UK versus France
The first true twinning between the civic authorities of a French and English town was between Harrogate and Bagnères de Luchon in 1953. With the forthcoming French Property Exhibition at the Yorkshire Events Centre in Harrogate almost upon us, how does this quintessentially English town compare with its French sibling?
Both spa towns, Harrogate and Luchon (as it is more simply referred to) share a reputation for a genteel ambience and, although their glory days are arguably behind them, they remain hugely popular with holidaymakers and househunters alike.
Although considerably smaller than Harrogate, Luchon is a lively town whose main street, Allées d'Étigny, is lined with lime trees, bars and restaurants. To the south-west of the town, the ski resort of Superbagnères was the second resort in France to install a lift - today a gondola takes about 10 minutes to reach the summit, operating in summer and winter. The town has year-round appeal, with cycling and mountain-biking on offer in summer - the Tour de France often passes through – as well as golf, tennis and gliding.
Surrounded by the dramatic countryside of the Yorkshire Dales national park, Harrogate is an upmarket town renowned for its designer shops, hotels and restaurants – nowadays Betty’s Tearooms are better known than the spa facilities! The town has a reputation as a conference and exhibition centre.
In 2005, a Channel 4 programme listed Harrogate as the UK's third best place to live and property pundit Phil Spencer said the town was his personal favourite. Five years on, with a recession in between, the town still appears to be thriving. An article in The Times (19 February 2010) reports: “Two things typify the Harrogate market: high prices and a swift turnaround time thanks to a ready supply of buyers with cash to spend… the best houses sell for upwards of £2.5 million.”
Meanwhile, across the Channel and around 1,100km south of Calais, Luchon appeals to British househunters largely because of its year-round ‘usability’ - in summer the pavement cafés typify the French lifestyle, while in winter the nearby ski resort is a big draw, especially as property prices are considerably lower than in popular Alpine and Pyrenean resorts.
“While house prices in Luchon have been affected by the financial crisis over the past year or so, they are also strongly affected by supply and demand,” comments Chantal Culver of Mountain Pyrénées Immobilier. “There was a tail-off in enquiries and, correspondingly, in sales during 2009 but these started to pick up again in September/October and don’t seem to have decreased over the quiet winter period. In fact, we’ve seen a large increase in the number of enquiries from potential buyers in both the French national and also the international markets for properties in the €100,000-€250,000 price range. There has also been a marked increase in serious enquiries from not only the UK, but also from as far afield as the USA and New Zealand.
“With its antique shops, restaurants, cafés, hotels, nightclub, casino, market and spa, Luchon is one of those towns that exudes ‘old money’ and is very stylish but still affordable. Being a popular holiday destination, properties have good rental potential,” she adds. “If you’re looking for a bargain, there are plenty to be found here. Our advice – don’t wait too long before making up your mind!”
Properties in Luchon on MPI’s books include a five-bed maison bourgeoise with mountain views for €689,000, a one-bed apartment for €124,750 and a four-bed house for €283,500.
For a year-round French retreat, Luchon is hard to beat – and when you compare low-cost flights with British Rail train tickets, it may well be cheaper to get to than a holiday home in Harrogate!