Moselle Property Insight
Moselle is one of the four departments of the Lorraine region, the other ones being Meurthe et Moselle, Meuse and Vosges. It is located in the north eastern part of France, and its past and historical heritage have made its identity and personality so strong. The administrative centre of the department in Metz, which is also the administrative centre of the region. the department gathers around 1,037,000 inhabitants, called the Mosellans.
Overview
Moselle has suffered a lot from its history. Located in the easternmost part of the region, the department shares borders with Alsace, Germany and Luxemburg. Let’s have a closer look to Moselle history in order to understand its culture and identity. It was first created in 1790, along with the other French departments. In 1871, with the treaty of Frankfurt, the eastern part of the department was annexed to Germany, along with Alsace. Then, after the 1918 armistice, the territory was given back to France, until 1940 when Germany again took it away from France. In 1945, finally Moselle was definitely integrated to France.
Nowadays the department is composed of two different cultural part: a Latin culture part, located around Metz, and a German culture part, located in the east of the department. Everything is different from a part to another: architecture, language, accent, habits, etc.
Moselle’s economy used to be based on the heavy industry (steel industry, metallurgy, etc.), however, after the end of the industrial revolution, the area needed to switch to a new type of production. It then started to promote tourism, tertiary sector, and innovation, with especially Metz competitive pole.
Moselle Immobilier & Property Market Trends
| Property prices in Moselle in April 2009 |
| Property types | Price € /sq m | Average price € | Average area |
| Apartment | 2,265 | 162,468 | 74sq m |
| House | 1,873 | 256,104 | 143sq m |
| Villa | 1,876 | 409,286 | 232sq m |
| Estate house | 1,717 | 215,202 | 175sq m |
| Moselle Average | €2,075 /sq m | ||
In 2009 in France, a property is sold €3.200 /sq m. Given the fact that it is sold €2,075 /sq m in Moselle, we can say that the department is fairly inexpensive. Of course prices vary within the department, and for instance they are more expensive in some areas, such as Metz (€2,222/sq m). If compared with the region average (€1,620/sq m) the department is more expensive. This is understandable, as the area gathers the largest and more dynamic city, Metz, which pulls prices up.
As regards the rental market, once again prices are lower than the national average (€8.37 /sq m /month against €12.20 /sq m /month). There are good rental opportunities especially in cities, such as Metz, where there are 68% of tenants.
To get updated info about property prices in Moselle, please browse our 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 Moselle
Culture, art and historical heritage: as already mentioned, Moselle shres a unique historical heritage with Alsace. Its culture and heritage were heavily influenced by German invasions. This can be seen for instance through the German quarter of Metz which was built from 1870 to early 1900. German culture is present in the architecture, but also in the language, and in habits in general.
Gastronomy: Lorraine is renowned for its good cuisine and Moselle is not an exception. It boasts the same assets as the entire region, such as the worldwide renowned Quiche Lorraine, and has also some local specialities. Amongst them, you should especially have a try for the Boulay macarons, or the mirabelles pie as regards sweet dishes. If you prefer salty dishes, then you will be delighted by the local charcuterie, cheeses and nails!
Natural environment: the Moselle department is a rural area, shared between hills, plains, forests and rivers. As a result it has on offer many outdoor activities, such as biking, horse riding, hiking, but also water activities on the Moselle River, as canoeing, rafting, etc.
Architectural style: the department stands out for its rich architectural heritage. In addition to the combination between French and German vernacular architectures, you will also see Modern Style houses built after WWI when most of cities were being re built.
Location – transport links: Moselle is situated at the heart of Europe, sharing borders with Luxemburg, Germany, Alsace, and very close from Belgium. It also houses the administrative centre of the region, Metz, which has become a large and important economical centre. Transport networks in the department are very well developed, and enable visitors to go to the main touristic attractions very easily.
Local Property Market: 2 Popular Towns
- Metz property: being the administrative centre of both the region and the department, Metz is a big university city which displays a unique and beautiful architectural and historical heritage.
- Thionville property: located few kilometres from Luxemburg, Thionville shares a lot with its big country neighbourg. It is not surprising as both areas have almost the same past and cultural heritage, and the neighbour country is also the maim work employer for the town.
Property Styles and Architecture in Moselle
Apartments: in cities such as Metz and Thionville, apartments are the main dwellings. They are a good investment for a buy-to-let, especially in university cities where demand from students is high.
Modern style houses:this art movement was born first in United Kingdom, and then it came in France first in the Lorraine region. After WWI main Lorraine cities were partly destroyed by bombings and battles and they were as a result re built according to the modern style architecture. It is easily recognizable as it uses a mix of old materials (stones, wood), with modern materials (glass, wrought iron). Patterns are inspired by nature.
Farmhouses: as Moselle is a rural department, there are many farmhouses. They are different according to the area they come from. There is especially a big difference between the east and the west of the department, the former one being German style while the latter one is French style. However, there are some standard characteristics: they are made with local materials, and in Lorraine they do not come with many outbuildings. They are one storey high, and the main entrance door is located in the middle of the house, giving way to the kitchen. The house also comes with a piece of land, usually a rather large garden.
Click here for more info about the Architecture in Lorraine.
| Take a closer look at the Moselle property market: | |
| Metz Property Information | Thionville Property Information |