Gironde property information: With the nice metropolis of Bordeaux at its coronary heart, the département of the Gironde is house to world well-known vineyards and wild dunes, lengthy sandy seashores and luxurious inexperienced countryside dotted with charming villages. Whether or not you’re in search of a chic city-centre residence, a stone cottage in a rural idyll, a seaside vacation retreat or a indifferent household house in a typical market city, you’ll discover it within the Gironde.
Mags Deniaud and her French husband moved from Yorkshire to the Gironde in 2003 in quest of a slower tempo of life, with extra time open air. Now an property agent with Leggett Immobilier, Mags explains why they have been drawn to this a part of southwest France.
“The realm round Bordeaux ticked a lot of containers for us, being near a vibrant metropolis with good transport hyperlinks and a global airport that operates all yr spherical,” she explains. “It’s additionally near the coast, with lovely landscapes of fairly villages and rolling vineyards, and there are year-round actions.
We needed a semi-rural way of life however with the choice of having the ability to go to eating places, take part native occasions and get to a metropolis simply. The Gironde remains to be very a lot an genuine French space, although it’s fashionable with different nationalities too. It’s a terrific place to settle and produce up kids, however it’s additionally a super location for a second house, with loads of actions and locations to go to.”
Bordeaux
Bordeaux sits on the centre of the Gironde, a photogenic metropolis that boasts 1,000,000 residents and over 350 historic monuments, lots of which have been restored and renovated over the previous twenty years. The close by airport and high-speed rail connections make this metropolis extremely accessible – you may get right here from Paris in simply two hours.
And regardless of its metropolitan grandeur, Bordeaux is surrounded by vineyards – the well-known Saint-Emilion space is only a few kilometres from the town – and lakes, together with the huge lac d’Hourtin-Carcans. Simply 55km from the coast, it’s simple to stability metropolis residing with outside actions. Understandably, it’s a gorgeous alternative for companies and the town is house to 80,000 college college students. A 150,000€ price range buys a central 22m² studio full with balcony, whereas 500,000€ would purchase a 2-bedroom home close to the parks or a spacious 3-bed duplex residence in a conventional stone constructing.
“Saint-André-de-Cubzac, north of Bordeaux can also be a terrific location,” says Mags. “It’s extra reasonably priced than central Bordeaux and is definitely commutable to the town due to the A10 motorway and an everyday, direct practice service in addition to quick access to park-and-ride trams.”
The Atlantic coast
In fact, one of many foremost points of interest of the Gironde is its 125 km of shoreline, together with the most important sand dune in Europe, the Dune du Pilat, rising to a powerful 106 metres. To the north, you’ll discover the lagoon-like waters of Arcachon Bay, sheltering a number of lovely seaside resorts comparable to Audenge and Lanton, providing seaside studio flats in purpose-built vacation complexes for round 150,000€.
Following the curve of the bay, you’ll attain the stylish resort of Cap Ferret, a slim peninsula of seashores and oyster farms that could be very fashionable with rich Parisians, giving it a Côte-d’Azur really feel. This exclusivity and desirability imply that even a modest 30m² studio fetches round 500,000€ in Cap Ferret, however the people-watching is tough to beat!
Extra to your price range
If you wish to get essentially the most out of your house-hunting price range within the Gironde, merely head away from the coast.
“Property and land are cheaper the additional you might be from Bordeaux and the coast,” explains Mags. “One instance is Blaye, a city of about 5,000 residents that provides good worth for cash whereas nonetheless providing loads of actions and nice transport hyperlinks together with the A10 motorway and a automobile ferry that crosses the estuary to the Médoc seashores. Positioned to the north of the Gironde, Blaye is on the estuary and it’s a extremely fairly city with a defensive citadel relationship from the late 1600s that’s free to go to. It’s well-known for the pink wine Côte de Blaye, produced within the surrounding vineyards you could go to for tasting classes.”
In Blaye, a price range of round 100,000€ would purchase a 2-bedroom home or residence in want of somewhat work, whereas 500,000€ places you in attain of a indifferent, absolutely renovated townhouse full with giant gardens and a swimming pool.
“Properties are additionally cheaper as you head in the direction of the Dordogne, in places such because the riverside city of Gensac, the place you’ll discover a fairly village house in pale stone full with a winding picket staircase and ceiling beams for simply 125,000€. Or strive the wine-making city of Pineuilh, additionally close to the Dordogne border, the place you’ll discover indifferent household houses for between 150,000€ and 200,000€.”
Close by, the market city of Sainte-Foy-la-Grande is one other nice location, nearly halfway between Saint-Émilion and Bergerac. It’s a walled Bastide city of timbered buildings, terracotta rooftops and pale stone, with the Dordogne river operating by way of the centre and loads of allure. Should you’re ready for somewhat renovation, a 100,000€ price range right here will purchase a 3-bedroom home with a backyard or a 4-bedroom historic townhouse within the centre.
Gironde property information
“We’ve lived right here for over 20 years now,” says Mags, “and for us, it’s the proper compromise of getting a extra relaxed way of life whereas nonetheless having the whole lot on our doorstep – the very best of each worlds. If location actually is the important thing, then the Gironde could be very nicely located, drivable in a day from the channel ports, a simple drive to go to the coast for the day, and solely a few hours from Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the Spanish border. And when you love snowboarding, it’s additionally not removed from the Pyrénées resorts. Guests come from everywhere in the nation to spend their holidays right here and we get to reside right here, we really feel very fortunate!”
You possibly can see Mags’s property portfolio within the Gironde right here: frenchestateagents.com/mags-deniaud
(Be aware: Costs are as at 2025).
Need extra France?
Uncover extra fabulous locations in France with our free journal The Good Life France
Love France? Have a take heed to our podcast – the whole lot you need to find out about France and extra!
All rights reserved. This text is probably not printed, broadcast, rewritten (together with translated) or redistributed with out written permission
