After 20 years of reflection, 14 financial partners, three years of construction, a few « is it actually happenning? » rumours and a mere 46 million euros later a new airport is born - well almost. The new Brive-Souillac airport located in south-west France is scheduled to open its doors in between April and June 2008.

This is an airport with a very unique location as it is situated at the intersection of three departments each of which belongs to three different regions. The actual airport itself is situated in the department Corrèze (in the Limousin region) and within easy distances of the departments Lot (Midi-Pyrénées region) and the Dordogne (Aquitaine region). Not only does its name Brive-Souillac cross borders, but even its 2100m runway begins in the Lot and ends in the Corrèze. The airport also has a favourable location in terms of the road network as it is located near the crossing of the A20 up to Paris and A89 west across to Bordeaux.

Tourism near the airport

Brive-Souillac airport will serve what could be easily said to be one of the most beautiful and most visited of the tourist regions in France. It is blessed with the valley of the Dordogne to the east and the river Lot to the south with the popular Dordogne west of the airport. What brings charm to this part of France is that there are no major towns close by and therefore no heavy industries. There is simply a cluster of small towns and villages, some famous and others not so well known but just as equally charming.

Tourism in Corrèze

It boasts a generous sprinkling of the most beautiful villages in France. It currently has 6 of the classified 151 villages which belong to this elite club “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France”. One of the members is Collonges la Rouge. It was in fact the Mayor of Collonges la Rouge, Charles Ceyrac, who in 1981 decided to serve a cause close to heart to protect and promote the outstanding heritage of such beautiful villages. In 1982 the association was made official and 66 mayors throughout France followed the example.

Collonges la Rouge at around 19km from the airport is a small and perfectly formed village. What is surprising about this village is its bright and rich red-stone properties. It is wonderfully preserved with pride by its 420 inhabitants with geraniums adorning the houses in every possible place - a true picture-postcard village. In the centre lies the church St Pierre with its Romanesque bell-tower dating back to the 12th century. The village is set upon the beautiful and luscious green countryside contrasting against the redness of the stone. This once used to be staging post for pilgrims on their way to Saint Jacques de Compostelle.

Tourism in Lot

One of the more famous villages includes “Rocamadour” situated in the Lot further south of Brive at 59km from the airport. This is no ordinary tourist site. It is a truly spectacular site set upon a ravine carved out by the river Alzou. In 1166 the relics of a hermit “Amadou” were discovered outside what is now known as the chapel of Miracles. The body which was so remarkably intact inspired the construction of its abbey built vertically on the cliff face and its castle perched on top. The Black Virgin located in the Chapel of Miracles has been and still is the highlight for the pilgrims who continue to visit the site from all four corners of the world. Up until this day miracles are said to have happened – which you are to judge for yourself! A long and windy staircase leads down to the village which although subject to tourism remains very well preserved and does not remove you from the spirituality and the wonder of the site itself. Certainly worth visiting for believers and non-believers.

ARCHITECTURE

The traditional properties in this area are built from natural stone with a creamy tint topped with red tiling. Often you will find “pigeonniers” to add to the charm. Properties also often come with a traditional “souillarde” typical of the area which is the kitchen with a vaulted ceiling and stone sink.

PROPERTY MARKET

Property prices in the Lot have been at their highest two years ago. This has meant that home buyers have turned to other less known destinations like the Aveyron to find lower priced properties. However there has been a slowdown in the market in the last 12 months which has resulted in property prices decreasing and making properties in the Lot much more affordable. Such slowdown makes it a good time to purchase in the area and more buyer power to negotiate.

Property prices in the Corrèze are significantly lower the the Lot and the Dordogne as the department is not as popular or heard of as its neighbours. However with accessibility to the department starting from late next spring house prices may rise.

IMPACT ON REGION AND PROPERTY MARKET

The new airport with its international destination will certainly play its role in promoting the attractive image of this region. It will have a significant impact in particular on small business in the tourism sector. A study shows that international passengers spend on average 560 euros per trip compared to national passengers spending 160 euros. The airport will also serve existing second home owners in the departments Dordogne, Lot and Corrèze. Although the Corrèze has by far the lowest number of British home owners at only 10 percent of the three departements. The Lot accounts for 28 percent and a huge 62 percent for the Dordogne.

What is certain is that property prices will rise with the arrival of the low-cost carrier into Brive-Souillac airport. Some experts believe that prices in the Corrèze will rise by 30 to 50 percent.

WHAT CAN YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY

Here is an idea of how far your money will go in this area.

This is a pretty stone cottage with a garden set in a hamlet just south of Brive. The house does require some internal modernisation however the walls and roof are in good condition. It has a living room with a fireplace, a dining room, a cellar and 1 bedroom with further space in the attic which can be converted. This property is situated on the border of the Corrèze and the Lot just south of the new airport and would cost you 127 000 euros inclusive of agency fees.

For 267 000 euros you can purchase this spacious country house located again in the Lot just south of Brive. 40 m² living room, 25 m² kitchen, dining room, 6 bedrooms as well as further space to convert in the attic, 175 m² basement, laundry room and a garden.

Here is a truly charming property which includes a fully restored farmhouse, a gite and a large barn in good condition. It is set in peaceful countryside and surrounded by 2 hectares of meadow which are part of the property. The main property includes an open dining and kitchen area with fireplace of 45 m², an additional 20 m² lounge, 2 large bedrooms, mezzanine, laundry room and an unspoilt view. This would cost you 392 000 euros.

At 435 000 euros you don’t have to be a Hollywood film star to afford this fortified property. Located near a forest close to the Dordogne Valley this wonderful property is waiting to be snapped up. It includes the hallway within the tower, 45 m² kitchen and dining area, a lounge, attached barn and a terrace of 58 m². On the first floor you have the right wing with 3 bedrooms and the left wing with 3 bedrooms with bathroom. The icing on the cake is the bedroom on the second floor within the tower itself. However it needs modernisation with the installation of new bathrooms.

The airport with a capacity of 150 000 passengers per year will provide 2 daily flights with a low cost carrier to the UK, 3 daily flights to Paris and 2 flights to Lyon.

Scheduled to open in 2008 watch this space for news on its arrival. Although we don’t expect any delays - the French are often on time with civil engineering achievements if not early !

Nav Vilain
Selection Habitat
+33 5 65 70 10 49
www.selectionhabitat.com
info@selectionhabitat.com

The destination Rodez is located in south-western France in the department of Aveyron. Aveyron is a land of contrasts described very often as « green and serene » and untouched. It is a surprise that Aveyron up until now was one of the least well known departments in France - even some Parisians found it hard to put Aveyron on the map! The main reason that Aveyron has remained hidden is due to inaccessibility. Up until recently accessing Aveyron in an inexpensive way was by car. The road links have improved dramatically thanks to the Millau Viaduct which opened in December 2005 drawing in the French in floods. However it is the airport of Rodez which must be given credit for attracting the British tourists and property hunters.

Rodez Airport and Ryan Air

Rodez Airport itself has a very privileged location being within easy travelling distance from the sea and the mountains. If your driving it is only 1.5 hours from Toulouse, 2 hours from the Mediterranean and 2.5 hours from the Pyrenees and Spanish border.

The airport opened in 1968 to cater for national business travellers to and from Paris with the former local carrier « Air Rouergue ». The airport encountered strong growth in passenger numbers in the 90s but when Air Liberté went downhill in 2002 passenger numbers dropped. Tom Roberts, now Director of the airport, was called in to rescue the situation. He successfully fought against other destinations to attract the low-cost airline Ryan Air into Rodez. 18 months later Ryan Air announced their arrival. On 1st May 2003 Ryan Air’s first flight took off to London Stansted. Quite something for a local national airport ! This has revived passengers to their highest ever numbers. Since 2003 passsenger numbers have increased by around 20,000 each year. On 27th February 2007 the airport celebrated its 250,000th Ryan Air passenger.

Airport Development

Rodez Airport is currently a mere 1000 m² in size which up until the arrival of Ryan Air could be seen as adequate. However at its peak time the departure lounge starts to burst at its seams with some passengers having to wait outside the security gates until the lounge has cleared. However the developments to extend the airport are under way with 8 million euros allocated to tripling its size. The new Rodez Airport will include two departure lounges separating national and international flights, a VIP lounge, further shops and 600 car parking places. The extension is due to be completed within a year by spring 2008. Will there be any other low-cost airlines into Rodez from other European airports ? Who knows what its future holds. What we do know is that Director Tom Roberts is aiming to increase passenger numbers to 250-300,000 per year in the next five years.

From 18th April Ryan Air have begun the summer schedule of daily flights from London to Rodez. Rodez Airport also has 3 daily flights to Paris and flights to Lyon.

Property Market

The airport, officially known as « Rodez-Marcillac Airport » is located 12km west of Rodez centre or a 10 minute drive close to the wine-producing town of Marcillac. Properties in the Marcillac area are probably the most sought after in the Aveyron. This is due to a number of reasons. First of all the valley of Marcillac or « vallon » as its known in Aveyron is blessed with its very own micro-climate The average temparature is a couple of degress warmer than Rodez. This results in milder winters and even warmer summers, hence the production of the Marcillac wine which enjoys its Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée status. Another reason that many locals are keen on this areas is the commuting distance to Rodez centre. The type of properties that you can find in the vallon reflect Aveyron’s tradition. Red-stone is the hallmark for properties here and there are many corps de ferme (farmhouses with outbuildings) available situated in beautiful tranquil settings with plenty of land. If Rodez airport receives more property buyers then it is very probable that prices will rise here like with many destinations which have had a similar effect. Prices are already on the increase and expect a rise of 25per cent in the next 3 years. If new flights from other European destinations connect to Rodez in the future then there will be a stronger demand for property and a certainly higher increase in price.

10 minutes from Rodez Airport

Here is a sample of properties at different price ranges all a 10 minutes drive from Rodez Airport.

This is an 18th century village house in need of work for 110,000euros. The property has 4 bedrooms, a 20 m² kitchen, 25 m² living room, a 950 m² flat garden, bread oven, an 80 m² cellar for all that Marcillac wine and lovely features.

This 165 000 euros U-shaped farmhouse complex has huge potential for conversion. It is a very large property with the potential for over 600m2 living space. It includes several original features, a private courtyard and over 3500 m² of land. Its two barns can be converted into either two or three levels. The barns traditionally used for animal and fodder storage are often now converted into separate living area or a gites. However you must first obtain plannng permission to convert into habitable spaces.

Here is a property for 215 000 euros which is habitable straight away although one room requires some finishing off. It includes 4 bedrooms, an attached barn with 80 m² per level and a nice flat garden.

This property here is a beautiful large stone house in a peaceful environment in a charming wine-producing village. It is 390 000 euros with 4 bedrooms, an extra floor of 80 m² to be converted, a garage which can also be converted, a 43 m² dining room and 36m2 living room and 3000 m² of land.

According to Ryan Air’s figures 38 out of 189 seats are second home owners. This figure includes friends and family visiting.

Property prices may be higher around the airport compared to other parts of Aveyron however certainly still unbeatable value compared to other regions in France.

Nav Vilain
Selection Habitat
+33 5 65 70 10 49
www.selectionhabitat.com
info@selectionhabitat.com