Beaune Property Insight

Beaune is a 22,900-inhabitant town of the Côte d’Or department in Burgundy. It is the capital of the Burgundy’s wines. This flourished town (4 flowers at the French competition of flourished towns) has many assets, the major one being its wine production.

Overview

Beaune received the label of ‘town of Art and History’. This tells a lot about the great monuments and events that the town offers. Beaune began to develop economically, financially and politically speaking at the 15th century thanks to the Hotel-Dieu – also called Hospices de Beaune – an hospice building which is considered as one of the most beautiful of France. Nowadays, the town houses many outstanding monuments and museums which are definitely not to be missed: the basilica church Notre-Dame, Fine Arts and Wine Museums, Hôtel-Dieu and so on.

Since the Middle Ages, Beaune has been an important place for wine-growing and wine-selling. Its name is synonymous with fabulous wines. Whether you are novice, amateur or professional, you will for sure appreciate visiting the wine cellars and sample local wine while listening to explanations of the wine producers. Landscapes around Beaune are thus wonderful and invite people to relax and enjoy peaceful times and nature.

The best way to visit Beaune is by foot. A stroll inside its medieval fortifications let people discovering its numerous treasures: gardens and flourished places, mansions, half-timbered houses, etc. Life is really pleasant in this lovely town.

Beaune Immobilier & Property Market Trends

Given the popularity of the area, property prices in Beaune are quite affordable with an average price of €2,164/square metre in 2009. Price for houses has been decreasing since June 2008, from €2,530/sq m to the actual price. As regards apartments, prices were around €1,800/sq m in May 2009. Apartments represent more than 51% of the total of properties in Beaune. In 2008, a studio flat cost between €1,620/sq m and €2,320/sq m, whereas the price for a 4-room apartment was comprised between €1,430/sq m and €1,850/sq m.

The demand for rentals in the area is high, especially from May to November. Beaune is the perfect place to buy a second home or residence in France. Beaune is a very sought-after town which still offers reasonable housing prices. A 4-room house may cost in average €135,600. It is also possible to find character homes outside the town, in the countryside. Once purchased, properties in and around Beaune hold their great value.

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

4 Reasons to Buy a Property in Beaune

• Monuments: Beaune is home to some wonderful monuments which are worth seeing. The ‘Hotel-Dieu’ was created in 1443 as many people in the region suffered from famine and plague. It welcomed diseased people until 1971 before a new hospital was built. It is now a museum surrounded by 61ha of vineyards, the wine of which is sold in an auction every year in November. The patterned and coloured tiles of its roof make of it the most eye-catching monument of the town. The church Notre-Dame has a Romanesque architecture but also some features of Gothic style. It dates from the 12th century. The fortifications are also places of interest: dating back to Gallo-Roman period, they were built to protect the town from invasions. The Fine Arts Museum, ‘clock tower’, Marey Museum, Boussard de la Chapelle and Mare d’Aluze hotels are other interesting sites in Beaune.

• Wines: as said before, Beaune is the capital of Burgundy’s wines and is, therefore, not to be missed. The town is located at the heart of Côte d’Or and is, thus, surrounded by numerous villages, the names of which are famous amongst wine lovers: Pommard, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Pernand-Vergelesses, etc.. The ‘Côte de Beaune’ represent one of the most prestigious parts of Burgundy’s vineyards with the ‘Côte de Nuits’. The AOC wines produced in Beaune and the surroundings accompany perfectly varied meats cooked in sauces (red wine) or seafood, escargots (white wine) and cheese.

• Events: cultural life in Beaune is active with varied events and festivals taking place in the town all year round: a 24-hour cycling race, a festival of Baroque opera, a festival of detective film (first edition in 2009), a jazz festival (September), an auction for local wines during the ‘Trois Glorieuses’ (November), street markets every week, etc.

• Location – transport infrastructure: Beaune is located 45km from Dijon, 150km from Lyon and 312km from Paris. The motorway A6 links the town to these cities. Road is actually the best way to reach Beaune as people can admire the stunning landscapes over the vineyards. TGV high speed train and Dijon’s airport are other possibilities.

Beaune Architecture and Property Styles

• Townhouses: Beaune houses many properties of a medieval and renaissance style. Most of the time made of stone, these properties are perfect for families as close to all amenities. Inside the properties, walls with visible stone and wood beams give a real authenticity to the dwelling. Some of them were converted into several apartments, as the demand is high for such dwellings.

• Farmhouses: these properties are made of stone and have flat tiles. Farmhouses have imposing dimensions and come with a large piece of land. They have outbuildings such as barns and offer outstanding views over the area. Such properties are often situated in the countryside. In Beaune’s surroundings, they offer stunning views over the vineyards.

• Prestige properties: in Beaune’s surroundings, you will find many prestige properties such as manor houses and character properties. They have large dimensions and come with numerous outbuildings. They are quite expensive but hold a great value and are very sought-after as holiday homes. Plenty of high standard residences can be found along the Beaune Valley, why wouldn’t you be the owner of such a property?

Click here for more info about the Architecture in Burgundy.