Located in central southern France, inland from Toulouse and Montpellier, the département of Aveyron can rightly call itself an undiscovered gem, as few foreigners have heard its name. This is a picturesque region of gorges, valleys, mountains and lakes, peppered with historic, riverside towns and quaint, sleepy villages. And if you love beautiful countryside, sunshine and property that doesn’t break the bank, check out our guide to buying property in Aveyron.
Sunny and not overcrowded
Aveyron’s stunning landscapes and quality of life have all the elements of the French dream, although it often gets overshadowed by its more well-known neighbours on the Mediterranean coast (Agde and Sète are just a couple of hours south by car from Rodez, the capital of Aveyron). The upside is that it’s not saturated with tourism: only 17.2% (INSEE stats) of properties here are second homes, and most people live here all year round. And there’s plenty of space with around 32 people per km² compared to France’s national average of 107.
Aveyron is not very well-known and is largely unspoilt, with a strong rural culture that feels like Dordogne 30 years ago. There’s a fantastic diversity of scenery, including mountains, lakes, gorges and the Aubrac plateau, so it’s fantastic for activities like hiking, watersports and cycling. It also has a lot of sunshine ours so you can spend much of the year outdoors.
Aveyron properties are on the affordable side of the fence. To give you an idea, the average property price in Aveyron is €160k, compared with the French Riviera at €550k and Paris at €700k. In real terms, that means that you get so much more for your buying budget here than in other areas, yet you’ll still get the advantages of a southern-France lifestyle and climate.
Guide to buying property in Aveyron
This is a region with an incredible range of properties, so it’s a house-hunter’s dream. If you’re drawn to luxurious or historical properties, Aveyron has a wealth of architecture for you to explore. You could choose a château complete with turrets, vast fireplaces and numerous outbuildings, a grand and elegant manor house, or a historic residence that will give you huge potential for developing a tourism business. You’ll also be spoilt for choice if you’re simply looking for a detached family home – expect to pay around €150,000 for a stone-built 4-bedroom property with a garden. You can buy a renovation projects and take your time transforming it, or choose a modest village home for around €135,000 that you can move into straight away and enjoy the laid-back lifestyle.
Aveyron’s capital, Rodez is less than two hours from Toulouse and a little more from Montpellier, and it’s even under four hours from Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast. In practical terms, Aveyron is very accessible yet the area remains unspoilt, and it has a sense of being tucked away from the crowds.
True French lifestyle
Aveyron is synonymous with large-scale, dramatic scenery such as gorges with rushing rivers, tree-lined valleys and mountain backdrops. Nature reigns supreme here, and the central-southern climate means that you’ll have plenty of sunny days in which to enjoy it. If you’re not a fan of cycling, hiking or watersports, you’ll still relish the luxury of sitting out in the garden sipping a cool apéritif as you gaze at the bright blue skies and rustling trees. It’s also where France’s oldest appellation cheese is made – Roquefort, the blue-veined celebrity fromage has been around for 1000 years.
The biggest town here is Rodez, home to 24,475 residents, three museums, a wonderful market and clusters of buildings including several pavement cafés that are typically French. All of this is surveyed by an iconic gothic cathedral built from pink sandstone, while the river Aveyron flows through the town, offering ideal picnic spots. Twelve minutes from the centre, you could buy an impressive property that comprises a family home, three rental gîtes and a pool for €795,000.
The second-biggest town is Millau (21,979), a town of art and history famous for its viaduct and groups of terracotta-topped houses framed by mountains. Its medieval history is evident in its quirky stone buildings and its unmissable belfry, rising 42 metres above the winding streets. If you fall for the town, you could be the new owner of a Maison de Maître that has been renovated to an exceptional standard, combining the elegance of a period property with contemporary interior design. With seven bedrooms, a pre-existing B&B business and over an acre of land for €849,000, your budget certainly goes a long way here.
Throughout Aveyron, you’ll find market towns and quaint villages, offering every type of property you could wish for, from timbered buildings for €60,000 to vast farmhouses with acres of land for horses, and from modern, architect-designed homes to centuries-old noble residences filled with original features.
Ask someone in the know
Who wouldn’t be tempted by the beauty of Aveyron? Whether you want to satisfy your curiosity or start a serious house-hunting search, take a look at the properties available on the website of award-winning estate agents Leggett Immobilllier: frenchestateagents.com/aveyron
This time next year, you could be sipping an aperitif in the sunshine of Aveyron…
