FRENCH RIVIERA


FOR SALE €735k


Lac de Cassien A six-bedroom villa in the eastern Var with very private gardens and views over Fayence and Tourrettes. Lac de St Cassien is within 10 minutes, Cannes is 30 minutes away and Nice within an hour. Leggett Immobilier (0870 011 5151)


Buying a slice of Saint-Tropez


Saint-Tropez and the hinterland Whether you view it as Europe’s most illustrious playground or an over- crowded melée, Saint-Tropez has been consistently en vogue since the 1950s. That was when director Roger Vadim used the quiet fishing village as the backdrop for his latest film starring a little-known French actress. That starlet was Brigitte Bardot, the film was And God Created Woman and, between them, they made Saint- Tropez a global brand. Today, despite repeated rumblings


about standstill summer traffic and the proliferation of designer boutiques, Saint-Tropez continues to enthrall. The Place des Lices, shaded by mag- nificent plane trees and populated by elderly, round-shouldered boules play- ers, still charms and Club 55, the seafront restaurant on gorgeous Pampelonne Beach created in 1955 as a canteen for Vadim’s crew, remains the place to be seen. ‘Saint-Tropez offers a vibrancy and


vitality that you don’t find anywhere else on the Riviera,’ says Nic Brennan of Savills (020–7016 3740; www. savills.co.uk). ‘Yes, people moan about


recently, prices remain 20% more affordable than a year ago.’ The well-reported woes of the Euro


have been instrumental in persuad- ing buyers holding other currencies that this is a good time to spend. Mark Harvey of Knight Frank (020– 7861 1553; www.knightfrank.com) confirms that, compared to a year ago, demand has risen threefold for American buyers and is up 30% from British clients. ‘It’s evident that a weaker Euro has helped create a more compelling and attractive investment backdrop,’ says Mr Harvey. He continues: ‘Demand is growing


in Mougins, Valbonne and St Paul de Vence and is returning to locations such as La Garde-Freinet and the Var generally, which were badly affected over the past two years.’ These are the prime towns and vil-


Property prices in France’s iconic summer resort and along the Riviera are significantly more affordable than this time last year. Cathy Hawker investigates what’s for sale


how busy it is, but that buzz is the reason why they are there. Cap d’Antibes or St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat have similar property values, but are quieter. Buyers choose Saint-Tropez because they want to sit outside Café de Paris and have that view over the port.’ That unique atmosphere kept the


town at the top of its game last year, with several notable high-ticket sales, says Mr Brennan. It remains popular, but the high rollers spending multi- millions on statement homes have largely given way to a more tradi- tional core market. ‘So far this year, buyers are mainly


British and northern Europeans spend- ing between €750,000 and €3 million,’ Mr Brennan states. He highlights a refurbished two-bedroom apartment in Les Parcs de Saint-Tropez, a quiet gated community close to the town. For sale at €2.6 million, it has a sep- arate two-bedroom studio, a garage and a quiet communal pool and grounds. ‘British buyers are focused on value


and, for them, the favourable exchange rate has made a significant differ- ence,’ he adds. ‘Even with the slight softening of sterling against the Euro


34 Country Life International, Summer 2015 www.countrylife.co.uk/international


FOR SALE €995k


Cotignac A well-renovated 18th-century stone bastide with seven bedrooms, a pool, tennis court and six acres of land, inc- luding its own vineyard. Cotig- nac has been popular with artists since the 1960s and has thriving shops and a weekly market. Home Hunts (020– 8144 5501)


lages of the hinterland, the area behind the coast from Nice to Saint-Tropez and most lie within an hour of Nice airport. They offer traditional Prov- ençal homes and a compellingly French atmosphere along with more space, greater privacy and better value than along the coast.


East This best-of-both-worlds appeal explains the enduring desirability of the Valbonne area, including Opio, Roquefort-les-Pins, Châteauneuf de Grasse and Le Rouret, says Tim Swannie of Home Hunts (020–8144 5501; www.home-hunts.com). ‘These villages provide a rural lifestyle com- bined with easy access to the coast within 20 minutes. They have lovely restaurants, excellent local markets and the people are warm and friendly.’ In this region, expect to pay about


€1 million for a modern villa with three or possibly four bedrooms in a gated community with a communal


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