Luxury Property For Sale in The Alpilles​

The Alpilles is so beautiful and abundant that you may never feel the need to venture to the coast, but if you do, it’s an effortless trip away. Alpilles is a slightly south of Avignon, a beautiful and historic city that’s been well-preserved – plus, it’s close to one of the best wine regions in the world, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. You’ll also be adjacent to The Golden Triangle of the Luberon, a pretty area with charming, perched villages.

Alpilles property includes many mas-style farmhouses and traditional stone properties, a classic type of home in Provence (while mas-style homes are found throughout France’s rural areas, they’re especially representative of Provence). Local materials, such as limestone, stone and wood, were often used to build Alpilles homes. If you’d like to live on a lot of land, look for a farmhouse or equestrian property. There are also homes to buy that are right in the village, and many luxury homes have impressive pool areas.

Among the limestone hills are almond and olive groves, and you’ll have easy access to The Alpilles Regional Nature Park. While there, you can take it as easy or as challenging as you want, with activities ranging from strolls and horseback riding along marked trails to mountain biking and rock climbing. The park – and much of the rest of Alpilles – is a great place to spot wildlife, and you may want to take up birding, too.

Living in the Alpilles means being near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a picturesque commune with lush plane trees lining well-maintained boulevards. The pastel buildings and cobblestone streets are endearing on their own, but the community is even more appealing. Every week, join the rest of the town to shop at the market and bring home armfuls of produce, bread, cheese and olive oil.

Though you won’t be on the sea, you’ll certainly still be treated to Mediterranean weather, meaning there are around 300 days of sunshine every year. Temperatures tend to stay mild to warm, and on especially hot days, you can head up to a higher altitude for a bit of a reprieve. The fantastic weather and availability of adventurous and relaxing activities make the Alpilles a year-round destination.

The Marseille Provence Airport is one hour from Alpilles, which is helpful if you’ll be purchasing a holiday home and will have to travel back and forth a lot. Or, if you opt to purchase property here that you plan to rent out, visitors won’t have a long journey once they arrive. You can also head to the TGV station in Avignon to take a trip to Paris, which will transport you to the city in under three hours.

The Apilles offer prime inland real estate that’s beloved by A-listers and Hollywood VIPs, especially those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.

The most common property types in the Alpilles are Mediterranean farmhouses and traditional stone houses and villas. You’ll also be able to find some equestrian properties, which tend to have a lot of land.

Expect to find spacious, inviting homes in natural settings with the mountains as your backdrop. Property features often include heated infinity pools, summer kitchens, fitness rooms, tennis courts, terraces, guest houses, and plenty of parking. Natural light, open-plan kitchens, reception rooms and landscaped gardens are additional luxury amenities that you can search for when looking for an Alpilles property.

A house or villa in the Alpilles has an average price of approximately €14,000 per square metre, with costs ranging from €10,000 to €18,100 per square metre. Some exceptional properties, like those that are sold off-market, may be higher, costing around €19,600 per square metre or above.

In addition to the cost of the home, there are other financial considerations when buying property in France. For example, you may need to pay fees for the property agent, notary, land registration, lawyer, translator, and home loan. If you’re not going to pay for the home in cash, interest rates also need to be considered. Additionally, you’ll want to take advantage of favorable exchange rates, which may require hiring an expert who can advise you on when and how to exchange your funds.

One of the most appealing parts of owning property in the Alpilles is that this area isn’t as popular as other towns in southern France. You can have a peaceful, private life here without worrying about the type of abundant tourism that’s more common along the coast.

You can have the best of both worlds, too, as the Alpilles are close enough to the coast that you can make a trip there whenever you like. For other outdoor excursions, take advantage of birding, horseback riding, mountain biking, rock climbing and more, along with the sunny, mild weather of the region.

The Alpilles mountain range is just south of Avignon, which is a lovely, historic city, and it’s also near The Golden Triangle, another sought-after location for luxury real estate. You may opt to look for property near the Alpilles if you’re searching for a different kind of home or estate while remaining close enough to the mountains to take advantage of all they have to offer.

Avignon is known for having incredible vineyard properties with stunning villas and various outbuildings for extending work or living space. You’ll also find non-vineyard villas in Avignon, along with castle estates.

The Luberon, home to The Golden Triangle, has manor houses, renovated mills and 18th-century farmhouses available, and many of the properties here also have extensive land and various outbuildings.

There are no restrictions when it comes to expats buying property in the Alpilles. However, the buying process will likely be different from what you’re used to, and non-residents will have to provide additional income verification to qualify for a mortgage.

Here are the basic steps of buying property in France:

• After finding a property that suits your requirements and budget, you’ll make a formal offer in writing to the owner.
• If the owner accepts the offer, both parties will sign the Compromis de Vente, which is the initial contract. Note that while this document will include details of the home and the sale, those details may change by the time the deed is written.
• The deposit will be due around this time. Typically, the deposit will be 5% to 10% of the purchase price.
• Next, there’s a mandatory 10-day cooling-off period. This time period allows the buyer to change their mind about purchasing the property without losing their deposit.
• Following the cooling-off period, assuming you want to move forward with the purchase, is the conveyancing period, which can last for a few weeks. The notaire will prepare the final documents and arrange for various property inspections.
• Both parties will sign the deed, which is called the Acte de Vente.
• You’ll pay the balance due to become the official owner of your new home.

Working with a property agent can be a big help, as they’ll not just find you the property of your dreams, but they’ll also walk you through each step of the process until the home is officially yours.