Chalus Property Insight

Châlus has a privileged place at the heart of the Haute-Vienne department, in Limousin. It is situated at the junction of two major roads and the two big towns of Limoges and Périgueux are very close. Strategically located on the Tardoire valley, it became an important European historical place in 1199. This date correspond to the death of Richard the Lionheart, wounded by an arrow at the foot of the Châlus Chabrol castle.

The commune is really modest, with only 1,800 inhabitants, but offers all the convenience stores and services needed. There are also many dynamic associations which offer plenty of cultural and sportive activities.

Overview

Located 36km south west of Limoges, Châlus is the main town of the geographic area of the Monts de Châlus, which are hills of a maximal height of 521m. The area of Châlus is very pleasant, particularly thanks to its peaceful nature.

Châlus stands at the middle of the Pays des feuillardiers, a natural region constituted of many wooded hills. The main watercourses are the Tardoire and its tributary, the Bandiat. The Tardoire river rises in the commune of Châlus, at the pond of Brua. Coming from Châlus, the river created a small valley, framed on one side by the castle of Châlus Chabrol and one the other side by the castle of Châlus Maulmont. This valley is a natural zone of great interest in terms of ecology, flora and fauna.

Châlus lies on a massif of very hard rocks, mainly granite, largely used for the traditional constructions. This gives a gentle relief to the area and also provides a beautiful view to the inhabiatnts of Châlus.

During a long time, the economy of the town was based on breeding. Depending on the times, it has been by turns horse, bovine and ovine breeding. The place was also the site of fairs and markets of great reputation. This was a very important element for its development until the 20th century.

Chalus Immobilier & Property Market Trends

As previously said, the town and its surroundings are really appreciated. It offers calm, space and a marvellous nature. It can be attested by the number of people who bought a property in Châlus to spend relaxing holidays. Indeed, more than 14% of the properties are second homes. The cheap price of the department, around €1,400/ sq m versus €3,200/sq m for the national average at the beginning of 2009, encourages people to buy there. This advantageous price allow people to buy bigger properties that they could afford in other region. It is quite a good news : Châlus has two third of its properties having at least two bedrooms, and some comprise outbuildings that can be renovated in dwellings. Lovely properties can still be found as 8% of them are vacant.

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

3 Reasons to Buy a Property in Chalus

Châlus is mainly known as an historical site, but is also a touristy and gastronomic place. A real place of relaxation, it has many assets waiting to be discovered.

• Historical heritage: Châlus is deeply marked by history . Many castles, strongholds and manors are vestiges built on ancient lanes, notably on the pilgrimage trails to Santiago de Compostela. The interesting road of Richard the Lionheart leads to 14 sites on 180km, which are mainly fortified castles. Four of them are situated on the Monts de Châlus, and two in Châlus itself. The castle of Châlus-Maulmont was built at the end of the 13th century, and gives a good idea of what a typical castle of this period was. The second one, the castle of Châlus-Chabrol is above all known by the fact that King Richard I of England died there in 1199, after being wounded by an arrow.
• Good food: the Monts de Châlus is a place where gastronomy is appreciated, and thus offer you a several products of quality. They can be tasted during fairs, markets, Journées des Pays or by certified restaurateurs. Chestnut blood sausages are a speciality of Châlus, as chestnuts are produced locally. The Cornue is another speciality, this time sweet, made for the Palm Sunday. Usually in Châlus, the godfather offers it to his godson, perhaps as a sign of hope in its “virility”. Indeed, the “Y” form of the bun, meant to represent the Trinity, also reminds the form of a masculine sex… Insomuch that in the 18th century, the bishop of Limoges asked the bakers to moralised their Palm Sunday’s cake in modifying a bit its shape.
• Markets and fairs: Châlus has always been a privileged place for fairs and market. Vestiges were found which attest the existence of markets already in the Antiquity. They participated a lot to the economical development of the town. Today, markets and fairs still take place, even if they are a bit less numerous than before. Thus, the market take place every Friday, except the Fridays after the fair which occurs every first Thursday of the month. The Marchés des producteurs de Pays take place during summer. Tables and benches are installed to give the possibility to directly try a part of the purchase and to enjoy a good evening in family or with friends. These markets are animated by a band.

Property Styles and Architecture in Chalus

• Stone houses: located on a rocky area, it is quite obvious to find houses constructed in stones from the region, usually granite. These houses are rural, and often have one or more outbuildings, such as barns or stables. The majority have not been recently built and often date of the 19th century.
• Bourgeoise houses: lots of Bourgeoise houses can be seen in Châlus. These elegant properties were built 3 centuries ago and offer many living space to its owners. In general, such houses have at least two storeys and are more decorated than the other houses of the area. They sometimes comprise shed dormers or embellished with the door and windows being framed with coloured bricks or stones.

Click here for more info about the Architecture in Limousin.