Capbreton Property Guide & Information

Capbreton is located in the Landes department, on the Atlantic coast, between Bordeaux and Biarritz. The 7,570 inhabitant town is renowned in France for its Surf championship and for its beautiful beaches. With Hossegor, its neighbour town, it is one of the most beautiful and famous beach resorts of the Landes coast. Capbreton is also a very lively fishing harbour, famous for its fishes street market.

Overview

Capbreton used to be a fishing town before it developed its natural assets. People would go to the town to fish the cod-fish and the whales. It seems that Capbretonnais and Basque would have gone until Newfoundland, hunting whales, 100 years before the discovery of America! During its golden age, between the 15th and 16th century, Capbreton developed thanks to its fishing harbour and its flourishing wine trade with Spain, Portugal and Holland.

Indeed, a very appreciated wine was produced in the area, called the Wine of Sand. During the 19th century this vineyard almost disappeared because of vine diseases. However, nowadays some independent producers are trying to revival this very special wine.

Capbreton gets very busy and crowded in summer, owing to the surf competition and the beach resort. As a consequence, investing there can be a very cleaver idea for a buy-to-let (demand is very high) and you could still enjoy the warm springs and autumns without the tourists. It is worth mentioning that Capbreton is one of the poshest areas in the Atlantic coast, and as a consequence prices are rather high.

Capbreton Immobilier & Property Market Trends

As mentioned just above, Capbreton is a very posh area, and as a result prices tend to be rather high. Properties in the fishing harbour worth €4,183/sq m, which is higher than the national average (€3,200/sq m) and than the department average (€2,726/sq m). However, it is interesting to notice that the trend in June 2009 was decreasing (-3.30%).

If you want to buy a second-home the area might be a bit too crowded for you, however it is easy to find quiet places around Capbreton in the pine forest. At the contrary, if you want to invest in a buy-to-let Capbreton is the perfect place to invest as it attracts many tourists from April (with the Surf brands clearance) to October (world surf championship around the 20th of September).

To get updated info about the property prices in Landes, please browse our French Property Market Reports published in the News Section every month.

4 Reasons to Buy a Property in Capbreton

• Fishing harbour: Capbreton has always been a large and renowned fishing harbour owing to its natural assets. Indeed, off the Capbreton coast there is a submarine fjord, called the Gouf, over 1,000 metre deep and 50km long. This gouf enables fishers to have an easy access to the harbour, as the ocean is very quiet in this area. Moreover, owing to the depth and the temperature of the water, they find there fishes that are anywhere else in the Atlantic Ocean.

• Surf spot: Capbreton and its neighbour town Hossegor are definitely the best place to go if you are fond of surf. They boast amazing waves as well as international surf competition, not to mention the surf atmosphere. The most important event in the year is the ‘Quiksilver Pro’, which is a round of the world championship taking place around the 20th of September. All the worldwide surf stars attend the contest, and you will be likely to see Kelly Slater, Taj Burrow, Jeremy Flores, etc. Another important event related to surf is the Easter clearance sale, when all big surf stores, such as Rip Curl, Quiksilver, Billabong, etc., which have their factories in the area, sale their products at very low prices (for instance, you can buy a Rip Curl jean at €10).

• Beach resort: as already mentioned, Capbreton is a renowned posh beach resort where all the wealthy people of Midi Pyrenees and Aquitaine have their second home. With its neighbour town Hossegor (they are separated only by a road sign), they display numerous beaches, pubs, clubs and shops. They can be described as surf town as everything is done to emphasize this sport. Capbreton offers visitors both beautiful beaches and buzzing night life.

• Location: Capbreton is ideally located on the Atlantic coast, between Arcachon and Biarritz. It has to be said that it is the only marina on this part of the Atlantic coast and as a result it attracts many amateur sailors. Capbreton is located 165 km south of Bordeaux, 280km west of Toulouse, 50km north of the Spanish border and 20 minutes from Biarritz. As a result it is within easy reach from the UK and everywhere in France. You can either take the plane until Biarritz or Bordeaux, or also the train until Dax or Bayonne.

Property Styles and Architecture in Capbreton

• Villas: as Capbreton is a rather posh area you can figure out that villas are numerous. Located in front of the sea, these prestigious properties offer you all the comfort you will need. They usually have a very large ground floor and are only one storey high. They come with a swimming pool and sometimes with a spa. In the house you will find 3 or 4 bedrooms, a large modern kitchen, a bathroom, a separated toilet and a very large living room. These properties are also usually very light and very modern.

• Maisons landaises or Oustaù: traditional houses found in the Landes department are called the Oustaù. They are half-timbered properties, with a 3 side roof. Walls were traditionally made with wattle and daub (a mix of straw and clay), but from the 19th century bricks and garluche (a local stone) have replaced wattle and daub. The main house would come with outbuildings, such as the cellar, cowshed, barn, allowing the landlord to be self-sufficient.

Click here for more info about the Architecture in Aquitaine.

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