From Romulus to the present day
Aquitaine as a historical region unites five departments: Gironde, Landes, Atlantic Pyrenees, Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne.
The age of archaeological sites here is measured in tens of thousands of years: human ancestors settled in these places 400,000 years ago. It was here, in the Dordogne department, in the world-famous Cro-Magnon cave, the remains of prehistoric people were found.
The territory of Aquitaine changed hands for a long time: from the Gauls to the Romans (who gave the name to the region), after the collapse of the Roman Empire – to the Visigoths, Franks; the region was part of the Holy Roman Empire, the English Kingdom and, finally, in 1453 it was finally annexed to France.
For both soul and body...
First of all, Aquitaine is the sea and the sun. "The climate of the Bordeaux region can be compared with the southern Mediterranean," says Emma Geghis, co–founder of Europeenne de Negoce et de Conseil Invest. "There are up to 2,200 clear hours a year." However, thanks to the ocean, Aquitaine's climate is milder: there is more rain, and the summer sun is not as merciless as in the south. The natural conditions are ideal for agriculture in general and grape growing in particular: Aquitaine is a recognized center of viticulture and winemaking, so wealthy real estate buyers can purchase a wine estate with their own production.
The beaches of Aquitaine are worth a visit to the south-west of France. "Their endless straight strip is a real discovery: for the dazzling sunlight and high foamy waves, these places received the poetic name of the Silver Coast," says Roman Shendrikov, responsible for the development of Cosmopolite International Realty. "Here is a real paradise for sand and sea lovers, especially for surfers. Beaches, dunes and large lakes make the coast ideal for a break from the hustle and bustle of business centers."
However, the nature of Aquitaine is beautiful not only on the coast. The Landes department has the largest pine forest in Europe. In the Atlantic Pyrenees, visitors are dizzy with mountains and deep gorges. Mountain rivers are suitable for rafting and canoeing. You can just admire the peaks while walking along the Pyrenean Boulevard of the city of Po: in clear weather, 83 mountain peaks can be seen from here.
The pearl of Aquitaine is also considered to be the valley of the Dordogne River – one of the most fertile areas of France, which is also visited for examples of medieval church architecture, castles and fortress cities. "Even if France is not on this earth, the Dordogne will live as dreams live, feeding the souls of people," wrote the American writer Henry Miller.
History and modernity
One of the most famous resorts in Aquitaine is the city of Biarritz on the ocean coast. In the Middle Ages, it was a small fishing village, and then Emperor Napoleon III built the summer residence of the French monarchs here. Russian Russian nobility also became a favorite vacation spot in the 19th century. The old Orthodox Church, the Palace Casino and numerous other buildings with Russian history remained in memory of those times. Later, the Romanovs and many figures of Russian history and culture who left Russia after 1917 found refuge in Biarritz.
In the 50s of the XX century, American film director Peter Wirtel brought a surfboard from California and extremely surprised the locals with this device. The high ocean wave turned out to be extremely convenient, and today Biarritz has also become a "Mecca" for European fans of this sport: up to 150,000 people come here for the annual Surfing Festival. Another local attraction is the old whaling port, where everything is preserved as it was when whale hunting was the main occupation of the locals.
Today, Biarritz is a recognized stronghold of Belle Epoque, and its surroundings are full of chic shops with the best goods from all over Europe. There are five beautiful beaches during the day, and casinos and discos at night.
Bordeaux, which enjoys a reputation as the main wine region of France, produces more than 4,000 types of wines, many of which are renowned as the best in the world. The local cuisine is famous for its fat goose cooked with honey, chicken in a pot, dried meat, seasonings with hot red pepper, fish, oysters, cheeses... "In general, Aquitaine is the epitome of the art of living," sums up Jean–Luc Parre, representative of the company "Vinea Transaction" in Russia. "Its inhabitants are spoiled, they know how to use natural resources for their own purposes." Which, as they say, we wish you too…
Real estate market
Real estate in Aquitaine is noticeably cheaper than on the Cote d'Azur. "Prices are 20-25% lower here,– says Jean-Luc Parre. "It affects the fact that this region is not so hyped." But the price gap is closing very quickly. According to Roman Shendrikov, during the five pre-crisis years, the local market became one of the fastest growing in France: houses became more expensive by 12% annually! But this did not stop buyers either: the number of transactions in the secondary market grew by 8.7% per year: by 6.1% in the residential sector and by 11.3% in apartments. The efforts of the authorities played an important role in the growing popularity of the region – for example, in Bordeaux, the embankments were reconstructed and trams were launched. The launch of a high-speed railway line is planned for the next five years, after which the journey from Paris to Bordeaux will take only two hours.
The crisis, of course, has dealt a severe blow to the market. According to October data from the Association of French Real Estate Agents (FNAIM), on average in Aquitaine, real estate prices decreased by 4.4% in 12 months (to 1,819 euros per 1 sq. m.). "Housing has fallen in price both in Bordeaux and in the vicinity of the cities of Perigord and Cahors," notes Emma Geghis, "because the British investing in to the region for 20 years, they left it. The result is a greater number of properties on sale and a reduction in the number of buyers." Prices fell the most significantly (by 10.1% over the year), as stated in the FNAIM report, in Biarritz.
However, many experts hold the view that we should expect an early improvement in the situation and stabilization of prices. According to Roman Shendrikov, the average cost of housing in Biarritz is 3483 euros per 1 sq. m, in Po – 2680 euros, in Bordeaux – 2887 euros per 1 sq. m (prices in Po are traditionally about 10% lower than in Bordeaux).
Foreigners usually prefer to buy houses near the sea. For 510 000 euros, you can become the owner of a villa in the vicinity of Bordeaux: the area of a house with six rooms is 160 sq. m., the plot is 2250 sq. m. Villa in the Atlantic Pyrenees with an area of 240 sq. m. The apartment with an ocean view will cost 1.38 million euros. On a plot of 1.97 hectares there is a tennis court, a heated swimming pool, horse boxes. Ski resorts are two hours away.
In the minds of most Russians, France is a very expensive country, where only very wealthy people can afford real estate. But it should be remembered that France is more than the Cote d'Azur. In Aquitaine, an area with picturesque landscapes, rich history and a great reputation, even on the ocean there are offers at quite reasonable prices. Well, for those who want and can spend more impressive sums on a house abroad, there are also entire estates for 5-10 million euros on sale.
