La Flèche Property Insight

La Fleche is a French town of the Sarthe department and the Pays de la Loire region. This sous-prefecture of the department is also the second most populated one (about 15,000 inhabitants). The Loir River crosses the town, the latter being 45km to Le Mans and Angers.

Overview

La Fleche as many assets making it an attractive location to live. Its zoo is probably the best touristy attraction both for adults and children. Beautiful settings will let you discover animals in the natural framework: Arctic white wolf, polar bear, grizzly bear, African miniature goat, zebu, miniature donkey, kangaroo and so on. Shows are regularly organized: chimpanzee, giraffe, elephant, hippopotamus snack, otters fishing… The zoo is the first touristy centre of Sarthe with about 1,200 animals.

Monnerie lakes holds a sandy beach and a secured and watched bathing area. There, you can combine water joys, nature discovery and sport activities. Numerous animals can also be seen: heron, reed-warbler, coot, hare, stoat, frog… This is a great place for nature lovers as the Monnerie lakes are a preserved area.

La Flèche Immobilier & Property Market Trends

Property prices in La Fleche have dropped since January 2008 due to the current crisis. They were about €1,800 /sq m during this period and are now about €1,650 /sq m. This slight decrease represents however a good opportunity to invest in the area before an eventual increase. If you are looking for lets, then La Fleche is an attractive town since offering interesting rental opportunities. Indeed, almost half of the residents are tenants and a placement there should be fast profitable to you. If you’d rather settle in the town, the area is quite cheap, especially compared with other towns or cities like Le Mans, and you will probably find a bargain. You can combine tranquillity and closeness to the prefecture of Sarthe (Le Mans), 45km to the north west.

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

3 Reasons to Buy a Property in La Flèche

• Gourmet food: some typical dishes are absolutely to be tasted when living or spending holidays in the area. The black hen, a famous speciality for its delicate and subtle meat, is present at any local meal. Either sugar lovers will not be disappointed! You will surely be tempted by a lemon, violet, coffee or rose macaroon, by a prytanéen (a piece of chocolate with a praline and nougatine taste) or by the fiches (small chocolate or orange-chocolate candies with a stake shape and nougatine taste). To be drunk with your meal, Jasnières wine a white wine produced with white pineau, will probably satisfy everybody. Its lime blossom, honey and quince taste make it a perfect wine, especially to accompany the local rillettes, a famous French pâté made of pork, goose, duck, rabbit or game.
• Street markets: the town organizes two street markets a week, for the up-most delight of the locals and tourists. On Wednesday, 200 stallholders display their produce in the town centre. This is the second town market of Sarthe (after Le Mans street market) in terms of stallholders and clients. Food, furniture, flowers, gardening tools, local produce…, you can find anything there. On Sunday, the locals go to buy their fresh produce in the street market, which is an attraction of the town centre. They are part of the local way of life and are appreciated by everybody.
• Economy: printing works, industrial rubber, packaging, electricity and electronics, food industry, logistics… La Fleche houses numerous and diversified companies, which are present on the international market. The unemployment rate is low (6.5%) and under the national average. If you are looking to settle in the area, La Fleche may be an interesting area where the employment market does not seem to be saturated.

Property Styles and Architecture in La Flèche

• Detached houses: they are often situated in the countryside and thus offer a beautiful view over the meadows. The sloping roof is made of slate tiles and shed dormers are often part of it. Detached houses hold in general a garage and a land. Some of them are one-storey properties and look like a cottage. This is the perfect property if you want to settle in the area as you will live in a quiet zone but still close to the town centre.
• Town houses: located in the town centre, their main advantage is to be close to all amenities (shops, schools, bus stops…). They may come with a garden, garage and outbuildings. This is a good kind of property if you are looking for a buy-to-let or if your budget is low. Indeed, you can find many bargains in the area, but the house may need some renovation and works.

Click here for more info about the Architecture in Pays de la Loire.