Cergy Property Insight

Cergy is a French town situated in the Val d’Oise department – Paris-Ile de France region. The prefecture of the department, it is a town of the north west suburb of Paris. Sometimes called 'Cergy-Pontoise', it accounts for 56,873 inhabitants named the Cergyssois.

Overview

One of Cergy’s particularities is that when building the town, the engineers did not want to be part of a socio-economic model. Thus, they decided not to give any renowned names to the urban streets. Large axes have location, building or area’s names. Only a dozen of streets were given the name of a famous person.

Saint-Christophe church has been part of the French historical monuments since 1913. Its fortified porch, Renaissance-style portal and square architecture are surprisingly beautiful. During the 6th century, it was however a small sanctuary. The latter underwent several transformations over the centuries.

Cergy is a town built around gorgeous natural sites. It gathers a rich farming past with a modern architecture. The lifestyle in the town is very pleasant: the numerous parks and gardens ensure continuity with the rural landscape, woods and ponds. Some natural sites not to be missed: the village footpaths, Cergy’s woods, Prefecture park, the three woods and the leisure centre.

Cergy Immobilier & Property Market Trends

Property in Cergy cost 2,900 /sq m in 2009, which is slightly below the national average of €3,197 /sq m as well as of the department average (€3,000 /sq m). Properties in the town are cheaper than other locations of the Paris-Ile de France region, where they are sometimes sold €5,000 /sq m. Furthermore, a property is rented €15.25 /sq m a month, against €12.22 /sq m a month on average in France. As a result, property prices are lower but rentals are higher, which make Cergy a town where the return on investment should be good.

With over 62% of tenants in the town, Cergy offers good rental opportunities. This may be in part due to the presence of a university, often a good location for investors. 3 and 4-room properties are much sough-after and Cergy is home to about 72% of apartments. The percentage in the department is however of 49%. Cergy being an important economic centre of Val d’Oise, investing there should be a safe placement.

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

5 Reasons to Buy a Property in Cergy

• Economy: located 30km from Paris, Cergy benefits from large communication roads. It also boasts a fluvial harbour. The shopping centre called Les 3 Fontaines constitutes one of the most important shopping centres of the Val d’Oise department. It is served by the RER trains and welcomes about 35,000 visitors each day. 147 shops share the three floors of the building.

• Tourism – Sights: gaze at the Axe Majeur/Horloge quarter and its gardens with successive grade separations. The latter offer a gorgeous view over Paris and the Défense towers. In the south of the town, strolling in the leisure park is very pleasant. Many activities can be practised there such as bathing, sailing, water skiing lift, canoeing, kayaking, rowing… Stare at the Village, the historical quarter of Cergy much appreciated by tourists.

• Cergy’s Harbour: entirely artificial, this is however the first harbour of the Paris-Ile de France region in terms of size. Built during the 80’s, it connects the village to the new town. This is nowadays one of the most expensive quarters of the new town. Strolling along the Oise banks and having a break in the restaurants and / or bars is very pleasant.

• Architectural style: Cergy boasts a typical architecture which is displayed mainly throughout its new town. The Hauts-de-Cergy quarter is home to Haussmann-style buildings. In the Axe Majeur-Horloge quarter, you will discover however regional architectural styles such as Provencal Bastides or Northern-style properties. The Coteaux quarter, finally, houses tall buildings with curves which recall seaside architecture. Other buildings front facades are painted in warm colours.

• Location – Transport links: Cergy is served by the RER trains and by local bus routes. They regularly drive to the French capital amongst others. Then, from Paris, it is very easy to travel to any other country. Bikes are also at the disposal of the inhabitants, who can hire them to move easily. By road, Cergy is only 30 minutes from Paris.

Property Styles and Architecture in Cergy

• Apartments: whether in residences or small buildings, apartments are ideal for buy-to-let investments. The return on investment is ensured by the high rental price. People looking for a second home or an investment should find in flats the best property type. Never far from shops, train stations and schools amongst others, you will hardly need a car. Many apartments were renovated or, at least, do not need any work.

• Detached houses: they have no particular architectural style. However, they often come with a terrace, piece of land, fireplace and garage. Others can also include outbuildings. Detached houses are perfect for those who want to settle in a dynamic area while keeping some tranquility. It is also possible to find villas, which are modern properties. They are however more expensive. In Cergy, houses are close to all amenities i.e. RER trains, schools, shops...

Click here for more info about the Architecture of Paris-Ile de France.