Saint-Rapahël, between land and sea

Radia Amar - 01 December 2022

45 minutes from Nice, between Cannes and Saint-Tropez, Saint-Raphaël stretches along the coast for 36 km between Le Massif de l’Estérel and the Mediterranean shore. A medium-sized town, home to around 36,000 residents, Saint-Raphaël is laid out around its Old Town and harbours. Its flagship neighbourhoods are comprised of the centre, seafront, Boulouris, Agay, Anthéor-le-Trayas and Valescure.

A pleasant commune and a lively seaside resort, Saint-Raphaël continues to rouse the enthusiasm of many regional and Parisian retirees, in search of a high-end villa or apartment to live in year-round. Appreciated for its attractive residential areas, its creeks and a town centre at the edge of the beaches, the commune is also an economic and cultural hub. This appealing commune in Le Var benefits from five yacht harbours, a casino, a busy congress centre, a TGV station, a hospital centre, and many highly-rated schools from nursery to secondary level.

With three agencies in Saint-Raphaël - Littoral, Centre-ville and Les Golfs -, Canat & Warton devotes itself exclusively to sales under the joint management of Karim Cordelier and Jean-Philippe Bossy. The Littoral branch has just doubled its surface area and now accommodates a co-working space as well as additional private offices. Working from this agency, property expert Mickaël Meresse tells us that the year has turned out to be very positive in all three branches. “Although demand still outstrips supply, we can see our property portfolios becoming fuller as we near year end. Mainly consisting of French and north European buyers (Dutch, Swedish and Norwegian), well-off clients of the Canat & Warton agency are looking for pleasant holiday homes - an apartment offering a sea view near the centre or a lovely house in a neighbourhood such as Santa Lucia or Agay.

Prices are now stable, and our prestige properties range from 3 to 5 million euros.” Another area forming part of the Saint-Raphaël market, Valescure offers an upscale address.

“In Valescure, the starting-price is now around 5,000 € per sq.m, with an average price bracket from 6,500 to 7,500 € per sq.m.”

Home to the golf-courses, Valescure is seen as an elegant address. Charmed by its wonderful climate and lovely scenery, Lord Aschcombe of England had the first of two golf-courses built in the Valescure area in the late 19th century.

From the 1960’s to 1990’s, the neighbourhood took off, and many villas, large properties, private estates and prestigious residences were built. An upmarket residential area offering a peaceful setting of quality, Valescure is now renowned for its two 18-hole golf-courses and 9-hole academy. Airy, green, and near amenities, it draws many French and foreign buyers, whether golfers or not.

“Real estate here gives priority to villas, the majority fetching well over 1 million euros.”

By way of example, Mickaël Meresse mentions a light and airy villa in Californian style with 4 main rooms, a swimming pool and sweeping view, at the very heart of Valescure. Offering a living-room of over 60 m² with a high-spec fitted kitchen, this villa with contemporary volumes, a magnificently landscaped garden, two generous terraces, and a double garage, is on offer at 1,285,000 €.