Those that want easy walking distance to the beach, bars and boutiques, but do not want the bustle of the Carre d’Or or Old Town, turn to the more residential Musicians Quarter. Just to the north of the Carre d’Or, but still a 10 minute walk to the beach, this well kept district contains an abundance of beautiful Art Deco, Belle Epoque and grand Bourgeois buildings.
The district lies between the two main north-south roads Boulevard Gambetta to the west and Avenue Jean Medecin to the east, with Boulevard Victor Hugo dividing it from the Carre d’Or to the south and Avenue Georges Clemenceau providing a border to the north by the train station. The central location, along with the stunning architecture, makes this a sought-after area for both foreign buyers and the local French middle classes.
The east-west streets such as rue Verdi and rue Rossini are very desirable, quiet and full of impressive bourgeois buildings. The north-south streets such as Rue Berlioz and Rue Auber are most desirable at the south end where they meet Boulevard Victor Hugo, and difficult to rent or resell up by the train station at the north end. The heart of the district is Place Mozart, a park which has public underground parking hidden below.
Here one can expect a slightly larger apartment in exchange for the extra few minutes walk to the beach compared to the Carre d’Or. A nice 40sqm one bedroom apartment with a balcony will be around €300,000, a 70sqm two bedroom with balcony around €500,000. Factors that affect the price after location are the floor, the higher the more expensive, the view, and the quality of finishing. A renovated two bedroom in a beautiful bourgeois building with balcony and nice view is going for around €650,000–€750,000. The same in a more basic building with a kitchen and bathroom that has not seen much love since it was built post war will be at the lower end €450,000-550,000. If you want a high floor over 150sqm with some outside space then be prepared to pay over €1m.
Clients are always looking for the two B’s, bourgeois and balcony. Unfortunately they rarely go together, nearly all the grand bourgeois buildings have “Juliette”, or fake decorative, balconies. If you really want enough space to put a small table and a couple of chairs, you will need to compromise and go for a Nicois or Art Deco building. The Musicians Quarters has plenty of early last century Art Deco in fantastic condition designed by internationally known architects. Occasionally a buyer will choose a balcony in a more basic looking building but has a view onto a beautiful bourgeois one. You need to decide what works best for you.
As a general rule, those looking in the Carre d'Or often say they are "pleasantly surprised" by the Musicians Quarter and add it to their potential purchase area.
