LAON – A Great Place to Live
Laon, known as "La Montagne Couronnée" with it's old, medieval city high on a rock crowned by a cathedral and over-looking the newer low town. Located in the Aisne department in Picardie it is close to the border of Champagne (Reims is less than an hour away). Almost unknown outside of France, this beautiful town has a population of circa 30,000.
The lower town is a mix of residential and commercial property and has a thriving city centre with wide boulevards of shops, bars, restaurants and hotels. The fortified city retains small streets of private housing.
This is one of the wealthier parts of France but house prices are comparatively low even in a small market. A 6 bedroom house to modernise in the old city can be bought for less than €90,000 and a 3 bedroom house for around €120,000, while a 1 bedroom apartment in the lower town is less than €40,000.
With a history going back over 3000 years, its location between the great wine areas (Champagne & Burgundy) and the beaches of the Opal Coast in the north, plus a good climate combined with being a beautiful city, Laon is a great place to live!
Local property expert Tim Sage shares 3 top picks in the area:
Exquisite 18th century Maison de Maître, fully restored and tastefully decorated
Marne - Must be seen! Beautifully renovated stone house giving a 2/3 bedroom family home lying between Reims and Epernay.
Beautiful, fully restored 19th century manoir located in the village of Marle, in the Aisne.
Price €529,000
Price €392,200
Price €414,000