SAINT-TROPEZ, fever still rising

This little Provencal town (5,400 permanent inhabitants and 5.3 million visitors a year) is still the favourite holiday place for large families and high-powered businessmen who like to stay inside closed circles.

“Whether it is for family reasons or for people who want to party, there is a dreadful lack of properties”, says Sophie Callu-Mérite of the A.B Sea Immobilier agency. There is almost no more building land and in the case of resale, “despite the prospect of capital gains, owners are holding back from selling since they won’t be able to find anything to replace it,” she adds.

When they do take a decision, “they set very high prices, but these are justified since they aren’t in a hurry. Good for them, as prospective purchasers end up by joining the queue because they can’t find anything else”, analyses François Michel.

But be careful! This only concerns the really outstanding properties. In the much sought-after Sainte-Anne, Capon, Canebiers, Salins, and Tahiti neighbourhoods, as in the gated estates such as the “Parcs de Saint-Tropez”, the entry ticket can be selective: “for houses of 200 sq. m. you need to think in terms of €3 to 3.5 million,” warns Sophie Callu- Mérite.

For the next bracket up, you need to budget for “€3 to 10 million.” The even rarer (yet sought after) “sea views” do not sell for less than ten million euros. And seaside properties easily leap to anything from €25 to 30 million.

SAINT-TROPEZ, fever still rising, Luxury real estate in best places of France

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