Where to buy a second home on the French Riviera in 2023?

When buying a second home, several arguments come into play: the intrinsic characteristics of the property, such as the number of bedrooms, the possibility of a terrace with a sea view or a garden with a pool. Beyond these criteria, one must also think about the resale, and this is why the location of the property is to be taken seriously.

The major cities of the Côte d'Azur are ideal areas for long-term investment in 2023.

The reputation of the Côte d'Azur precedes it: sun, sea, sweet life, everything makes it an ideal place for a secondary vacation home, a real Eldorado for those who wish to invest in stone.

A privileged clientele, French and foreign, will have every reason to choose this region to acquire a second home. Whether you are retired and looking for the mild climate of the Côte d'Azur, telecommuting and thus able to work from your second home far from the big cities, or a Monegasque looking for peace and quiet outside the Principality, the Côte d'Azur remains the ideal place to invest in a second home.

Renowned specialist in luxury real estate in the region and internationally, Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty presents the best areas of the Riviera for quality pied-à-terre.

Nice and its Promenade des Anglais

Thanks to its international airport serving via a direct line influential economic and tourist areas such as Dubai, New York, Switzerland, or even Luxembourg, Nice radiates around the world as a gateway to the French Riviera and Monaco.

In 2021, Nice will be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as "City of the Riviera Winter Resort". This adds an extra dimension to the already international reputation of the city and its surroundings.

This announcement reinforces the tension in the city's real estate market, which was already strong; indeed, it sheds new light on this metropolis, its thriving economy and its privileged environment - ideal conditions for vacationing and investing in real estate.

Nice for what budget ?

A city at the crossroads of budgets, Nice offers a range of properties for buyers of all types and lifestyles. While all neighborhoods have different prices, the standards offered also vary.

Indeed, the seafront and the Promenade des Anglais, as well as the harbor belt and Cap de Nice, will be less expensive than the more remote areas in the hills. This is also the case for bourgeois residential areas such as Cimiez, Gairaut, or Mont Boron, which attract the most affluent with their period residences or their unobstructed sea views.

The city council is making a real effort to gentrify marginal neighborhoods such as Nice West and East. If all this weighs in the attractiveness and the improvement of the standard of living in the agglomeration, it also plays an important role in the increase of real estate prices.

In short, Nice offers a pleasant, lively and dynamic environment, ideal for a second home.

Cannes and its festivals

Known throughout the world for the film festival it hosts every year, an opportunity to admire the world of the 7th art climb the red steps of the Palais des Festivals, Cannes enjoys an undisputed reputation.

Cannes participates greatly through its festival life to the influence of the French Riviera in the world. In 2022, the city was awarded the title of "Best World Destination for Festivals and Events" at the World Travel Awards.

The market for second homes is very strong. Indeed, the portfolio of available properties - such as villas or luxury residences with spectacular views of the sea, especially in the California or Pointe Croisette areas - attracts buyers.

From the apartment in a luxury residence in the First Croisette to the ultra-contemporary villa with a sea view at the top of the Californie, not forgetting the charming house in the Croix des Gardes, Cannes offers a very varied selection of real estate, just like the population that comes and goes throughout the year.

Living in Cannes

Beyond its reputation, Cannes is above all a splendid city that enjoys a unique and exceptional setting. It is a destination where life is good and the seasons are mild.

The city center is home to world-famous palaces, the biggest luxury brands in ready-to-wear, leather goods and jewelry, as well as restaurants and private beaches of the highest quality and whose reputation is well established.

The countryside of Cannes is preserved from the fast pace of the city and offers calm and serenity, authenticity and often breathtaking views.

With easy access to the freeway serving the major agglomerations of the Côte d'Azur, including Nice and its international airport, Cannes has all the major advantages of a real estate acquisition.

→ Discover our villas and homes for sales in cannes

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, the prestige of the Riviera and the charm of the village

The peninsula of Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat is a privileged historical destination on the French Riviera. Buyers of exceptional properties and second homes are jostling for position. A paradise for luxury real estate, the Cap Ferrat offers an exceptional natural site that has kept its wild aspect while welcoming some of the most beautiful properties in the world.

A favorite peninsula for buyers looking for an exceptional property by the sea, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat is spearheading the ultra-competitive luxury real estate market on the French Riviera.

A mecca of history

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat is steeped in history and has been a popular resort for high society since the 1900s. The Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat gave it an additional aura and brought in a wealthy cosmopolitan clientele. In the 1950s, the seaside resort welcomed celebrities from all over the world such as Edith Piaf, Charlie Chaplin, and Romy Schneider who married there in 1966.

The variety of architecture contributes to the charm of the town, from the Art-Deco property to the contemporary villa, everything goes towards a high-end coastal lifestyle, which investors are looking for.

An ideal geographical location

Close to Nice international airport, the peninsula has the ideal geographical position for international investors. Also at the gateway to Monaco, it is a privileged location for professionals whose company is based in the heart of the Principality.

Saint-Tropez

Known worldwide in particular thanks to the jet-set's infatuation with this Gulf, Saint Tropez and its neighboring communes benefit from an exceptional natural environment. A true oasis of charm and a paradise of high-end services, the village of St. Tropez brilliantly combines nightlife and Provencal style, especially during the summer season, which attracts a very varied and wealthy clientele.

A perennial investment

The Gulf of Saint-Tropez offers a variety of landscapes, from the wildest to the most urbanized. This area is unsurprisingly among the most sought-after on the French Riviera, particularly for the purchase of a second home or for rental investment. In fact, in 2019, 66% of the real estate in Saint Tropez is a second home according to a study by INSEE. A market in constant growth, the price per square meter has increased by 54% over the last five years according to Le Figaro Immobilier.

Which real estate project in Saint Tropez

Several types of projects are possible around the Gulf. One can think of the acquisition of a second home near the Place des Lices in Saint Tropez allowing a certain rental yield, and for the most privileged clients, the purchase of a property within a closed and secured domain such as the Parks of Saint Tropez.

The hinterland

If the coastline attracts, the hinterland is not to be outdone. Populated with historic bastides or beautiful Provencal properties, one seeks peace and quiet far from the crowds of the seaside and the city.

What clientele for the backcountry?

Particularly appreciated by Monegasques who escape there while benefiting from the proximity of the Principality, the hinterland provides the calm and space that can often be lacking in the city.

Garden and swimming pool are the most sought-after features in the hinterland, and depending on the location and orientation of the property, one can also benefit from a beautiful sea view.

The hinterland is the sunny meeting point between tradition and modernity, between land and sea.

For more information on investment opportunities or for any real estate project on the French Riviera, contact your experts in prestige real estate at Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty: info@cotedazursothebysrealty.com

Photo : CA6-1777