renovated) with 875 acres of land.
The fine art of renovation
Despite high prices, homes in the Luberon don’t always meet expectations. So some clients buy what’s on offer and do it up to suit their taste. Rudi Janssens of Janssens Immobilier explains.
With an authentic base and local craftsmen, these Belgians and English, real fans of this activity, pursue their dream to its end. Two trends are visible : a taste for rustic houses and a penchant for contemporary styles with airy, open-plan spaces. Properties requiring renovation differ in each area. The “Petit Luberon”, or Golden Triangle, reserved for fruit-growing, offers small farms with modest outbuldings (300 m2 in all) on 5 to 7.5 acres of land. The “Grand Luberon”, known for its wheat fields, proposes larger properties (800 m2) with 25 acres of land. Prices range from 600,000 to 1.5 million ?. Renovation can cost as much as the initial purchase. High-quality restoration means spending 1,500-2,000 ? per m2, hence the high prices of properties ready to move in. Such projects are less and less speculative : they are investments for personal pleasure. Furthermore, the market above 2 million ? has slowed down over the past 6 months. Even if budgets coincide over the long term, the market for houses needing refurbishment is still the more active. Places in demand include Bonnieux, Lacoste and Ménerbes, farming villages and the northern Luberon, which is 20 % cheaper. The south, subject to strong demographic pressure, offers fewer possibilities.
