Saint-Marcellin Property Insight

Saint Marcellin is a French town of the Isère department in the Drome region. It is the capital of the south of Gresivaudan area. At the heart of the Dauphiné area, the town is located at the foot of the Vercors mountain range and near Chambaran woods. Saint Marcellin is 50km from Grenoble and Valence, 80km from Lyon, 265km from Marseille and 588km from Paris.

Overview

Saint-Marcellin is the hub of economy, administration and tourism. It is an unmissable step when visiting or living in Isere. Some religious sites are not to be missed in the area: Saint Antoine abbey and Saint-Jean-le-Fromental chapel. Wonderful castles are worth visiting such as the Dolphin Castle and the Arthaudière Castle. Other natural places offer an amazing trip: Choranche caves and Thais caves, Railway Garden, museum and so on. So many lovely activities to do there, that tourists and new residents are immediately seduced!

But Saint Marcellin is renowned above all for producing a delightful cheese which has an international reputation. Indeed, the town is the birthplace of the Saint Marcellin tome cheese. The latter is used by the locals and many French restaurants in typical dishes: salad, meat… Just taste it and you will not be able to do without it!

Saint Marcellin Immobilier & Property Market Trends

The current real estate crisis had an impact on property prices. The latter have dropped by €300 in Saint Marcellin since July 2008. This is the right time to invest in a property, since prices usually act as a circle and always increase at the end. In 2009, a property in the town is sold €2,400 /sq m on average. This is quite low considering the France average of €3,197 /sq m. Buying a property in Saint Marcellin should be a profitable placement.

Saint Marcellin is beside a good rental market for those who are looking for a buy-to-let investment. Indeed, the town houses over 50% of tenants who live mainly in 3, 4 and 5-room apartments. Property prices being low in the current period of crisis, this is the right moment to buy before an increase in prices. Furthermore, it should not be difficult to find a tenant to rent your property, as only half of the residents are property owners.

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

4 Reasons to Buy a Property in Saint Marcellin

• Cheese: Saint Marcellin is inseparable from the famous eponymous cheese. The latter was originally made with goat milk, but due to the lack of goats, the Saint Marcellin tome has been more and more made with cow milk. Thanks to the development of the railway network, this delightful cheese developed outside the town and even outside France. The locals eat Saint Marcellin cheese for any occasion: snack, starter, sauce, with meat… Yummy!

• Location – transport links: due to its location, Saint Marcellin is close to the main ski resorts of Isere but also to the south of France. It is only one hour away from the Provence area, and only 2 ½ hrs from Marseille. Grenoble airport is reachable in less than 30 minutes and let you fly through the UK and other European and French destinations.

• Views of the distant mountains: Saint Marcellin offers an astonishing view over the Vercors mountain range. The latter is an excellent location for ski lovers. Indeed, many ski resorts are located in Vercors, such as Lans-en-Vercors. The slopes are easily and quickly reachable from the town: about one hour away only.

• Rental opportunities: as exposed previously, investing in Saint Marcellin will cost you the minimum (compared with prices in 2008), as prices dropped due to the real estate crisis. The rental market in the town is excellent. It is a good location for those who want to let their property.

Property Styles and Architecture in Saint Marcellin

• Detached houses: they are of different kind in Saint Marcellin. You can find villa - which are modern and luminous properties-, one-storey properties or cottages. But luxury properties like villas can be found easily in the town. They come with a piece of land, garage, terrace and courtyard. Located in the countryside, they let its inhabitants admire the beautiful view over the surroundings.

• Apartments: in Saint Marcellin, apartments are very charming, they may come with a garden and a garage. Apartments in the town are usually luminous and located close to all amenities i.e. shops, schools, bus stops… Other apartments are built in residences and hold a garage, terrace and large common park. They are ideal if you are looking for a buy-to-let investment or a second home.

Click here for more info about the Architecture in Rhone Alpes.