The average price per m² in Notre-Dame-de-Monts is 3 729 €/m² for an apartment, based on actual notarised (DVF) sales. About 27 transactions are recorded each year.
Atmospheric illustration of Notre-Dame-de-Monts, on the côte de Monts, in the Vendée.
In Notre-Dame-de-Monts, the average apartment price stands at 3 729 €/m², based on sales actually registered in the notaries' DVF database (DVF is the French record of notarised property sales). This average covers a stock made up mainly of houses, where apartments remain a minority: beachside developments, villas under the pines and holiday houses. Closeness to the ocean, access to the dunes, the aspect and energy performance make prices vary sharply from one area to another. A large share of second homes keeps the market tight. That notarial benchmark sheds light on the municipality; a reliable valuation then rests 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.
The Notre-Dame-de-Monts market follows the rhythm of seaside tourism and of second-home demand. Driven by buyers from Nantes, from the rest of the Vendée and elsewhere, the search for a holiday house close to the beaches and the forest is exerted on a stock that the geography of the coast and the Coastal Act keep limited. Properties close to the ocean, the dunes or the village concentrate the value, which widens the gap with the sectors set further back, towards the marsh. Strong seasonality sets the pace of transactions through the year.
The distance to the beach, the wooded setting and the quality of the property govern most of the prices. An energy-hungry dwelling now trades at a discount, including among holiday houses, while a bright property with a good energy rating close to the coast finds a buyer quickly. The scarcity of buildable land, constrained by the state forest and the dune belt, limits new supply and supports existing values. Dependence on holiday demand remains the main factor of sensitivity in this resort market.
Notre-Dame-de-Monts sits at a level close to its immediate neighbour Saint-Jean-de-Monts, above Challans, further inland, but below Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, a resort further south.
Notre-Dame-de-Monts occupies the côte de Monts, in the north-west of the Vendée, on a former sand bar formed by marine deposits accumulated around the rocky point of the Pont d'Yeu. The site corresponds to the former island of Monts, long separated from the mainland by the marsh before alluvium joined it to firm ground. The first written mention of the parish goes back to 1105, in the Latin form Ecclesiam de Montibus, the church of the hills. Tradition reports evangelisation as early as the fifth century by Saint Martin de Vertou. That island past explains the elongated shape of the municipality, between the ocean to the west and the Breton marsh to the east.
The mother parish of the island of Monts, Notre-Dame-de-Monts depended spiritually on the abbey of Noirmoutier and, in temporal terms, on the seigneury of La Garnache until the Revolution. It exercised authority over the whole island: Saint-Jean-de-Monts split off in 1390, then La Barre-de-Monts in 1853. The economy long rested on farming, notably wheat growing, favoured by the richness of the marshland, part of which was reclaimed as polders from the fifteenth century. Fishing and a life turned towards the ocean completed those resources. The municipality lived off the land before the coast shaped its destiny.
In the nineteenth century the advance of the sands directly threatened the village. From 1850, under the Second Empire, the planting of pines created the state forest of the Pays de Monts, which fixed the dunes and today stretches over about 2 270 hectares along the coast. That forest and the beaches, such as La Braie, opened the way to seaside tourism. Notre-Dame-de-Monts has become a family resort of the côte de Lumière, between Saint-Jean-de-Monts and La Barre-de-Monts. The panoramic Kulmino water tower and the Pont d'Yeu, a natural ridge that can be walked at spring tides, are among its landmarks, facing the île d'Yeu.
Notre-Dame-de-Monts has about 2 420 year-round inhabitants, according to INSEE, the French national statistics office, a population that multiplies in summer. The market is dominated by second homes: according to INSEE, nearly seven dwellings in ten are second homes, which clearly sets the municipality apart from an ordinary town. The stock consists overwhelmingly of houses, apartments remaining a minority. Buyers often come from Nantes, from the rest of the Vendée and from further afield, looking for a holiday house close to the beaches and the forest. Year-round, the population is on the older side, with a large share of retirees, and owner-occupiers dominate among permanent residents.
The average apartment price in Notre-Dame-de-Monts is 3 729 €/m², based on DVF transactions completed before notaries. This average mixes properties of varied aspect and standing, from a dwelling close to the beach to one set further back towards the forest. Closeness to the ocean, access to the dunes, the floor level and the condition of the property explain most of the gaps. In a resort market, a reliable valuation rests on comparable sales rather than on the average alone.
The municipality stretches between the ocean and the marsh. The seafront and the districts close to the beaches, the village and the pine forest concentrate demand and the highest values, particularly for holiday houses. Moving away from the coast, towards the more residential sectors or near the marsh, prices ease. Closeness to the dunes, the wooded setting and the distance to the beach remain the main value criteria from one area to another.
The stock consists overwhelmingly of houses, often holiday homes under the pines or close to the beaches; apartments are a minority. Detached houses match the dominant demand from families and second-home owners, while apartments appeal to buyers looking for a base that is easier to manage. Since the supply of apartments is small, well-placed properties sell without difficulty. The choice depends above all on the intended use, holiday home or year-round dwelling.
Yes. A municipality of the Vendée coast, Notre-Dame-de-Monts is subject to the Coastal Act, which protects the dunes, the forest and the natural areas and severely restricts building near the shore. The state forest of the Pays de Monts and the dune belt also limit the land available. These constraints make plots and properties near the sea scarce. Before a purchase or works, it is prudent to consult the local planning scheme and the easements at the town hall.
Notre-Dame-de-Monts is a family seaside resort of the côte de Monts, valued for its gently sloping beaches, its pine forest and its setting between ocean and marsh. That tourist role attracts buyers coming mainly from Nantes and the region, looking for a holiday house. According to INSEE, most dwellings are second homes, which durably supports demand and prices, the municipality remaining sought after well beyond its permanent population.
This analysis is published by Immover, an independent observatory founded by Antony Barbier. Data sourced from official sources (DVF, INSEE, Notaries of France).