deux sèvres? Why lower property cost?

[Richard]

Hi All,

We're new to the forum, and have just started our research into possible areas to move.  We're reading everything we can so that we can make as informed decision as possible.  One question we have is about deux sèvres.  We've read in the French Property magazine and books that this area is considered to be one of the less expensive areas.  However, when compared to other areas in this region it appears to be considerably less expensive.

Why is that?   Would love to know what constitutes the lower property values?

Thanks in advance!

Richard

[pachapapa]

I live in the cheapest part of deux-chèvres, largely agricultural activities with emphasis on stock rearing, goats cheese, etc; the prices in the shops and estate agents reflect closely the purchasing power of the local population. However 40 kms to the south in a swathe from Celles sur Belle via Niort to the Marais Poitevin the prices are significantly higher.

The lowest property prices in deux-chèvres are found on the "radon belt" which runs through the "bocage" from north of Parthenay to Bressuire and beyond.

[woolybanana]

Yes, there ain't nothing there in the northern DS and the main towns are dying - just look at l'Absie, Bressuire, Parthenay, Thouars, all in a line and all full of empty factories and shops. Even the argiculture is poor because the land is not much good.

When I used to cross the area in the CC I found it so depressing.

The contrast with the Vendée is startling. Had they has dynamic less than socialist goverment they might have gone much further.

[NickP]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

Yes, there ain't nothing there in the northern DS.

 The contrast with the Vendée is startling. Had they has dynamic less than socialist goverment they might have gone much further.

[/quote]

Bit early on the xmas tipple wooly? [:D]

[woolybanana]

Well, the Vendée was the poorest of the poor 60 years ago but Philippe de Villiers has done miracles. Not that I like the man, but he has done an amazing job in bringing prosperity to the area.

Why did this not happen in Deux Sèvres? It has amazing potential IMNVHO

[mint]

I agree about the Deux Sevres.  When I was househunting, I was amazed that, generally speaking, properties in the northern 2 Sevres were about 15 to 20% less than the Charente Maritime where I am based.

I didn't particularly like the areas that Wooly has mentioned but I do like the southern 2 Sevres where properties are more or less on a par with the Charente.

In particular, I like the area where Frenchie lives and she might come on here to tell you about her area.  Contrary to Wooly's enthusiastic plug for the Vendée, I didn't particularly like the bits that I have seen.  Perhaps, I didn't want to live in a Banana Republic, so ignore that comment if you wish!

I do think south of Niort is best but that's just a personal opinion and I am not out to make myself a shedload of enemies!

[Théière]

I think Frenchie is hibernating until spring [Www]

[Frenchie]

Frenchie is snowbound this morning  ( 1 cm !! [:)] ), so here i am;

I'm on hols, so a bit more time on my hands..

je ne prêche pas pour ma paroisse ( French phrase), since I was born on the Côte d'azur, ( French riviera) , but I do like my part of Deux Sèvres.

I work in Niort and live 13 k south from it, in a countryside village not far from Beauvoir Sur Niort.

Peaceful, not too remote, nice neighbourhood, small roads to cycle, walk my dogs ; within 45 mn to the coast in summer, and in the winter, the joy of having a nice fireplace to stay close to.

Houses still have reasonable prices around here, IMHO .

Well, just my feeling about the area where I 've been for 25 years now ..

[woolybanana]

Yes, the southern bit of DS is not bad.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Yes, the southern bit of DS is not bad.[/quote]

Personally I find the calcareous geomorphology of the "Seuil de Poitou", deadly boring.

The Armorican morphology of the Gatine, particularly on the banks of the River Thouet, is much more interesting.

[IMG]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk244/pachapapa/Pachapapa%20Le%20Pont/Gourgebureau.gif[/IMG]

[sid]

Cheers Wooly! I live as far south as you can possibly get in D-S !!

[sid]

[quote user="pachapapa"]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Yes, the southern bit of DS is not bad.[/quote]

Personally I find the calcareous geomorphology of the "Seuil de Poitou", deadly boring.

The Armorican morphology of the Gatine, particularly on the banks of the River Thouet, is much more interesting.

[/quote]

Have you swallowed a geology textbook PPP? [:D] I have no idea what you're talking about. [blink] Is something changing shape...?

 

[woolybanana]

'e likes the rocks of the Thouet. 'e's rite uv cawse, 'tis luvly. Ah lakes eet 'n ah'd give it faive[;-)]

[mint]

And he doesn't like the threshold of the Charente region, as it were, because of the chalky soil.  I do know what he means, it's very poor soil, only good for growing vines![I]  Not much good for anything else......

Mind you, I am in sympathy with his feeling about this as the scenery can be a bit samey.

But your part is lovely, Sid, the cornfields and big skies are very nice and you have some nice towns into the bargain.

 

[woolybanana]

Welllll, yessssss, what else can one say![;-)]

[mint]

Now look, there's no need to be sarky, right?

[woolybanana]

T'wasn't that mi dear.

[Stan Streason]

I am tucked into the southeast corner of 79 only half a dozen miles from being in either 16 or 86.

Plus points.  Weather, relative cost, travel time from UK by both road and air, quiet, rural, not many tourists.

Minus points.  Not much variety of "things to do or see".  Certainly no cafe society (as few tourists).  Relative price brings quite a large expat community.

If you are active and looking at lots of things to do, the area could be better.  If you use the place to "chill" its brilliant.

[sid]

Agreed, Stan. 

I take a relaxed view of these comparisons "where we live is better than where you live". We visit other places and find nicer views (we don't have much of a view here, it's mainly flat, unlike our native Pennines, but I love that wide sky, as Sweet pointed out), and there are prettier villages, and some parts of Charente and Limousin, with the more rolling countryside for example, remind me of England, which can be comforting. On the other hand we didn't come to live in another England and the property prices suited us here, and heaven forbid that we get caught in a "keeping up with the Jones's" battle on the property scene. It suits us, but there are so many different nice places to live in France!

 

 

[andyh4]

In the end the rules governing house prices in DS or France as a whole are no different than in the UK; namely:

availability of finance

location.

 

If an area has low prices compared to neighbouring ones then it says something about the location.  In France this frequently means areas where the population is receeding as young people go elsewhere to find employment, lack of facilities (in part caused by reduced tax income due to a falling population) etc..

And no I am not getting at DS, much of the Ardèche falls into that category as well.  If this is what you are looking for, all well and good. 

[frexpt]

We decided on our part of Deux Sevres (close to St Maixent L'Ecole) after a lengthy search for a residence secondaire back in 2001.  Great for chill-out holidays and close enough to the western ports to allow welcome five-day breaks when we were working flat out in our own business.  We never intended retiring to France, but the past few years, we tended to spend longer spells here, as the trip was not quite so straightforward from the north-east of Scotland, as it had been from West Glos! 

In preparation for that retirement, we had even bought a nice rural plot of land an hour north of Lisbon and were looking forward to spending balmy summers and mild winters in what is a lovely area of Portugal.

However, having spent a little time in Deux Sevres last year with the aim of selling up to move on to Portugal, we realised what an excellent quality of life this area offers and generally how convenient everything is.  In a very short time, we had identified and bought a fine property for our retirement, not 10 kilometres from our original house.

Anybody interested in a plot of land in Portugal?  [:D]

[frexpt]

[quote user="frexpt"]

Anybody interested in a plot of land in Portugal?  [:D]

[/quote]

17°C today![6]

[mint]

But I understand that Portuguese is not that easy to learn if you are a Brit?  Sorry to throw a spanner in the works but I fully agree about what you say with regards to France.

OH always says that the problem with France is that the last place you visit is always the nicest!

We ourselves are moving only about an hour's drive away and, not only that, we are keeping our "old" house for the moment because  we have many friends here and the French neighbours are in tears because we are leaving.

[woolybanana]

Just can't make up your mind, eh Sweets?

[mint]

 So, it's not easy leaving a chateau including swans in the moat now, is it?[:D]