Chef Boutonne Property Insight

Overview

With 2,200 inhabitants, Chef Boutonne is a very small town located in the central western part of France, to the south of the Deux Sevres department. It is also very close to the border with other departments of the Poitou Charentes region, namely Charente, Vienne and Charente Maritime.

The peculiar assets of the area are its rural identity and local traditions along with the fact that its location is central. Indeed, Chef Boutonne is just 80km from Poitiers, 100km from the coastal resort of La Rochelle, 40km from Niort and hardly 60km from Angouleme. An ideal starting-point to discover the region’s assets. The name of the small Deux Sevrienne town comes from the neighbouring Boutonne River.

Chef Boutonne Immobilier & Property Market Trends

In 2009, the average price of a property in Chef Boutonne is €1,400 /sq m. Let’s recall that the national average is €3,197 /sq m, and that the departmental average is around €1,800 /sq m. However, the area around Chef Boutonne is still largely unspoilt in spite of being one of the most traditional of Deux Sevres. Prices for an apartment in the area are from €1,220 to €1,400 /sq m. Nevertheless, finding an apartment in the French town may be less easy than in larger communes of Deux Sevres given the lack of supply. A very nice rental market to develop in this little-known but charming area of France.

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

5 Reasons to Buy a Property in Chef Boutonne

• Strolls and discovery: the town offers permanent hiking paths to discover Chef Boutonne and the typical neighbouring villages of Tillou, Hanc and Bouin. Other strolls are available on bicycle this time, starting from the local castle. Horse lovers will be seduced as horse-drawn carriages are on offer to discover Chef Boutonne, and as the horses are a local breed.

• Food delights: Chef Boutonne is located along the Chabichou cheese route which will lead you from one cheese delight to another. This goat cheese is a must. Another local cheese is the Mothais. They may soon receive an award for their quality and traditional assets. Of course the department specialities are also available in the town, such as the farci poitevin, a dish made of cabbage, creme fraiche and fat streaky bacon.

• Traditions: local traditions are important there, such as the headdress, worn there from the 18th century onwards. A museum is dedicated to this, called Musée de la Coiffe. Along with the headdresses, you will discover the tools and techniques used as well as the life of youg women who created these very traditional clothes. Other wonders as the local castles such as the ruins of the castle in Chef Boutonne as well as the diverse logis dotted in the town. Other museums describe the local life in the area in years gone by.

• Climate and weather: this area of the department is quite mild and inhabitants in need of fresh air will visit the local forests or spend some time on the Atlantic coast (1h30 from Chef Boutonne). With good sunshine periods the region is however not as hot as the South of France and benefits from a privileged weather all year long. Gloom is virtually unknown in the south of the Deux Sevres department.

• Up and coming area: the area is indeed little-known amongst foreign investors. This means that buying there is quite cheap and that the choice and availability of properties are very wide. Clearly a clever choice, especially if you plan to run a gite or chambres d’hôtes business. Furthermore, do not forget that the region is ranked at the 5th position in terms of attractivity and therefore attracts lots of visitors.

Property Styles and Architecture in Chef Boutonne

• Mills: Mills in the area generally comprise the mill itself plus a large property attached, generally looking like a manor house. Their layout is symmetrical and their global aspect is that of a bastide. Rooms are numerous and very luminous. Roofs are gently sloping and a large garden is attached to the property.
• Charentaise Properties: Charentaise houses are traditional Poitou Charentes stone-made properties coming with a cellar and a piece of land. Their size varies but they are generally very similar to bastides, having a both massive and prestigious aspect.

Click here for more info about the Architecture of Poitou Charentes.