Sainte Maxime Property Insight

Sainte Maxime is a French town of the Var department in the Provence Alpes Cote Azur region. Located in the French Riviera area, the commune is a touristy location welcoming about 60,000 visitors in summer. During the year it houses only 13,000 residents. Its name comes from the eponymous Grasse earl’s daughter. Refusing wealth and glory, she dedicated herself to God and became a nun. The latter is celebrated each year in May during the so-called Fête Votive. However, Sainte Maxime was created much later from two seigneuries – lands controlled by a lord in the medieval period. The town won two awards: Pavillon Bleu and Ville Fleurie (a French competition to promote open spaces in town).

Overview

Sainte Maxime is famous for its lifestyle, climate, scenery, beaches but also for its closeness to Saint Tropez. These exceptional conditions make the town a great place either to settle in or to spend holidays. Sea fishing, water-skiing, jet-skiing, casino gambling, visiting museums, hiking along the sea are just some of the activities on offer in the area. You can’t help being seduced by this lovely southern area. You will also discover good wines and olives, a typical produce of Provence.

The Tour Carrée Museum is the town history keeper. It is devoted to folklore and local traditions and displays temporary and permanent exhibitions of typical costumes and items. The other cultural point of interest of the zone is the Gramophone and Mechanical Music Museum. There, over 300 equipments are worth seeing. During the day, many tourists and residents play petanque in the town centre, near to the harbour. This is a relaxing hobby widespread in the south of France. During the evening, you can have a drink in a bar and listen to a music band. The atmosphere is very pleasant and you will really feel on holiday!

Sainte Maxime Immobilier and Property Market Trends

Properties for sale in Sainte Maxime are dedicated to well-to-do people having a high budget. Indeed, the average property price in 2009 is €5,198 / square metre. Dwellings there are very expensive but the town has so many other assets to offer: climate, southern lifestyle, sea activities, French Riviera! This is ideal for a sunny retirement or to spend holidays in a second home.

Half of the total accommodation in the area is apartments but many villas and properties in housing estate are regularly sold on the local real estate market. With about 37% of tenants living in the town, Sainte Maxime constitutes a good place for a buy-to-let and offers great rental opportunities.

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

7 Reasons to Buy a Property in Sainte Maxime

It is not difficult to find reasons to settle in the charming town of Sainte Maxime. You can’t help being seduced by the town centre, the marketers displaying their stands in summer evenings, the harbour, beaches, coastal landscapes, weather, food and so on!

• Culture, art and historical heritage: Sainte Maxime has much on offer in terms of traditions and celebrations. Here are some examples. The little girl of May, also called the little maio, is a practice occurring each 1st of May in Provence. The little maio – traditionally the wiser and the prettiest girl – is staged on a flowery calash. A folkloric show takes place around the horse-drawn carriage and a band named Lei Magnoti sings and dances. The celebration is followed by a blessing mass. The oil and olive celebration is a typical Provencal custom. On each 23 and 24 of November, a symbolic olive picking throughout the town gathers the locals. Christmas is celebrated in a particular way in Sainte Maxime: it deals with a tradition cortege and 13 different desserts are served after the festal meal.

• Economy: Sainte Maxime is a very touristy location of the French Riviera. Indeed, about 60,000 holidaymakers come each summer in the area. During this period, the commune offer a vibrant life displayed throughout its events (theatre, fireworks), nightclubs, crowd and evening stands amongst others. Agriculture used to be the main economic resource of the town. Although tourism supplanted it, olive tree culture and beekeeping maintain the local tradition. Olive as well as derived produce (olive oil, tapenade) may be found throughout the town and its surroundings, in street markets or supermarkets for instance.

• Scenery and climate: this southern area offers wonderful coastal landscapes since located on the seafront. Luxury yacht, jet-ski, sandy crowded beaches, wooded hills, outside theatre, casino, harbour are some of the landscape admired by tourists. The weather is pleasant: almost 300 days of sun a year, the minimum temperature in winter is 12 degrees Celsius. Moreover, the town is protected by the Mistral wind thanks to the wooded hills in the surroundings.

• Activities: from Easter to September, the Bateaux Verts (a local boat company) organise wonderful trips in the surroundings. The Canoubiers Bay is a great way of seeing famous stars’ villas: Brigitte Bardot, Eliette von Karajan (famous Austrian conductor’s wife), Lindsay Owen-Jones (L’Oréal’s president) and Vincent Bolloré (Havas’ CEO). Other travels allow to visit the Gulf and call at Saint Tropez, the little Venice called Port Grimaud, Estérel creek and even Hyères Isles (Porquerolles and Port-Cros). Coaches are another way of discovering the surroundings, attending street processions, carnivals or visiting Monaco.

• Lifestyle: the Provencal art de vivre will seduce anyone. Relaxed and quality lives are the town’s assets. During the year, Sainte Maxime is a haven of peace and tranquillity. Sea calls upon relaxation, détente and water sports. The town centre offers a large range of discoveries and walks. Far niente, culture, celebrations, sport, you will enjoy your new life there!

• Location – Transport links: the main means of transport used in the town centre is car. Be careful, many people, either tourist or residents, move by motor scooters and don’t respect the Highway Code. Two main airports: Nice Cote d’Azur (90km) and Toulon Hyères (55km). Two main railway stations: Saint-Raphael (39km) and Arcs (24km). By boat, maritime companies connect Saint-Tropez and Saint-Raphael to the town. Regular coaches drive from Saint-Raphael to Sainte Maxime. Finally, the closest highway is located in the town of Le Muy, 24km from the commune.

• Rental opportunities: Sainte Maxime is a very popular location attracting a great number of holidaymakers during summer. It represents thus a good place for a buy-to-let and offers excellent rental opportunities, especially for short term lets. Rental prices are quite high there, but people coming in the area are often well-off.

Property Styles and Architecture in Sainte Maxime

Sainte Maxime dwellings have no particular architectural style. Properties there are often fenced with a low wall covered with Provencal tiles. They are often luxury and modern properties.

• Villas: these properties in Sainte Maxime, as well as all along the French Riviera, are luxury houses giving all the comfort needed (terrace, land, garage, swimming pool, intercom/videophone, automatic gate…). Usually located in remote parts and hills, they offer a great view both over the sea and vineyards. Front facades are often painted (pink, beige, ochre, yellow). Palm-trees and other beautiful trees are often planted in the garden and sometimes next to the swimming-pool! They are ideal properties either as a second or a main home.

• Apartments: they represent the best type of property if you are looking for a buy-to-let investment. Most of the time situated in the town centre, they are close to all amenities and especially to the seafront. Apartments may be part of a housing estate and thus include swimming-pool in joint ownership and offer facilities such as parking, garage, intercom and automatic gate.

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