Lons-le-Saunier Property Insight

Lons-le-Saunier is the capital and prefecture of Jura. In the east of France and at only 50 km of the Swiss border, it belongs to the Franche Comté region. Its 18,476 inhabitants are called the Lédoniens. Built during the Roman period around a spring of salt water, it is known as ‘the City of the Princes of Orange’.

Overview

East and south, it is lined with the Jura Massif’s first plateau and west with the Bresse plain. North stand famous vineyards, notably Château-Chalon and Arbois. It is crossed by the Vallière River and located near lakes and middle mountain resorts.

Lons le Saunier benefits from its position at the entrance of visited tourist areas and from its proximity with Switzerland. Head office of the Jura Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it is with Dole one of the two biggest economical poles of Jura.

Thanks to its commercial tradition, it is liven up by numerous shops. Tourism plays an important part in its economy and its industries are handcraft ones. Beside, it is famous for its toys and nestles famous brands like Smoby.

Lons-le-Saunier Immobilier & Property Market Trends

Property prices in Lons le Saunier underwent a slight drop at the beginning of 2009 but have since stabilized at the average price of €1,720 /sq m. It is a really attractive one, especially when compared to the national average price (€3,197 /sq m).

Buying prices vary according to the type of property. For an apartment, you can count €1,974 /sq m and €1,626 /sq m for a house. The average area is 160 sq m.

Properties near the lakes of Vouglans or Chalain have sometimes inflationary prices; but since this area is highly demanded by tourists, it can represent a good investment.

To get updated info about the property prices in Jura, please browse our French Property Market Reports published in the News Section every month.

3 Reasons to Buy a Property in Lons-le-Saunier

• Art and historical heritage: its spa tradition, the Enlightenment period and its turbulent past have left their stamp on the town, which has kept a rich heritage. The peculiar rue des Arcades with its labyrinths of inner courtyards and sculpted faces; or the Italian Theatre built in 1903 –one of the only ones to be open to visits in France- are really not to pass by. As for sacred art, the Saint Désiré church with its beautiful crypt is a flower of the franc-comtois Roman art. The Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology is almost entirely dedicated to the regional art and gathers works of different periods.

• Lifestyle: Lons-le-Saunier is a pleasant town to live in where time passes peacefully. While being lively with its numerous shops, it has kept a forgotten serenity. Besides, the spa perpetuates a centuries-old tradition by welcoming patients and tourists for spa treatments or well-being courses. Whether you stroll over the nice scenery or go discover cultural places, in this town all seems to have been thought to make people relax. With its picturesque places, it offers its inhabitants a different way of life.

• Local produces: this town is home of the worldwide famous La vache qui rit (The laughing cow) cheese. The original factory has been converted into a play museum, where you can learn about its history in a modern and playful way. The town has ‘Rouget de Lisle’ specialties, a tasty hazelnut cake and a traditional low fermentation beer named after the Lédonien compositor of the French anthem. It also has delicious desserts. Allow you to be tempted by various praline chocolates like the Casse-Noisette or the Pavé des Arcades; the Noix de Baume for their part are a yummy mix of pistachio marzipan and chocolate flavoured with coffee or rum.

Property Styles and Architecture in Lons-le-Saunier

• Detached pavilions: integrated into the natural landscape, they were recently built and are often semi-buried. The interior is spacious, luminous and functionally laid out. They have a garage and as a bonus, they generally come with a small amount of land.

• Apartments: their size varies from the studio flat to the five rooms apartment. In the town centre they can be found in former town houses, while at the outskirts they are generally in rooming houses. They are usually done up but some are to renovate as one chooses.

Click here for more info about the Architecture in Franche Comté.