Halloween in France was not always something that people generally took part in and was thought to be more of something that North Americans did as a favorite pastime.
Dressing up for Halloween only seems to have become more mainstream in France slowly over the past decade as more expats moved into the country, parents and children got involved and for a while now has also been popular, especially in the LGBTQ communities in the country.
Along with that, various nightclubs and bars in the city will be holding events, and although Halloween is on a Monday this year, Tuesday is a holiday so stay out all night if you want.
When people think of the French Riviera, one of the first thoughts that come to mind are the beaches up and down the coastline and the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.
In fact, most of our requests for either a holiday villa rental or property purchase tend to be as close to the sea as possible. That is until people tend to see the price for such a luxury.
One of the best things about being in the Cote d’Azur is that no matter where you are located, you are never far from a beach.
With that, we have seen a dramatic change since the springtime of 2021 where people are seeking to buy a property not necessarily at the seaside but more so in what is locally considered the countryside, in such areas as Valbonne, Biot, Mougins, Grasse, and Saint Paul de Vence. And all are within a reasonable driving distance of any city center and beach.
These more tranquil locations tend to offer a reminder of the Riviera from days gone by and are steeped in history once filled with artists such as Picasso. In these areas, there is more of a sense of community, where villas feel more solid in a sense and in a range of architectural styles and usually come with an expansive plot of land including a swimming pool, making it all possible to both entertain and relax.
And best of all, property prices can be more realistic for most budgets.
With this in mind, listed below are just a few listings currently available in the region.
Valbonne - 2,090,000 EUR
Provencal property for sale with guest villa within walking distance to Valbonne village.
Area: 261 m2 8 room(s) 5 bedroom(s) Land: 5993 m2
Situated in a closed and secured domain, this property composes of the main villa with 3 bedrooms and a guest villa with 2 bedrooms on a splendid flat parcel of land of 5993 m2.
You will be seduced by the majestic arrival that leads to the main villa, which has been entirely renovated.
The main villa has a spacious and bright living room, a dining room, and a kitchen opening onto a large terrace, two en-suite bedrooms on the ground floor, and a large master en-suite with a dressing room and private terrace on the first floor.
The guest villa has two en-suite bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen.
Plus a beautiful infinity pool, a pool house with a summer kitchen, a bowling alley, a carport, a garage, and a workshop complete the ensemble.
Biot - 2,490,000 EUR
Provencal style villa with panoramic views towards the sea.
Area: 300 m2 6 room(s) 4 bedroom(s) Land: 4500 m2
In one of the most sought-after neighborhoods of Biot, with easy access links to Antibes, Mougins, and Valbonne, this beautiful villa offers panoramic views stretching down to the sea and flat, landscaped Mediterranean gardens of 4500m2.
This wonderful property has been entirely renovated with taste and offers light and bright interiors leading to the swimming pool and garden.
On the ground floor are a large entrance hall, dining room leading onto the south-facing terrace, living room with fireplace, and fully fitted design kitchen with feature island ideal for cooking and socializing. Plus, a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom is ideal for inviting your friends to stay.
On the top floor, the master bedroom with dressing room and bathroom, and two additional large double bedrooms.
A cellar, a laundry room, and a double garage complete the property.
This south-facing property enjoys maximum sunshine and its lovely gardens and swimming pool invite you to escape and fully experience the Côte d'Azur.
Saint Paul de Vence - 3,490,000 EUR
Charming traditionally built 9-bedroom Provencal villa on the market near Saint Paul de Vence.
Area: 564 m2
16 room(s)
9 bedroom(s)
Land: 4250 m2
The historical nature of this home mirrors the idyllic character of the village. The Provencal decor and the abundance of living space make this villa a true haven of peace.
The property was originally built in the 18th century and has been completely renovated and benefits from a guest house and an independent apartment.
The main home of 345 m2 or 3700ft² includes a beautiful Provencal kitchen, a double-sized living room with fireplace, and a dining room opening onto the extensive gardens. The 4 beautiful en-suite bedrooms include a magnificent master bedroom suite.
The private guest house with contemporary architecture blends into the landscape. It offers 98 m2 or 1050ft² in size and has a sumptuous master bedroom suite on the upper floor. At the ground floor level, is a spacious living room with a wood-burning stove.
There is a second en suite bedroom with large bay windows opening onto a landscaped garden.
The 50 m2 caretaker's cottage offers a living room, kitchen, and bedroom with a bathroom.
The wonderful grounds, sunny terraces, and landscaped gardens are planted with mature trees and flowering Provencal essences and bushes.
Adjoining the swimming pool, the pool house has two additional bedrooms and a shower room. There is a substantial storage area, wine cellar, pétanque pitch, and a double garage added to the facilities.
This delightful, air-conditioned, family home is complete with luxurious appointments and includes home automation, alarm, and automatic watering systems.
If you are considering buying a property in the French Riviera, do get in contact with us as we have a wide range of properties on option.
In regards to Winter 2022 Holiday Ski Rentals that was posted earlier this month, for fun, I thought it would be interesting to give you a better understanding of what is out there is upcoming season.
The first property rental is in the world-famous area of Courchevel in the Rhone-Alps.
This is a new and distinctive apartment in Courchevel Village located
at an altitude of 1550 metres, available to book now for your upcoming
winter ski vacation. Courchevel is known as the world capital of ski and
the most eastern resort in the Three Valleys. It boasts some of the
most difficult black runs in the world.
With a panoramic view of the Tarentaise peaks, this unique property enables you to ski-in/ski-out access to the slopes.
The rental property of 140 m2 offers a balcony, fireplace, fully
fitted kitchen, dining area, living room, four double bedrooms plus
bathrooms, and most importantly a sauna.
Rates from 1,700 EUR to 10,900 EUR per week Final pricing may be subject to the length of stay and rental dates.
The second holiday ski rental property option is in Meribel.
Remarkable holiday chalet rental of 420 m2 located about 50 metres
from the slopes in an intimate area of the Route des Chalets. In a
peaceful and wooded location, it is both effortlessly chic yet
traditional, making it one of the most comfortable chalets in the whole
resort of Meribel. The town itself is located in the heart of the
world’s largest ski area, the Three Valleys, and is renowned for its
well-preserved Alpine architecture as well as its outstanding ski area.
It offers 5 bedrooms for up to 10 guests and also includes a living
room, dining room, TV lounge room, open-plan kitchen, full fitness room,
and outdoor jacuzzi.
Rates from 19,600 EUR to 22,400 EUR per week Final pricing may vary depending on the length of stay and rental dates.
Another amazing option is this new chalet rental in Megeve.
Beautiful new holiday ski chalet rental in Megeve. The town was
conceived as a French alternative to St Moritz by the Rothschilds and
became the first purpose-built resort in the Alps. It remains one of the
most famous and affluent ski resorts in the world.
Offering an area of 370 m2, it boasts 6 bedrooms, comfortably sleeping up to 12 guests.
Enjoy the stunning lounge areas, dining room, modern kitchen, indoor swimming pool, fitness room, and sauna.
Rates from 20,000 EUR to 60,000 EUR per week Final pricing may vary subject to the length of stay and rental dates.
This is just a small selection of the LGBTQ friendly property and price options available for the holiday season ahead.
The key as it is with every upcoming season in France is to book ahead for the best options available.
The 15th edition of ZeFestival, an LGBTQ+ festival, showcases diverse visibility from the community in its programming as well as the duration.
The ZeFestival features both gay and lesbian films, with a majority of films not typically distributed in commercial releases so, expect the unexpected, if anything, the films will definitely give you plenty to talk about.
This year, the festival will take place from October 8th to December 1st, 2022, offering more time to network with one another with a vast selection of events to attend.
The city of Nice will be bursting at the seams with glorious wigs and the highest of heels at the end of this month!
Announced earlier today, RuPaul's Drag Race France will be taking place live at the Acropolis in Nice on October 29, 2022.
Drag Race France Live, a most colorful show full of hilarious quips, fabulous fashion, and top-of-the-line drag will be bringing together the 10 Drag Queens from the first season of Drag Race France with none other than the most exceptional of presenters, the spectacular Miss Nicky Doll.
Don't hesitate, the show will definitely sell out!
If this past summer is any indication of how popular France is for travelers with tourism records being broken everywhere, then the holiday ski season this winter should continue to expand as we’ve had booking inquiries coming our way since early June for chalet rentals.
Preplanning is the name of the game in travel these days with those booking early then being able to relax and plan extracurricular activities to make the most out of their ski vacation in the Rhone Alps.
Naturally, we are used to last-minute inquiries coming in once the next holiday season is upon us but it is heartbreaking when a client waits to book an apartment or chalet rental only to find property stock has become very low (there are only so many homes out there), which means, less choice, and then the bidding wars begin meaning the rental rates then rise, leaving a lot of hopeful people scrambling to make alternative plans.
Ourselves and other agencies we work with experienced this a lot over the summer months this year, with late requests from visitors wanting the best villa rental options available, only to find whole locations were completely booked up or severely overpriced which makes negotiating a lower rate difficult when the demand is high.
And this is with our own expansive direct stock of homes and through the numerous property partners, we work with on a daily basis. Keep in mind, there are only so many rental properties available no matter the location.
It cannot be expressed enough that from the winter bookings already coming in this year, the ski season will be booming well into 2023.
Any trip planning comes with stressful moments, we want to alleviate as much of that as possible for you so the basics to come in with are, specific dates (give or take a day or two), number of guests, and most importantly a budget range you want to stay within.
We are fortunate to have in our portfolio almost 220 rental properties throughout the French Alps, including all the popular travel hotspots, and we also have more private and quiet hidden gems in other areas as well.
Our property collections are both modern and traditional in architectural design and are suitable for most anyone’s requirements. We have everything from 2 bedroom apartments close to the slopes to the grandest of luxury chalet rentals with indoor pools, fitness rooms, and even small nightclubs.
Whatever your budget allows for, we likely have it, just keep in mind that whatever is the best property deal to the public is usually the first to be completely booked, along with anything during the Christmas and New Years' season.
Connect with us today to book your ideal winter holiday property.
