Melle Property Insight

Melle is a discreet town of Poitou Charentes. It is located between Niort and Poitiers, in an area part of the Deux Sevres department. The town has 4,000 inhabitants. It is quite renowned for being the headquarters of the candidate to the French Presidency in 2007, Segolene Royal.

Overview

There are the first traces of human activity in the area during Antiquity, more precisely in the 2nd and 4th centuries. Melle was in the past a fantastic mining area (silver, lead) as huge resources had been found in the soil of the town. Nowadays, a small museum and tours let you discover remnants of this glorious period for the town.

Melle is a place for nature lovers. The town has created magnificent gardens letting you discover more than 100 species of rare plants, paths around Melle with more than 1,000 types of trees. Along with other communes around, hiking paths have been created that lets yo discover the forests around too. Eventually, around the town there are grottos where you can discover bats through guided tours. Melle is definitely a town for culture and nature lovers willing to settle in a traditional area of France.

Melle Immobilier & Property Market Trends

Properties in Melle in 2009 are quite cheap. Figures tend to show that one-bedroom property costs about €99,000 and you should account €119,000 for two-bedroom houses. Three-bedroom goods cost on average €150,000 when larger properties cost about €186,000 and more. Apartments in Melle cost about €1,520 /square metre when new apartments are generally worth €2,730 /square metre.

Only 4% of properties are second homes, which means that the area is still unspoilt and quite little-known. Investing in the area could be a clever choice as Melle and the Deux Sevres as a whole are an up and coming area. Indeed the department has discreet but charming assets which begin to be acknowledged by holidaymakers. Visitor numbers show that the future of tourism in the area is quite promising.

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 Melle

Melle is a litlle-known town of southern Deux Sevres which has many subtle assets. The town itself is located in a small valley with lush nature around. Within a stone’s throw from the town, many activities can be done too.

• Culture, art and historical heritage: it is no wonder why the small town has 20 cultural clubs. The town boasts many monuments and buildings such as 4 gorgeous churches, a nice market hall as well as other interesting buildings. Many people fond of this architectural and cultural legacy will make you discover the town’s treasures.

• Tranquillity and scenery: the area around Melle is not densely populated but this means that you can enjoy life in a sound, peaceful environment. A great place to rent a house as the area becomes more and more accessible thanks to improvements brought to the regional motorways and airports.

• Activities: within minutes from Melle, you can have access to gorgeous forest or very pleasant lakes where it is good to have a walk or have a picnic meal. Within less than 1 ½ hours, access the Atlantic coasts and its refined pleasures or visit the Marais Poitevin and its stunning marshland.

• Good food: Melle produces its own cheese, the Chabichou. It is obviously made of goat’s milk as Poitou Charentes holds 90% of the French goats. It is a very creamy and soft produce. The tourteau Fromagé is the other absolute star of Melle. This mouthwatering cheesecake is made with fresh goat cheese. Its black crust is gorgeous and the inside is very light and fresh. We will not say more about this great speciiality, as tasting is worth 10,000 words...

• Location – transport links: Melle is easily reachable from the UK. Many budget airlines land in Angouleme, Poitiers or La Rochelle airports - all being less then 1h30 by car from Melle. TGV high-speed trains also stop in Poitiers, Saint Maixent and Niort (30 mins around the town). The crossroads of 3 main French motorways is located hardly 30 km from Melle. The town is thus a good starting point to discover other areas of France. Conversely, holidaymakers will easily be able to reach your house if you plan to set up a gite or guest house business.

Property Styles and Architecture in Melle

The area around Melle is home to a number of traditional property styles. Properties are often gathered to form a hamlet, originally these hamlets were founded around a common, central well. Houses often have outbuildings. To the north of Melle, houses are more widespread in the hinterland.

• Charentaise houses: being located to the south of the Deux Sevres, Melle has clear charentaises influences in its architecture. Thus you will find charentaise properties in and around the town, often grouped in hamlets. Charentaise properties are stone-made properties. Charentaise houses come with a cellar and a vast garden. These traditional houses are similar to Bastides when it comes to their layout and features. Their shape is rectangular. Wood is largely used in the house, notably for the stairs.
• Manor houses: these stone properties are really gorgeous. Of massive dimensions most often, their walls are made of exposed stones. They generally comprise outbuildings. These properties make the most of the region’s excellent weather. Their many windows explain why most rooms are luminous and pleasant in any season. The roof has red tiles as this is a common usage in Poitou-Charentes. The garden, often fenced all along, is closed by an entrance gate which highlights the prestigious profile of the property.

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