Meurthe et Moselle Property Insight
Meurthe et Moselle is one of the four departments of the Lorraine region, the other one being Moselle, Meuse and Vosges. It is located in the middle of the Lorraine region, and has borders with Luxemburg and Belgium. The administrative centre of the department is Nancy, with 107,000 inhabitants. The department gathers around 723,000 inhabitants in 594 towns and villages.
Overview
The shape of the department (shape of a goose) is original and this is due to its creation. In fact, the department was created in 1871, unlike other French departments created in 1790, with the departments of Meurthe and Moselle. They were the only part of Lorraine remaining French (the other part was annexed to the German territory by the Frankfurt treaty). Actually the current border between Meurthe et Moselle and Moselle corresponds to what used to be the German border between 1871 and 1919, and again between 1940 and 1944.
The department was named after the two main rivers that run through the territory: the Meurthe River and the Moselle River. However there are other rivers in the department, and as a result the department was shaped by rivers running through immense plains and valleys.
As far as the economy is concerned, Meurthe et Moselle used to be a very large steel industry centre. During one century the department prospered thanks to its mineral resources. However, by the mid 20th century, and with the steel industry crisis, Meurthe et Moselle needed to find an exit way. The north of the department is characterised by 50% of the population working in Luxemburg, while the area around Nancy is very dynamic thanks to its universities and science centres.
Meurthe et Moselle Immobilier & Property Market Trends
| Property prices in the Meurthe et Moselle department in April 2009 |
| Property types | Price €/ sq m | Average price € | Average size |
| Apartment | 1,978 | 151,863 | 81sq m |
| House | 1,622 | 211,386 | 139sq m |
| Meuthe et Moselle Total | €1,750/sq m | ||
Since national average for house prices is around €3,200 /sq m, Meurthe et Moselle, with €1,750 /sq m, can be considered as a rather affordable area. Some areas in the department are more expensive, as for instance Nancy v(€2,258 /sq m), as they are dynamic areas which keep on attracting people and which have already recovered from the real estate crisis. And other parts have even lower house prices, above all towns and villages in the countryside, especially in the northern part of the department.
As far as rentals are concerned, once again, average prices in the department (€10.40 /sq m) are lower than the national average (€12.20 /sq m). As 40% of residents are tenants, the department offers great opportunities, especially in Nancy owing to the number of students.
To get updated info about property prices in Meurthe et Moselle, please browse our French Property Market Reports published in the News Section every month.
Click here to have an overview of Lorraine Property Prices.
5 Reasons to Buy a Property in Meurthe et Moselle
Culture, art and historical heritage: art and history are the two keywords in Lorraine and Meurthe et Moselle. It was in the department that was first launched the ‘New Art’ artistic movement in France. As a result you can see many monuments and masterpieces of the nature inspired artistic movement. As regards the historical heritage, you can visit many castles, such as the Cons la Grandville castle, Haroué castle, Fléville castle, Jaulny castle, and Giraumont castle. Most of them are from the Middle Ages and as a consequence are mainly fortress, the exception being Haroué castle which is more a Renaissance style building.
Good food: gastronomy in Meurthe et Moselle is also well known. In addition to the worldwide renowned Quiche Lorraine, in the department you will also have the opportunity to taste the famous Marcel Proust’s madeleine. In the department the production of Mirabelles is also important, as a result the Mirabelles pie is a traditional desert you will have to try.
Parks and gardens: Meurthe et Moselle is a pleasant rural department which, in addition to its hilly countryside, displays many parks and gardens. There are around 60 parks and gardens in the department! Do not especially miss: Chateau d’Haroué Park, and its French garden, the Pépinière Park in Nancy and the Adoué de Lay-Saint-Christohpe garden, dedicated to rare flowers.
Architectural style: Meurthe et Moselle displays many beautiful old monuments, but it is above all an interesting area as far as town planning is concerned. For instance, Nancy is composed of two different parts, the old city and the new city, linked by three gorgeous squares built under Stanislas’ supervision. The old city is composed of narrow irregular streets while the new city is the opposite, with large perpendicular avenues. Longwy was totally destroyed under Louis XIV orders, and was rebuilt somewhere else, under Vauban’s supervision. As far as monuments are concerned, religious monuments dominate; between others, have a closer at the Saint Etienne cathedral in Toul is a Gothic style monument which comes with the second largest cloister in France and two Renaissance chapels. You will also see many castles and fortified towns and villages in the entire department.
Gris de Toul wine: Lorraine is famous for its Gris de Toul wine which is actually produced in Nancy’s surroundings, in Meurthe et Moselle. Gris wines are rather rare and original as they are white wines made with red grapes. Traditional grapes in the area are the Auxerrois and the Gamay. These special wines are to be served with traditional meals, such as the Quiche Lorraine!
Local Property Market: 2 Popular Towns
- Longwy property: situated at the crossroads of Belgium and Luxemburg, the town boasts an amazing historical heritage. It was indeed created ex-nihilo by Vauban, Louis XIV military engineer, according to modern town planning pattern.
- Nancy property: being the administrative centre of the department, Nancy is a dynamic and large university centre. It is also a beautiful city where you can see beautiful monuments and squares, vestiges of Stanislas reign. House prices are also very affordable if you take into account all the assets the city boasts.
Property Styles and Architecture in Meurthe et Moselle
Farmhouses: in Meurthe et Moselle they are more commonly called Xaintois. It is an earth and stone house and it varies according to who dwell it. However, they all have the same standard features: the habitable part is composed of 3 rooms, all linked with a corridor. The entrance door of the house is located in the middle of the house and gives way to the kitchen. The roof is made of pantiles and is gently sloping. Many farmhouses need to be restored in the department, however you can also be likely to find some beautifully restored ones, at a higher price, of course!
Half-timbered houses: in Meurthe et Moselle, pan de bois houses combine beautifully stone and timber. If at first wood had only a practical use, along centuries its role changed and it finally became the key piece of the decoration. The lower part of half timbered houses is usually made of cob or stones, while the upper part is made of timber structure.
Click here for more info about the Architecture in Lorraine.
| Take a closer look at the Meurthe et Moselle property market: | |
| Longwy Property Information | Nancy Property Information |