Haute-Vienne Property Insight
Haute-Vienne is the westernmost department of the Limousin, in the centre of France. The name comes from the Vienne river, which goes through the department from east to west. Haute-Vienne lines the north-western part of the Massif Central mountain range, thus the altitude varies between 160m (Vallee de la Vienne) and more than 750m. The highest point is the Mont Crozat with a height of 777m.
Overview
With an afforestation rate of almost 30%, and with a population rate under the national average, the Haute-Vienne seems to be a paradise for people looking for tranquillity and peace. However, it’s not for all that there is nothing in terms of economy, don’t you believe it! The prefecture of Haute-Vienne is Limoges, the largest city of the department, well-known for its porcelain and enamel. The shoes of Weston and the Saint- Junien’s glove factory are also renowned. Besides, the agriculture remains important, particularly the bovine stockbreeding, mainly with the famous limousine race, largely exported since the 60’s and now bred in more than 70 countries. That’s probably why the unemployment, with a rate of 6.4%, is lower than the national average.
Haute Vienne Immobilier & Property Market Trends
The department, as it is also the case for the whole region, knows a slowdown in terms of property sales. Thus, the prices of the apartments and houses are decreasing slowly, after having increased rapidly the past years.
Anyway, the Haute-Vienne offers cheaper prices compared to the majority of other French departments. The average price for an apartment is €1,500 /sq m and €1,400 /sq m for houses.
Around 85% of the properties are main homes. The Haute-Vienne department counts more than 65% of houses, and only 32% of apartments. This is because Haute-Vienne is mainly made up of countryside, with pretty big houses (the majority is 3-bedroom houses or more). However, the proportion of apartments is really high in the cities, like it is the case in Limoges with more than 70% of apartments. Also, more than one third of accommodation are located in Limoges.
To get updated info about the housing prices in the Haute-Vienne department, please browse our French Property Market Reports published in the News Section every month.
4 Reasons to Buy a Property in Haute Vienne
Haute-Vienne is appreciated by many due to the diversity it offers. Those who are looking for calmness will love the most rural areas of Haute-Vienne, with its unspoilt nature. But those who do not want to be remote will be glad to live near Limoges and its airport.
- Historical heritage: the specific culture and language of the Haute-Vienne still remains as a heritage of past centuries. It is attested by the dialect you can ear spoken by most people upper 50 years, which is also called Limousin. As well, many castles dating back to the Middle-Ages or museums can be seen if you are interested in culture and patrimony. Lanternes des Morts are another kind of legacy that can also be found in Haute-Vienne. These former buildings are empty pillars in granite with a niche at the top in which a flame was hoisted to “lighten up eternity”. It was mostly used during the 12th century to help the dead people to "find their way".
- Gourmet food: the gastronomy of the department accounts for varied recipes such as the potatoes pie or the clafoutis, which is a dessert made with cherries, covered with pancakes pastry. As well, chestnut is very appreciated and not less than 80 different varieties of apples grow up in Limousin.
- Scenery: known as the Land of a Thousand Lakes, the Limousin and its Haute-Vienne department offer beautiful and preserved landscapes. Waterfalls sparkling in the middle of rocks and trees, myriads of flowers and impressive dense forests are the kind of treasures that can be discovered in the department.
- Location – transport links: the easy and cheap access from the United Kingdom with companies as Ryanair or from French cities made that Limoges and the Haute-Vienne became an attractive destination. There is also a project of enlargement for Limoges' airport.
Local Property Market: 5 Popular Towns
- Bellac property: this beautiful town has been a stopover for tourists since a long time already and offers pleasant stays.
- Châlus property: the town is located in a hilly area, which offers a great scenery and hours of hiking. Châlus is also a privileged place for fairs and markets.
- Limoges property: prefecture of the department and main town of the Limousin region, Limoges is a city with all the assets you can expect. Thanks to its porcelain, it is worldwide famous.
- Rochechouart property: located on a meteor crater, Rochechouart is a touristy destination. Named after the famous family, the impressive castle and the religious heritage make the town rich in terms of patrimony.
- Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche property: the small town of Saint-Yrieix is often associated to Limoges and its porcelain, because it is here that the kaolin was found. Indeed, it is a white clay used in the fabrication of porcelain.
Property Styles and Architecture in Haute Vienne
- Farmhouses: as a rural area, many farmhouses constitute the landscape of Haute-Vienne. There, houses and outbuildings are arranged in length and thus, are positioned in line but take varied forms. The main building, where life is organized, is extended by many cowsheds, barns and buildings dedicated to the agricultural exploitation. The roof of the main house, usually made of slate, is either a hipped roof or a roof with long sections. The main building is usually without upper floors and has a central door framed by two windows. Its chimney is placed at the gable part of the house. Generally, this building is lower than the exploitation buildings and walls are constructed of coating with visible stones, which gives white and grey colours to the house.
- Limousin cottages: cottages are the most frequently seen type of houses in Limousin and thus can be found in Haute-Vienne. These houses are generally with two storeys and came with a courtyard and outbuildings. Quite typical, the roof is normally steeply pitched, but the lower part of it (the edge) is more gently sloping, which gives them a very peculiar character. Formerly, bourgeois people lived in these cottages.
Click here for more info about Architecture in Limousin
| Take a closer look at the Haute Vienne property market: | |
| Bellac Property Information | Chalus Property Information |
| Limoges Property Information | Rochechouart Property Information |
| Saint Yrieix la Perche Property Information | |