The average price per m² in Saint-Vallier is 1 269 €/m² for an apartment, based on actual notarised (DVF) sales. For a house or villa, it is 1 784 €/m². About 25 transactions are recorded each year.
Saint-Vallier, in the Drôme, nestled between the Rhône and the Galaure, facing the Ardèche hillsides.
In Saint-Vallier, the average recorded price for an apartment stands at 1 269 €/m². This average covers a varied stock, from town-centre apartments in older buildings near the Rhône to more recent homes in the outlying areas towards the Galaure. Demand comes largely from families and working people employed in the Valence area or in the industrial corridor of the Rhône valley, drawn by prices more affordable than in Valence or Romans-sur-Isère. The proximity of the railway station and access to the A7 motorway also weigh in purchasing decisions. A property with a view of the Rhône or close to the historic centre generally sells above the average, while homes further from the town centre remain more affordable. Houses, for their part, show an average price of 1 784 €/m², reflecting a tighter market for detached houses than for apartments.
House : 1 784 €/m²
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 Saint-Vallier market remains driven by its position as a relay town between Valence and Lyon, at prices well below those of the Valence conurbation. A future local motorway access, announced for the area, could eventually strengthen the residential appeal of the municipality.
Conversely, the local industrial fabric, while it supports employment, may also deter some buyers sensitive to the image of an industrial town or to the associated nuisances. The average price of 1 269 €/m² reflects this intermediate position, between affordability and decent transport links.
Saint-Vallier sits well below the prices seen in Romans-sur-Isère, Bourg-lès-Valence and Valence, the three main towns of the Valence conurbation. This gap is explained by a more rural and industrial market, under less pressure than that of the heart of the conurbation.
Under the Roman Empire, the town was known as Ursuli, a small river port on the left bank of the Rhône. Renamed Orsolles in the Middle Ages, it later took the name Saint-Vallier in reference to Valère, the first bishop of Viviers. The municipality stretches along the confluence of the Rhône and the Galaure, facing the Ardèche hillsides on the opposite bank.
The château that overlooks the town was founded by the Dauphins of Viennois in the twelfth century, then acquired by the Poitiers family in 1276. Rebuilt in the fifteenth century and surrounded by a park designed by Le Nôtre, it is said to be the birthplace of Diane de Poitiers, favourite of King Henri II. Its towers were cut down to the level of the ramparts in the early sixteenth century, after the treason trial brought against Diane's father.
Located on the former route nationale 7, between Vienne to the north and Tournon-sur-Rhône to the south, Saint-Vallier grew during the twentieth century into an administrative and industrial town of the Rhône corridor. The Saint-Vallier-sur-Rhône railway station and the nearby A7 motorway now reinforce its position as a small relay town between Lyon and Valence.
Saint-Vallier has 4 027 inhabitants. The municipality mainly attracts families and working people employed in Valence, Romans-sur-Isère or the industrial zones of the Rhône corridor, drawn by prices more affordable than in the Valence conurbation. Main residences largely dominate the market, as the municipality has no marked tourist or second-home vocation. Most buyers look for houses with gardens in the detached housing areas near the Galaure, but also for town-centre apartments, in the case of first-time buyers or retirees who wish to stay close to the shops and the station. Turnover in the housing stock remains moderate, driven by job relocations linked to local industry.
The average recorded price is 1 269 €/m² for an apartment in Saint-Vallier. This figure varies with proximity to the town centre, the Rhône or the station, and with the condition of the property.
The municipality has a railway station, Saint-Vallier-sur-Rhône, served by TER regional trains to Valence and Lyon. The former route nationale 7 runs through the town, and the A7 motorway can be reached via the nearby junctions.
Industrial and logistics activity in the Rhône corridor creates jobs that feed housing demand. The proximity of Valence and Romans-sur-Isère, where prices are higher, also steers some buyers towards Saint-Vallier.
The town centre offers apartments in older buildings, sometimes with a view of the Rhône. The more recent areas, towards the Galaure, have more detached houses with gardens, whose average price reaches 1 784 €/m².
Some areas close to main roads or the industrial zone may be exposed to noise or traffic. It is also worth checking exposure to flood risk from the Rhône and the Galaure before finalising a purchase.
This analysis is published by Immover, an independent observatory founded by Antony Barbier. Data sourced from official sources (DVF, INSEE, Notaries of France).