French coastal property prices show sharp fluctuations amid market recovery
Property prices across France's coastal resorts are experiencing dramatic fluctuations, with some areas recording gains of up to 16.5% while others have seen values plummet by nearly 18%, according to the latest quarterly report from Notaires de France.
The data, covering the period from January to March 2025 through January to March 2026, tracks non-new-build properties in 35 coastal resort towns, excluding larger cities such as Marseille, Nice, and Toulon. The Notaires de France publish these comprehensive quarterly reports analyzing all non-new-build properties across the country, making their data the most authoritative source on France's property market.
These striking variations in coastal markets contrast sharply with national trends, where property prices increased by just 0.2% to 1.1% between the fourth quarter of 2024 and the fourth quarter of 2025, demonstrating overall price stability. The national market has shown signs of recovery, with approximately 940,000 to 945,000 transactions completed in 2025, representing an 11-12% increase from the historic low of 845,000 sales recorded in 2024. This recovery follows a sharp decline from the 2021 peak of 1,230,000 sales.
Limited sales volumes amplify price swings
The small size of coastal resort markets contributes to the dramatic price movements. While France recorded approximately 950,000 sales between May 2025 and May 2026, only around 21,000 transactions occurred across the 35 coastal towns during the March 2025 to March 2026 period.
Sales volumes remained relatively stable compared to the previous year, though some resorts experienced significant shifts. Hendaye, Biscarrosse, and Biarritz recorded notably higher transaction numbers, while Agde, La Grande-Motte, Trouville-sur-Mer, and La Baule-Escoublac saw declining activity.
Notaires emphasized that the greater variability in housing markets stems from the diverse characteristics of coastal properties. Location, intended use—whether primary residence, holiday home, or investment—floor area, build quality, outdoor space, and sea views all significantly influence prices. Consequently, median price changes reflect not only market trends but also the specific characteristics of properties sold during each period.
Houses see dramatic swings, flats remain steadier
The most substantial price increases occurred in Ajaccio, Corse-du-Sud, where house prices rose 16.5%, followed by Menton in Alpes-Maritimes at 13.5%. Dunkerque in Nord saw flat prices climb 11.6%, while Ploemeur in Morbihan recorded a 10.3% increase for houses. Biscarrosse in Landes experienced an 8.3% rise in flat prices.
Several areas suffered double-digit declines, primarily affecting houses rather than flats. Lège-Cap-Ferret in Gironde saw the steepest drop at 17.8% for houses, followed by Gruissan in Aude at 12.8%, Andernos-les-Bains in Gironde at 12.6%, La Baule-Escoublac in Loire-Atlantique at 12%, and Hendaye in Pyrénées-Atlantiques at 11%.
The volatility occurs as buyers navigate a shifting financial landscape. Mortgage rates in France stabilized in 2026 at approximately 3.0-3.5% for 20-year fixed-rate loans, following a sharp rise from historic lows of 1-2% during 2015-2021 to peaks above 4% in 2022-2023. This stabilization has helped support the cautious market recovery, though notaires characterize buyer sentiment as fragile, with purchasers remaining sensitive to political and economic uncertainties.
Northern resorts offer affordability, select areas command premium prices
House prices clustered into three main bands. The most affordable areas, concentrated in northern France, included Boulogne-sur-Mer in Pas-de-Calais at €145,000, Dieppe in Seine-Maritime at €172,000, Dunkerque in Nord at €175,800, Gruissan in Aude at €200,000, and Cherbourg in Manche at €210,000.
The highest-priced coastal resorts showed greater geographic spread. Le Touquet-Paris-Plage in Pas-de-Calais topped the list at €1,055,000, followed by Lège-Cap-Ferret in Gironde at €953,500, Biarritz in Pyrénées-Atlantiques at €805,000, Saint-Raphaël in Alpes-Maritimes at €672,800, Antibes in Alpes-Maritimes at €655,000, and La Ciotat in Bouches-du-Rhône at €615,000.
France's luxury property market showed particular resilience, with nearly 1,000 sales in the prestige band recorded in 2025 for a total volume of approximately €1.95 billion, including strong activity along the French Riviera coastal areas from Saint-Tropez to Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
Flat prices follow similar patterns
Flat prices mirrored house price distributions, with northern areas generally more affordable and southern resorts commanding higher prices per square meter. Some areas recorded no flat sales due to limited data availability.
The least expensive markets for flats included Boulogne-sur-Mer at €1,540 per square meter, Dieppe at €2,260, Cherbourg at €2,300, Dunkerque at €2,310, and Bastia in Haute-Corse at €2,800.
Premium flat markets were led by Le Touquet-Paris-Plage at €8,720 per square meter, Biarritz at €7,060, La Baule-Escoublac at €6,290, La Grande-Motte in Hérault at €5,290, Antibes at €5,170, and Menton at €5,030.
Additional factors now influence valuations, with energy performance ratings becoming increasingly important. Apartments rated G typically suffer an average price discount of around 12% compared to similar properties rated D, according to data from the French Notaries Council.
Looking ahead, constrained supply may support prices in high-demand coastal areas. New-build property reservations in France totaled 64,867 units in 2025, down 6.07% year-on-year, indicating limited future inventory in a market where buyers remain cautious but increasingly active.
