Prestige real estate: the Auvergne castles trend
In the Puy-de-Dôme, “there are few châteaux for sale but they sell well”.Whether perched, hidden, on the edge of a forest or close to the center of town, Auvergne castles, sturdy and unalterable witnesses to our past, are incredibly rich.
There may be fewer châteaux for sale in the Puy-de-Dôme than in the Allier. But the real estate business for fine residences is doing rather well. Proof that the sale of prestige properties is going
well in the Puy-de-Dôme, there are several specialist agencies operating in this niche market. In fact, the sector is very much alive and kicking: some agencies are still starting up, while others have been around for a very long time.
For example, Pierre Chassaigne, former managing director of the Mercure Forbes Global Properties group, has a wealth of experience in this field. At 82, he has no intention of talking about retirement: “I’ve been selling exceptional properties since 1980, and it’s a sector that’s always done well. In the Puy-de-Dôme region, I’ve sold several châteaux. Generally, from the medieval period. There aren’t many for sale, but they sell well. And since the Unesco listing and the Covid crisis, there’s more and more demand. There’s even been an upsurge in foreign buyers.
Just look at the various specialized websites and you’ll see that offers are indeed quite limited. On the other hand, the département does have a fine catalog of exceptional residences. For us, exceptional properties start at 800,000 euros,” confides another agent. It’s an internal rule at our company, and the amount can vary slightly from one agency to another. With this amount, the offer is very varied. It could be a superb apartment in the heights of Chamalières, with a beautiful terrace. Or a huge property transformed into a gîte in the Sancy. For this to work, you need a story, beauty, and authenticity. Auvergne castles have a bright future ahead of them.
