Tarnos Property Guide & Information

Tarnos is located at the south westernmost tip of the Landes department, in the Aquitaine region. It is situated at the very beginning of the 106 km of landaise silver coast, and it shares borders with the Basque Country. With 12,000 inhabitants, called the Tarnosiens, the town is the 5th largest one of the department.

Overview

In years gone by, the town was heavily industrialised and the economy has since been evolving towards tourism activities. This is eased by the great outdoors around, with varied sceneries and a good location at the crossroads of the Atlantic and the Pyrenees. The area offers many activities and beautiful, and visitors are usually delighted by this charming town. From surf, to hiking or biking in the forest, including sight viewing, fishing or sunbathing on the beach, everybody will find the activity they fancy.

As 75% of the 2,700 hectares of the commune is covered by the forest and agricultural fields, it is easy to find a piece of quietness in this buzzing town in summer. The location of Tarnos at the crossroads between the Landes and the Basque Country (Pyrenees Atlantiques), enables visitors to visit both of them very easily. It is as a result located only few kilometres from Spain, which also an asset for tourism.

Tarnos Immobilier & Property Market Trends

Tarnos accounts for 4,065 houses and flats and has very few second homes (less than 8%), which is surprising for a town with so many tourist assets. As in the rest of the Landes, prices have been increasing but this increase is slower each year. Prices in the area can vary considerably depending on many factors such as the environment, closeness to the sea or economic activities around the property. Tarnos is not one of the cheapest towns in the Landes with an average price of €3,310/sq m. for a house, when the average of the whole department is around €3,287/sq m and the national one about €3,197/sq m.

As far as the rental market is concerned, of course Tarnos is a great place to invest. Owing to its ideal location, at the crossroads of the Landes and of the Basque Country, the town attracts many visitors willing to be close from both beautiful areas. It is moreover located along the Atlantic Ocean and is more affordable than its neighbours Biarritz and Bayonne. If you buy a piece of land, opening a camping can be a good idea, as this kind of accommodation is very popular in the area, however, you can also buy a traditional landaise or basque house and do a gite.

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

4 Reasons to Buy a Property in Tarnos

Buying a property in this area of Aquitaine is often done after some holidays spent there. The climate of the region, its natural assets such as the Atlantic ocean and the Pyrenees mountains, as well as a different rhythm of life - which is very peculiar to the South of France – are amongst the trumps this area can play to attract you. If you are not totally convinced, the local architecture and food traditions may definitely seal the deal.

• Natural assets: as already mentioned, Tarnos is ideally located at only 4km (2.5 miles) from the Atlantic Ocean, and 40 minutes from Spain. The Ocean offers various activities, from sunbathing to surf, including fishing. Some activities, such as kitesurf, are becoming more and more fashionable on the silver coast. The Foret landaise also offers visitors nice walks and thanks to the cycle path, nice promenades in bike. The Pyrenees, located only 1hour away, are also within easy reach.

• Location and transport network: the motorway leading to Spain or Bordeaux and Paris is just 10 minutes away by car. The town of Bayonne is also not far; it has a train station connected to the famous TGV high-speed train line. Tarnos is linked to Bayonne by a frequent bus service, being part of the neighbouring town’s public transport network. Bayonne is also home to many economic activities which will provide you with potential job opportunities.

• Local food: the local food makes much use of the seafood and traditions of the south. This is generally a quite “hearty” food, composed of hams, patés and other ‘heavy’ dishes which you can share with neighbours during the frequent communal celebrations (such as the popular Fêtes de Bayonne nearby). Indeed, gathering up to share a meal is actually part of the local art de vivre! In Tarnos you will also have the opportunity to taste the Basque gastronomy. Have a go for the Piperade, which is a traditional dish made with peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and eggs.

• Night life: Tarnos is a good place to invest if you enjoy going out at night. Of course, the vibrant time is during summer when you have all the local festivals (called ferias), and many extra events organised for tourists, however, even in winter, thanks to the closeness to Biarritz, the night life is fairly lively.

Property Styles and Architecture in Tarnos

From castles to maisons bourgeoises, from farmhouses to fortified churches, the architecture around Tarnos is very original. Tarnos, as well as the Landes, is a place where various house styles can be found. If you need some advice on the local architecture or how to renovate an old house for example, do not hesitate to contact the local architecture council for the Landes called CAUE 40.

• Maisons landaises: a very local house style. Maisons landaises is the term used to define various house styles presenting common features and obviously located at the heart of the Landes forest. These houses suit their natural environment as they have wood pigeon-wing shaped roofs. The layout itself is adapted and often a canopy is attached to the house, protecting the space in front of the front door. Maison landaise are built with wood, sometimes with a half-timbering structure (mixing wood and cob or with bricks). These houses are ideal for summer months as they benefit from the coolness of the forest, and their design is simple and straightforward.

• Maison bourgeoise houses: these houses often were, in years gone by, used for military purposes and thus fortified. This explains why their dimensions are generally massive. This is the equivalent of the Mas which you can find in the South East of France. The shape of the house is square or rectangular and the roof is often almost flat. Walls are made of stone and sometimes covered with stucco or whitewashed. Theses houses are once again ideal during summertime due to their very convenient layout and luminous rooms.

• Longères: a common sight in the western part of France. These traditional houses are generally built in a row in rural areas and small towns such as Tarnos. Their shape is rectangular and these buildings are made up of regional materials. They normally are single-storey properties but rarely offer first-floor accommodation. Originally, these longere properties served both as homes and workplaces.

Click here for more info about the Architecture of Aquitaine.

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