Published in French Property News in September 2004

Fruit Cocktail

The relaxed, rural, at times visually stunning department of Tarn-et-Garonne pinches parts from its neighbours to create a heady mix of landscapes. The cultivated slopes of Gascony meet the dry, white-stone, hills of Quercy Blanc and the seductive, verdant countryside of Tarn. Tarn-et-Garonne also has its own claims to fame such as the beautiful, arcaded square at Montauban, the dramatic gorges de l’Aveyron, the authentic medieval town of St Antonin- Noble-Val and the breathtaking cloister at Moissac. To add to this cocktail Tarn-et-Garonne is also one of France’s biggest producers of fruit and extensive orchards can be found throughout much of the department. East of Lauzerte a panel proudly proclaims that you have entered the territory of the plum Reine Claude. The area around Moissac is known for the production of Chasselas desert grapes.

Madame Torrens of Torrens Immobilier based in Montauban explains that property prices in Tarn-et-Garonne have doubled in the past four years, however, very much depend on where you want to buy.

Attractive, red-brick Montauban, with a population of about 60,000, is the préfecture and main commercial centre. It is ideally situated, about 2 hours from the mountains and sea and about 30 minutes from Toulouse and its international airport. Montauban has no industry to speak of and operates at a slower pace than Toulouse, but, whilst in part a dormitory for its big neighbour to the south remains a lively town in its own right. The busy town centre and cultural calendar are proof. The festival Jazz à Montauban held in July attracts internationally known artists which last year included Patricia Kass and Bob Dylan.

The town also has some real architectural gems such as the seventeenth century Episcopal palace which looks out over the Tarn and is now a museum to Montauban’s best know artist, Jean Ingres (1780 – 1867), a brilliant technical painter. There is also the handsome, weather-worn, red-brick Pont Vieux, an incredible feat of early fourteenth century engineering which has managed to withstand anything the Tarn could throw at it since 1311. The best place is the delightful, harmonious Place National. Everything hangs together beautifully. Arcades with vaulted ceilings and cafés and shops underneath line the four sides. There has been a square here since the town was planned by Count Alphonse-Jordain in 1144, the first new town, or bastide, in the south west.

Madame Torrens explains that there was a big flood in 1930 and although work has been carried out since then to try and prevent the same happening again certain areas, such as Sapiac (near the river) are still classed Zone Rouge. Any building works are strictly controlled. There is also a Zone Bleu, where building is allowed, but only in certain parts. Anyone interested in buying in these areas (prices are often reasonable) would need to talk to the agency first. The more exclusive areas to buy in the town include Beausoleil Haut and Le Fau, to the south of the town. In the latter a three/four bedroom, stylish modern property with about 5000m2 of land would probably be over 300,000€. The older, character properties usually sought by British buyers are more often found outside the town.

According to Madame Torrens prices in Montauban are about ten years behind those in Toulouse. One of the most expensive parts of the department is the run between the two cities, as workers in Toulouse are increasingly attracted to buying there.

One of the least expensive areas is the Lomagne, a quiet, rural area, a patchwork of undulating fields, to the west of the department, out towards the Gers. The biggest town is Beaumont, a bastide founded in the thirteenth century, known for its production of white garlic. Lavit is a pleasant village with a covered central square. Torrens Immobilier has a four bedroom house in the village in reasonable condition with a garage for 125,300€. As Madame Torrens explains the rural nature of the area and the relative distance from big commercial centres has helped keep the prices down.

Another lower priced area is around the town of Castelsarrasin, near the river Garonne and its meeting point with the river Tarn. The flatter land around here might not be the dream landscape you are looking for but the prices could make you reconsider. Torrens Immobilier has an office in Castelsarrasin and has on its books a neat, three bedroom, modern property with two garages on about 2000m2 of land with trees, five minutes from the town, for 148,500€. There are several in this price band. Castelsarrasin is a stone’s throw from Moissac, only about 13 miles from Montauban and just over 40 miles from Toulouse.

For those looking for a sizeable property with character the agency has one in good condition with 263m2 living space, 5300m2 of land, seven bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms with chimneys, an equipped kitchen, office, workshop, wine storage area, garage, covered terrace, balcony and three level pigeonnier for 403,600€ in the village of Labastide du Temple, about five miles from Castelsarrasin. Tarn-et-Garonne is reputed to have more pigeonniers than any other department in France so there is usually a good selection of larger properties for sale with one attached.

West of Castelsarrasin is another relatively low cost area because of the nucleur power plant at Golfech – not everyone’s idea of a perfect location.

To the north of the town, past Moissac, is Quercy Blanc. In the summer slopes of sunflowers, Chasselas grapes, orchards and trees line the winding roads. The old, white, limestone houses of the hill-top, twelfth century bastide of Lauzerte, almost dazzle in the sun. This attractive area is now also more accessible, with the improved A20 linking Toulouse and Montauban with Cahors and Paris.

Your dream character property in this area, four or more bedrooms, original features, outbuildings and a sizeable amount of land is likely to be well over 250,000€. Torrens Immobilier have a nineteenth century stone built house near Belfort-du-Quercy for 251,695€, with 150m2 living space, 3.5 hectares of land, five bedrooms, and an outbuilding with three bedrooms, bathroom facilities and a living area which has already been mostly converted into a gîte. Other parts of the outbuilding are used as a workshop /garage. Another outbuilding has a room and wine storage area.

The north eastern corner is the most captivating part of Tarn-et-Garonne and the most visited by tourists. Sites include the dramatic white-grey-orange-pink cliff faces of the Aveyron gorge, the narrow, dark, alleys and medieval houses of St Antonin-Noble-Val snuggled between the sides of the gorge and the river, and the beautifully situated Cistercian abbey at Beaulieu, nestled in the bottom of its verdant, wooded valley, full of bird song. One of the most impressive views of the gorge, the river Aveyron and the red-roofs and spire of St Antonin is from the Rocher d’Anglars which looms above the town.

Romain Brasset at Agence de la Cathdrale based in Albi, with properties for sale in the area, says that St Antonin and the surrounding region is very popular with British buyers. They prefer to buy older, character properties or modern, stylish properties with a special view. He has a three bedroom villa with 150m2 living space and some attractive features on 2700m2 of land with a pool, a living room of 55m2 with chimney, planned kitchen, laundry room, office, wine storage area, terrace and a superb view of the gorge for 388,500€.

Mr Brasset also comments that some of the properties in the area have a lot of land. He has just sold a hamlet of four building and some ruins in need of complete renovation on 80 hectares for 320,000€. Such a purchase would lend itself to the development of a tourist facility.

He adds that prices have tended to become inflated in recent years partly because of the area’s popularity with the British and often sales are made within the British community. However, there are still some bargains to be found.

Further down the gorges in Bruniquel, a picturesque, floral, medieval, hill-top village with narrow streets and a twelfth century castle, Torrens Immobilier has a two bedroom village house with a living room, kitchen, wine storage area, toilet, shower room, a terrace, 300m2 garden and gas central heating for 107,248€. Light work, mostly painting and decorating, is required. The village and surrounding area is beautiful so the house would make an ideal holiday home and could also be let during the summer.

Tarn-et-Garonne is a mosaic of different landscapes offering within its boundaries a wide choice of options for British buyers. Prices have risen in recent years but if your requirements are relatively modest and you are willing to be flexible where you buy 160,000€ would still give you a reasonable choice of properties.