A home in the South of France

A Mediterranean coastline of great natural beauty, a superb micro-climate and a sophisticated and cultured lifestyle: the international appeal of the South of France is well established. This is one of Europe’s prime holiday destinations with a gold-plated reputation, immortalised in works of art from Monet to Matisse and enjoyed for generations.

For modern-day property buyers, Cannes and St Tropez are two especially compelling locations on this coastline. Choosing the location that best fits your own lifestyle is the key to a successful purchase, says Jack Harris from Knight Frank’s international team.

“Cannes at the eastern end of the Riviera and St Tropez at the western end each have their own appeal,” says Harris. “And even within each of these two locations, buyers can find different areas with unique features, depending on whether you want to be in the buzz of the resort or to have more peace and privacy.”

There are, of course, many shared attributes. It’s the variety of locations and property styles, along with excellent connectivity and the lifestyle on offer, that makes the entire region a favourite. The Riviera has exceptional connectivity through Nice airport, the second busiest in France, with flights to major cities across the USA, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Both locations have superb beaches, true glitz and glamour, five-star cuisine and wonderful Natural Parks and the southern Alps within striking distance. The range of properties too is noteworthy. “There aren’t many markets where you find the choice of traditional bastides, a Belle Epoque apartment or an ultra-contemporary villa within a relatively small space,” points out Harris. “Traditional stone properties are generally found a little inland with more modern homes on the coast.”

Demand for homes along this coast has dramatically outstripped the number for sale in recent years, and while the situation is improving, it remains a notoriously opaque market, noteworthy for the number of off-market properties.  “In St Tropez alone, only 30-40% of our properties for sale are publicly listed, online for all to see,” says Harris. “That’s why it’s important that purchasers speak to us directly, so that we can fully unlock the market for them.”

Eager to learn more about the locations? Jack Harris provides a guide to the in-demand areas.

Cannes

“Cannes is truly international, attracting buyers from Asia, Europe, the USA and the Middle East,” says Harris. “The rental market is slightly more resilient and better established there than in St Tropez, helped by the year-round festivals and events held in Cannes, principally at the Palais des Festivals. During the key events, MIPIM or the Film Festival for example, Cannes simply does not have enough hotel rooms to meet demand.”

The city’s prime neighbourhoods, all with easy access to Nice airport, are:

The Croisette: It’s all eyes on the waterfront Croisette and the nearby Route d’Antibes, the epicentre of Cannes life. This hub includes the palm-fringed beach, designer shops and restaurants and bars and provides full immersion in the buzz of Cannes life. Here, two bedroom apartments typically start around €2.5 million.

Nine bedroom house for sale in La Californie, Cannes

St Tropez

“Sale prices on this western end of the Riviera have typically been more resilient because of the lack of stock and the finite amount of land on the St Tropez peninsula,” says Harris. “You get very little new build in St Tropez.”

That’s reflected in Knight Frank’s Prime International Residential Index, with the latest prices showing that prime prices in St Tropez outperformed those in Cannes over the last year. “Everyone wants a sea view, wherever they are looking along the South of France coast, to feel truly connected to the Mediterranean Sea, but if the biggest premiums for a sea view are without a doubt in St Tropez,” says Harris. “It is very rare to get the triple pleasure of gardens, sea views and access to the sea.”

The St Tropez peninsula, which takes in Gassin and Ramatuelle too, includes some iconic locations. In the town centre, leafy plane trees shading the boules players below set the scene in the Place des Lices while on Pampelonne Beach, Club 55, created originally in 1955 as a canteen for the film crew shooting “And God Created Women”, remains a celebrity-studded hang-out.

St Tropez Centre:  The heart of the town, close to the sleek yachts lined up in the marina and dominated by chic bars and pretty, low-level buildings, is the place to people watch. Expect to pay from €1 million for an apartment within an easy walk of the centre, with detached homes costing from €4 million upwards

La Banane: This is the city centre arc stretching from the Old Port towards Palm Beach and close to the Palais des Festivals. It’s a favourite with domestic and international purchasers looking either to be fully immersed in city life or, more often, looking to maximise rental yields. Expect to pay from €1 million to €2.5 million for two bedroom apartments.

La Californie: Ten to fifteen minutes by car from the beach, up in the hills with excellent wide sea views, La Californie is a leafy, calm and family-friendly neighbourhood. Most homes are large, detached villas with architecture ranging from Belle Epoque to contemporary, set in gardens that are generally on a slope. Prime prices are around €25-30,000 per square metre, putting detached villas with sea views at €5 million plus.

La Croix des Gardes: A popular neighbourhood to the west of Cannes Old Port, La Croix des Gardes is a noticeable departure from the buzz of the city centre. Instead, it attracts residents who want the authenticity and history of Cannes and appreciate the direct beach access, a long stretch without the buzzy bars along the Croisette heading west from Cannes towards Mandelieu. As in La Californie, you’ll find large villas with sea views, but most are older. Prices can reach €10 million plus, but smaller villas are closer to €4 million and prices, in general, are 15 to 20% below comparable homes in La Californie.

Nine bedroom villa for sale in St Tropez

Les Parcs: This is where you’ll find St Tropez’s largest price tags, anything from €10 million and upwards. It’s a gated estate, a secure, peaceful and sophisticated private club considered to be the jewel in St Tropez’s very illustrious crown, where some properties have private access to the water.

Ramatuelle: This is a destination for families, a charming medieval hilltop village overlooking vineyards and perched above the long stretch of Pampelonne Beach. Four to five bedroom homes with a garden and a short walk from the beach cost from €4.5 million upwards. Head inland among the vines, five to ten minutes’ drive from the sea, and the same price will buy a larger house with more land and a sea view. A sea view remains widely requested by buyers and, for many, is a non-negotiable aspect in the property they want.

Gassin: At the gateway to St Tropez, Gassin overlooks the Bay, and prime homes with sea views start from closer to €4 million. However, from here, residents will have to drive to the beach. If you really want a good sea view and proximity to the water, a home here can be almost half the price of a comparable one on Ramatuelle.

In conclusion, while many potential buyers are very specific about where they want to live, for those who are unsure, Harris suggests they ask themselves how they plan to use their home in the South of France.

“Do you want to explore, spending time at the markets and on the beaches,” he says. “Would you be content to sit by the pool at home or are you fanatical about the Mediterranean and planning to spend most of your time on the water? The South of France provides all these alternatives.”

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