Canet Property Insight

Canet-en-Roussillon is a pretty seaside resort situated eastern of Perpignan in the Pyrenees Orientales department, on the Mediterranean coast. With more than 11,500 inhabitants, this village is very popular amongst holidaymakers. The climate is pleasant and Canet’s sandy beaches are long and clean. The old village is also a great part of the area. You will find there plenty of winding alleys, small tree-shaded squares and wonderful ancient properties.

Overview

Canet is not only a famous seaside resort, but also a place where the nature is very rich. The south-eastern border of the village is actually composed of the Saint Nazaire pond around which the fauna and flora are various. Furthermore the mouth of the Tet River (la Têt) marks the northern border of Canet’s agglomeration.

Canet’s inhabitants are called the Canétois and Canetaires in the Catalan language, they have an interesting culture deeply influenced by Spain as it is close to the frontier. There are always traffic jams on the way between Canet and Perpignan, but an express road was built in order to avoid this repetitive problem, especially by summer when all the tourists are on holiday in this region.

Canet Immobilier & Property Market Trends

Property prices in Canet have been soaring a lot until 2007, but have been more stable since then. These prices are still pretty high: with an average price of €3,585 / square metre for a property to buy, the village is ranked 267th in the list of the 1,000 most expensive French towns in terms of housing prices.

Most properties there are detached houses (61%), but there are also many apartments (38%). We can find much more 4 and 5-room apartments than studio flats in Canet: 4-room apartments represent 26% of the properties and 5-room ones 24%, whereas studio flats are 5% of the total amount of properties.

On the 13,486 properties, almost 63% are second homes. This important number of holiday houses is quite normal as Canet is a pleasant seaside resort. It is definitely worth investing in a property in this typical southern village located on the Côte Vermeille. Enjoy the sun, the sandy beaches and numerous events by summer and relax during winter, as the village is really quiet at that period.

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

5 Reasons to Buy a Property in Canet

As most of the towns of the Languedoc region, Canet is worth a visit! Characterised by a special culture influenced by the Catalan one, this seaside resort has a long and interesting history.

• Beaches: enjoy a ride along the seafront which is longer than 1.5 kilometres (0.93 miles). We suggest you to leave from Canet’s harbour and walk to the south of the village. You can even go further: to Sainte-Marie (north) and Saint-Cyprien Plage (south) by the beaches. Ramble lovers can also walk to Saint Nazaire and Saint-Cyprien Village which are both gorgeous villages.

• Viscount castle: Canet-en-Roussillon hosts a viscount castle dating from the 11th century. Surrounded by ramparts and a chapel (Chapelle Saint-Martin), this castle was abandoned after the French Revolution as used then by the village’s inhabitants as a chalk quarry. The Châteaux Vicomtal is now a classified historical monument and is being restorated.

• The old village: le vieux village is a charming and peaceful area where you will enjoy strolling. The numerous narrow streets and tiny squares – typical from the south of France - are worth a visit. The Saint-Jacques church is also interesting. Its history during the Middle Ages is just amazing: built by the 13th, razed for the 14th, rebuilt throughout the 15th and renovated several times since this time. The village was erstwhile fortified with at least 3 gates and 14 towers! Nowadays we can still see some vestiges of this fortified area.

• Dynamical village: now Canet is a very dynamic village - especially during summer with plenty of events and festivals. You will enjoy the typical southern France market, the activities in the evening, the thalasso, etc. Practising golf, windsurfing board, sea fishing, water skiing is also possible in Canet. The village became more renowned because a famous French swimmer - Laure Manaudou (she won the gold medal in the women's 400 meter freestyle and the silver medal in the women's 800 meter freestyle at the Athens Olympics) - and her coach - Philippe Lucas – came in its Olympic swimming-pool.

• Location: only 10km from Perpignan and also very close to the Spanish border, Canet is perfectly located. A quiet but dynamic village close to a lively city and a welcoming country, long sandy beaches, greenery, mountains - what else could you need?!

Property Styles and Architecture in Canet

• Village houses: these stone properties are often old and need to be restored if it has not been done yet. If you are looking for an ancient and authentic property, you should invest in such a house. The walls of these properties are always made of stone, and the indoor walls are also most of the time mainly composed of stone. We can sometimes find wood beams that make the house more rustic.

• Modern villas: the main features of these properties are the following ones: often one-storey, very large size, with many rooms, well-designed, huge garden with terraces, a private swimming-pool and sometimes fruit trees (fig, peach, apples trees for example). These contemporary villas - typical southern French properties - will definitely seduce you!

• Cottages: always located in holiday complexes close to the beach, these properties are usually of a small size but very convenient for families. The cottages have terraces and/or small gardens at the front and behind of them, as well as a parking place and a private swimming-pool and are situated in very quiet areas.

Click here for more info about the Languedoc Roussillon Architecture.