Vannes Property Insight
Vannes is the prefecture of the Morbihan department in the Brittany region, situated in north western France. Founded 2,000 years ago by the Romans, the town was built at the mouth of the Vannes River, at the bottom of the Gulf of Morbihan. As a consequence, it became a market town because of its proximity with the sea and the river.
Overview
With a population of 53,000 inhabitants in the town centre and a population of 133,000 inhabitants if we include the district of Vannes, it is though not the biggest city of Morbihan (which is Lorient).
Nowadays, the town is attractive for tourists, with its medieval heritage and its sea resort. Moreover, the town received the Pavillon Bleu, symbol of an environmental quality which became a reference for the tourism sector. In addition, Vannes benefits from an oceanic climate, which is characterised by a gentle winter and a not too warm summer.
The big cities of Rennes, Nantes or Quimper can be reached in an hour only, and the economy of the area is particularly based on the services sector. The most important sector is the agribusiness, and then come the production of intermediary products and yachting activities. The building sector, the agriculture and the sea products come after.
Vannes Immobilier & Property Market Trends
In the middle of 2006, the property market in Vannes went to a stop in the steady increase that had been occurring since 2002. Before, the prices were only slightly inferior to the national average and since mid-2006 a real difference can be seen. However, the Morbihan department remains the most expensive one in Brittany. The average price in the area of Vannes is around € 2,300/ s qm.
90% of the whole properties are main houses and only 34.5% are houses, the rest being apartments. Even with the Pavillon Bleu and the good sea resort, just 3.6% of the properties are second houses as the town is not very renowned.
To get updated info about housing prices in the Dordogne, please browse our French Property Market Reports published in the News Section every month.
3 Reasons to Buy a Property in Vannes
Built a long time ago by the Romans, the town developed itself a lot. The town reflects the different periods and cultures which it has passed through: the Romans, the Celts but also the Middle-Ages. Today, Vannes has an own identity and has several advantages:
- Architecture: Vannes offers a beautiful architecture. Built along the river, next to the untroubled waters of the Morbihan gulf, Vannes is both a modern town, with the urban area surrounding the centre and an “historic town” because of the medieval centre. This medieval aspect gives plenty of charm to the town as well as a picturesque setting. Old houses with wood panels can be seen in the narrow streets, remains of another time.
- Situation: the proximity with the sea and the river is undeniably a big asset for Vannes. Many people in the area own a small boat to go fishing for example. Also, the gulf of Morbihan is really beautiful and there are several coves in the gulf which can be visited with a boat for instance.
- Marina: the marina of Vannes has just been renovated and there is another project to continue the works. The aim is to transform the marina in a more beautiful and welcoming place. Car parks will be built, but also trees will be planted and flower beds will be added, in order to create a “green atmosphere”, which will certainly be more pleasant. This goes hand in hand with the will to make the town look always more beautiful.
Property Styles and Architecture in Vannes
- Half-timbering houses: the narrow alleyways of the old Vannes still count old houses with wood panels. The ground floor of these properties is usually composed of stones while the upper storeys have wood corbels. The colour and layout of the timber panels makes it clear the these houses date back from the 15th and 17th century.
- Mansions: thanks to its position near the sea, Vannes was a market town and sheltered many stallholders. That is why you can find some beautiful mansions in Vannes, which were formerly elegant and luxury properties of the wealthier stallholders.
- Apartments: most properties in Vannes are apartments (62%). If you go more in the countryside, you will find larger properties like Longères for example, which is a specific and sought-after kind of house you can find in Brittany.
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