Saint-Flour Property Insight

Saint-Flour is a town located in the Cantal department, in Auvergne. It accounts for about 9,000 inhabitants called the Sanflorains. Saint Flour is the sub-prefecture of Cantal, Aurillac being the prefecture. The town is the former capital of ‘Upper Auvergne’.

Overview

The town was already inhabited during the Bronze Age. Indeed, many dolmens were found in Saint-Flour and its surroundings… We can quote for instance the dolmen de la table du loup in Sériers, dolmen de Touls in Coltines and dolmen de Mons in Saint Flour. A few vestiges remain from the medieval time such as two fortified towers.

Saint Flour is divided into two parts: the ‘lower town’ and the ‘upper town’, the latter one being located on the Planèze, an important volcanic plateau of Cantal situated at 900m of altitude. The lower part of Saint-Flour belongs to the Valley of Ander. The town belongs to the ‘Pays de Saint-Flour’ (country of Saint Flour), which is considered as a place of ‘Art and History’.

Being located only a few minutes from the motorway A75 which links Paris to Béziers, the town is well-linked to the rest of France and also important European cities. Saint Flour boasts a rural and quiet area easily accessible from big and sometimes stressful cities and towns.

Saint Flour Immobilier & Property Market Trends

As far as the property market is concerned, the Cantal department is affordable with an average price of €1,486 / square metre for a property to buy. Saint Flour is not an exception to the rule and also offers property at reasonable prices. In May 2009, the average price for property was €1,438 /square metre. An apartment cost about €1,096 /square metre and a house about €1,405 /square metre at the same period. According to figures calculated between March 2008 and February 2009, an apartment in Saint Flour’s area cost €1,150 /square metre /month on this period. The average price for a house was €86,000 for the same period.

For your information: 46.7% of the properties are apartments, 44% are detached houses. The majority of properties are main homes (83%), second homes representing 7.8% of them and 9.4% are vacant. More than 50% of the population who rent its property, so there might be good rental opportunities in Saint Flour and its surroundings.

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

4 Reasons to Buy a Property in Saint Flour

• Historical heritage: located at the heart of a country of Art and History, Saint Flour offers plenty of outstanding pieces of art from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Several monuments are proofs of the rich and fascinating past of the town. It is the case for the wonderful Gothic cathedral –cathédrale Saint Pierre- which overlooks the valley. The consular house, governor house Episcopal palace and mansions are not to be missed either. The Museum of Upper-Auvergne presents collections of religious art, but also archaeology and ethnography. Other museums of the town are the Museum of Art and History Alfred Douët and the Postal Museum.

• Events: many festivals and events happen all year round in Saint Flour. The main ones are the Hautes Terres -a festival dealing with the cultural identity of Massif Central in the form of dances, theatre, music and so on- , La Festa del Païs (celebration honouring local agriculture), National Aubrac (cattle fair) and the Christmas market. Numerous markets and fairs (flowers fair, horses fair, calves fair, etc.) are also held in the town.

• Activities: the area offers plenty of activities to practise all year round. From water sports to mountain biking and hiking going through fishing, horsing a horse and tree climbing, the choice is wide so that everybody can find sport and activities matching with their expectations. The best activity is probably hiking in the mountains of Cantal. Guided tours are organised, enabling people discovering isolated farmhouses where delicious cheese is produced, but also seeing animals such as marmots and having a great time in the nature.

• Tranquillity and scenery: given its location in the department of Cantal and the rural region of Auvergne, Saint Flour boasts stunning landscapes over the countryside and attracts many nature lovers every year. It is a good location for those looking for quiet holidays in an interesting town offering varied activities.

Property Styles and Architecture in Saint Flour

• Farmhouses: Cantal and Auvergne in general being rural areas, we can find plenty of farmhouses and barns in the area around Saint Flour. Even if they often nedd some renovation because they are old buildings, they have a great value. Farmhouses have large dimensions and come with outbuildings. These properties are located in the countryside, on a large piece of land and are constructed of stone most of the time. They are very sought-after properties.

• Town houses: located in the town centre, these properties often have several rooms of good dimension and a practical layout. They are situated close to alle amenities (shops, hospital, school...) and are thus perfect investments for families or couples.

Click here for more info about the Architecture in Auvergne.