The average price per m² in Arès is 4 238 €/m² for an apartment, based on actual notarised (DVF) sales. About 30 transactions are recorded each year.
Illustration of Arès, on the north shore of the Arcachon basin, in the Gironde.
In Arès, the average price of apartments stands at 4 238 €/m², based on the sales actually recorded in the notaries' DVF database (DVF is the French notarised sales database). In this municipality on the north shore of the Arcachon basin, the stock remains dominated by houses and villas under the pines; apartments are rarer here. Proximity to the water, access to the Betey beaches, the wooded setting and the energy rating cause prices to vary widely. A notable share of second homes keeps the local market tight. These notarised figures give a municipal benchmark; a reliable valuation then relies on comparable properties, assessed case by case.
Prices from the DVF file (Demandes de valeurs foncières, published by the DGFiP), transactions actually recorded at the notary at municipality level. Cross-referenced with the Notaires de France - INSEE indices. Learn more about our methodology.
Arès lives to the rhythm of the Arcachon basin and of Bordeaux demand. Driven by buyers from Bordeaux and its metropolitan area, the search for a second home or a seaside base bears on a supply that the geography of the basin and the natural protections keep limited. Homes close to the water, the oyster-farming harbour or the Betey beach concentrate the value, which widens the gap with the areas further back. The steady growth of the population and the appeal of the north shore lastingly support demand, with a marked seasonality in summer.
On a market geared towards houses, the distance to the water, the quality of the view and the energy rating of the property govern most prices. A bright home, close to the shore and correctly rated on the energy performance certificate, finds a buyer quickly, while an energy-hungry property now sells with a discount. The scarcity of apartments makes their average per m² sensitive to the small number of annual sales. Dependence on Bordeaux demand and seasonality remain the main sensitivity factors of the Arès market.
Arès sits above Audenge, on the east shore of the basin, but below its immediate neighbour Andernos-les-Bains, and far behind the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, the most expensive in the area.
Arès occupies the north-east shore of the Arcachon basin, in the north of the Pays de Buch, some fifty kilometres west of Bordeaux. The site has been frequented since prehistory, and the Gallo-Roman era left remains there, including those of an ancient villa. The name, recorded in old forms such as Areis in the 13th century, is thought to refer to the sandy character of the place. For a long time, Arès was only a hamlet attached to the neighbouring municipality of Andernos. It was only by a decree of 29 January 1851 that Arès broke away to become an independent municipality. This late separation partly explains the closeness, still felt today, between the two municipalities of the north shore.
In the 18th century, the local estate took shape: in 1786, Louise Lemesle had a castle built and developed oyster farming as well as fish reservoirs. In the mid-19th century, the banker Léopold Javal acquired vast lands, nearly 690 hectares in 1847, extended to some 3 000 hectares around 1860, and had part of these moorlands drained and planted. Oyster farming established itself as the town's major economic activity. The Romanesque church of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul was built between 1868 and 1878; its holy-water fonts carved from giant clam shells recall the municipality's link with the sea. In the late 19th century, Arès also became a tourist destination.
The 20th century confirmed the dual role of Arès, in oyster farming and seaside tourism. In 1912 and 1913, a health centre for tubercular children was built facing the basin, a witness to the virtues then attributed to the sea climate. The present oyster-farming harbour, with its rows of white cabins, was laid out from 1966 to 1975 towards the salt meadows. In 1976, at a resident's initiative, a UFO landing strip was marked out, a symbolic landing area that became a local curiosity. Today, the municipality lives to the rhythm of the basin: the family beach of the Betey, a marina, the nature reserve of the salt meadows of Arès and Lège-Cap-Ferret. Arès remains a residential and tourist municipality of the north shore, between water, oyster-farming harbours and pine forest.
Arès has around 6 480 residents according to INSEE, a population that has grown in recent years and swells markedly in season. The housing stock reflects the municipality's seaside role: according to INSEE, second homes account for nearly 30 % of dwellings, against about two thirds main residences. The detached house is largely dominant, the apartment remaining in the minority. Owner-occupiers form nearly two thirds of households. Many buyers come from Bordeaux and its metropolitan area, seeking a base on the Arcachon basin or a home for retirement. The working people who settle year-round work on the north shore or commute to the Bordeaux conurbation, which supports demand and the level of prices.
The average price of apartments in Arès stands at 4 238 €/m², based on DVF transactions recorded at the notary. This average covers varied situations, from the home near the basin to the one further back among the pines. Proximity to the water, access to the beaches, the property's condition and its energy rating explain most of the gaps. As the market is largely geared towards houses, a reliable valuation relies on comparable sales rather than on the average alone.
The most prized properties are near the basin: the surroundings of the oyster-farming harbour, the Betey beach, the town centre and the wooded districts close to the shore. The further you move from the water, towards inland and the more recent housing estates, the more prices ease. The view, the distance to the beaches and the quality of the setting, between pines and salt meadows, weigh heavily on a home's value in Arès.
The Arès market is clearly dominated by houses and villas: apartments are rare here, which makes their price per m² sensitive to the few transactions recorded each year. Most buyers look for a house with a garden, under the pines or close to the basin. The price shown here concerns apartments; for a house, the floor area, the plot, the location and the condition determine a value that must be assessed case by case.
Arès lies some fifty kilometres from Bordeaux, to which the municipality is linked by road, notably via Andernos and the northern basin route. Arès has no station: commuting to the Bordeaux conurbation is mainly by car. This dependence on the road, as across the whole north shore, is a factor for working people considering living in Arès year-round while working in Bordeaux.
Arès is concerned by the Coastal Act and by the presence of the nature reserve of the salt meadows of Arès and Lège-Cap-Ferret, which protect the shores, the marshes and the natural areas. These protections strongly limit construction near the water and lastingly reduce the supply of basin-front properties, which supports prices. Before any purchase or works near the shore, it is prudent to consult the local planning scheme and the easements at the town hall.
This analysis is published by Immover, an independent observatory founded by Antony Barbier. Data sourced from official sources (DVF, INSEE, Notaries of France).