Despite how often Provence is becoming a household name today, it is not always easy to understand its boundaries. Officially, it is a historical region in the south-east of France, now part of the Provence-Alpes-Cte d'Azur region with its capital in Marseille. However, this is not so much a geographical as a cultural and historical concept, especially since its outlines have changed over time.
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Today, Provence is considered to be a territory that includes the departments of Var, Bouches-du-Rhne and some areas of the neighboring departments, the Alpes de Haute Provence (Alpes of Haute Provence), as well as part of the territory of the Alpes-Maritime department around Grasse. If we talk about the real estate market, then Russian buyers who want to buy a "house in Provence" usually mean the location in the north of the Var department, in the Faience area, and the areas from Saint-Tropez to Aix-en-Provence.
Provence and its atmosphere
In the process of choosing an object and its specific location, people often wonder how the real Provence differs from the Cote d'Azur. First of all, it is characterized by a completely different atmosphere. Compared to the glamor and splendor of the Cte d'Azur, Provence is quieter and more unhurried. It is less urbanized and populated; there are practically no high-rise buildings, except in the largest cities in the region. But there is a large number of agricultural land, olive groves, lavender fields, vineyards. All this for many becomes decisive when buying.
Lifestyle
Provence, perhaps more than any other region, truly conveys the essence of France, at the same time it is very distinctive, because the way of life here creates a special general atmosphere. These regions are perfect both for families with children and for an active young population not geographically tied to a place of professional activity. The region will be liked both for recreation and for permanent residence, as well as for investments.
Provence life is about days surrounded by nature and charming centers of old towns and villages. There are excellent local restaurants, vineyards and farms, and local produce is always of excellent quality. Life in Provence proceeds in the old fashioned way, where neighbors know each other and generations of families have gone to the same school. In recent years, many people begin to appreciate this especially, which is why they so often move to those parts.
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The region has many nature reserve parks where you can go hiking and cycling, there are all kinds of green tourism, many valleys and mountain slopes, beautiful lakes with turquoise water, beautiful views, breathtaking, and lots of sun. Moreover, if you need the latest achievements of civilization or want to plunge into the Mediterranean Sea, you can always get to them within an hour by car.
Transport accessibility of Provence
The nearest airports in Provence are Marseille and Nice, usually 1-2 hours drive to them, depending on the specific location of the facility. The rail service works great as the line runs along the coast, there are train stations in all coastal cities, and trains run frequently. Buses also work well here, thanks to the well-developed network of municipal and departmental levels.
Prices
The key difference from the French Riviera is, of course, lower property prices. Undoubtedly, there are many properties in the region that, in terms of luxury, prestige and prices, compete with the best real estate in the Cote d'Azur, but, in general, the market is still quite affordable. Apartments in chamber residential complexes (residences) in small towns in Provence can be found at prices ranging from 3000-4000 euros per square meter. A house with 4 bedrooms and a garden is quite realistic to pick up in a budget of up to 500,000 euros.
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Provence and pandemic
However, due to the pandemic and its new realities, such as remote work and the closure of entertainment venues, prices in the region are growing significantly and real estate is being sold very quickly. Especially when it comes to small houses, for which today agencies have drawn up waiting lists for clients who want to move from large cities to nature and have their own private territory. It is very interesting for today's investors in Provence to buy new buildings. Unlike the Cte d'Azur, where development is carried out in a dotted manner and new houses cannot boast of a large adjacent territory, building plots in Provence are larger in size, and the urban planning plan, which requires new projects to fit into the surrounding landscape, implies that the houses will be surrounded by greenery. This characteristic is again in favor of Provence when compared with the Cote d'Azur. A good one-bedroom apartment in a project under construction can be found here for around 200,000 euros.
Interesting places
In addition to the well-known Marseille and Nice (which, of course, is most often associated only with the Cote d'Azur, although the city is also part of Provence), when choosing an object for buying real estate, it makes sense to get acquainted with the most picturesque corners of the region and, perhaps, look for a house or an apartment nearby ... Faience and the surrounding towns are very beautiful, you can also take a closer look at the surroundings of the Verdon Gorge, which is incredibly picturesque. Other charming spots include Draguignan, Lake of the Holy Cross with incredible lavender fields), the towns of Ops, Saint-Maximin-La-Sainte-Baume (pilgrimage site), and places around Toulon and Aix-en-Provence.
Thank you for your help in preparing the material:
Elena Shibeko, Managing Partner of Immoconcep
