Deauville Property Insight

Deauville is a town located in the Calvados department and in the Lower Normandy region. With 4,000 inhabitants called the Deauvillais, the town is one of the most prestigious beach resort in France. Thanks to its fame, many show business people go there on holidays.

Overview

Since its creation Deauville was sought after for its beaches. Dieppe was the first town to launch sea baths in France, and it was followed by Trouville-sur-Mer and Deauville. All the French aristocracy used to spend their holidays at these beaches, located only few hours from Paris. This explains why nowadays there are so many villas, and mansions, and why the town centre is so beautifully decorated and maintained. Since March 2009, Deauville was recognised as a ‘touristic town’, which means that the town has adapted dwellings for all the holiday makers, but it also means that the town has a specific legal system, as for instance for weekly rest or alcohol sales.

Deauville Immobilier & Property Market Trends

As already mentioned, Deauville is one of the most prestigious beach resort in France, comparable to Saint Tropez or Nice. As a consequence, prices are high compared to the national average. While in France you will need in average €3,200/sq m in 2008 to buy a house, in Deauville, prices are around €4,800/sq m. If we take into account all the assets the town boasts (natural environment, festivals, cultural heritage, etc.) prices seem rational (as a comparison, prices in Saint Tropez are around €6,200/sq m!).

In 2008, there were around 5,000 second homes out of 7,200 dwellings in Deauville (70% of dwellings). Indeed, to the 4,000 Deauvillais we have to add all the Parisians going there during summer and week ends. As a result Deauville is called the ‘11th arrondissement’. Moreover, as it is a very touristic town, rental opportunities are quite high, and buying a property for a buy-to-let can be an excellent investment if you have the initial funding.

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

5 Reasons to Buy a Property in Deauville

• Architectural and historical heritage: as Deauville is mainly renowned for its international film festivals and its beaches, we almost forget to mention its architectural and historical heritage. Indeed, in Deauville there are 2 monuments listed and recognised as historical and architectural heritage: the Saint Laurent chapel, built during the 12th century, has been listed as a historical monument; the Strassburger villa, a neo-norman 20th century house, was recognised as a historical monument for its facade and its roof. The former Elie de Brignac laundry is also worth visiting, as well as the Benard Macario boatyard.

• Film festivals: in addition to its beautiful beaches, Deauville is worldwide renowned for its two international film festivals: the Deauville American film festival and the Deauville Asian film festival. The First one was created in 1975, and since 1995 it awards prizes for feature films, and since 1998 for short films. It takes place every first Fridays of September and lasts until the Sunday of the following week. The Asian film festival was created in 1999 and in 2002 was added a video competition. Prizes awarded are called Lotus.

• Tourism – sights: Deauville main asset is its beautiful environment with its amazing beaches. It also stands out for the quality of its dwellings and its restaurants. Tourism in Deauville is the main economic activity, and as a consequence the town has made plenty of efforts in order to meet demand: infrastructures have been adapted, such as restaurants, roads, etc., a beautiful classical casino was built in 1912, as well as many prestigious hotels.

• Cosmopolitan life: when talking about Cannes you imagine straight away show business people, international stars walking on the red carpet, etc. Deauville is very similar to Cannes, without the Mediterranean climate. During film festivals you have all American and Asian stars going to the town, and during the year, many celebrities go to their second-home. If you like night life and cosmopolitan towns, Deauville is definitely one of the best places to go in France!

• Location – transport infrastructure: Deauville is an easy and cheap destination to reach, especially for British people. By sea, you can take the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen (47km from Deauville), or to Le Havre (42km); by car, there are two motorways going to Deauville, the A 13 from Paris and the A 29 towards Amiens; by train, there are various returns to Paris every day.

Property Styles and Architecture in Deauville

In Deauville, there are many villas, castles and manors as a result of being one of the most sought after beach resorts since the Belle Epoque.

• New Norman houses: this kind of dwelling was built during the 20th century. It was inspired by traditional Norman houses, and as a result has same features as them. They are characterized by half-timbered facade and sloping roof with many windows. Inside the house is modern, even though it has all the traditional features, such as fireplace, wood staircase, and apparent wood structure. They are at least 2 storey high. On the ground floor can be found all the common rooms, such as kitchen, bathrooms, living room, etc., while on the first floor are mainly the bedrooms and another bathroom. These properties usually come with a huge piece of land and with a swimming pool.

• Villas: they can be either modern dwellings, either have a traditional style, such as new Norman style mentioned above. Villas in Deauville face the seafront. They are big houses, 2 or 3 storey high, and have a breathtaking view over the beach through large picture windows. On the first floor you will find a modern American kitchen, a living room, a dining room, and sometimes a games room (pool, etc.). Up the stairs are the bedrooms with bathrooms. Most of villas, even though they face the sea, come with a swimming pool.

• Manors and castles: you will be surprised by the number of manors and castles you will find in Deauville countryside. This kind of dwelling comes with a huge piece of land and a swimming pool. They are very big properties, with at least 250sq m of habitable area. They are at least 2 storey high, and sometimes 3 storey high. Some houses have been renovated while others may need some works. In the first case, the renovation was carried out in a spirit of keeping a traditional style. Hence, you will still have marble fireplaces, and parquet floor. If the house was not renovated, prices will be lower and then it can be a good opportunity for you if you like to renovate house. You can afterwards sale them twice as much as you bough it!

Click here for more info about the Architecture in Basse Normandie.