in Couffouleux, not far from Toulouse, “the inhabitants are afraid that their town will become a dormitory town”

“We had left a year to test our new life. When it comes time to take stock, one thing is certain: I don’t miss traffic jams ”, says, smiling, Florence Millet. “We have no regrets”, affirms this 30-year-old, who explains the advantages of this new life in the green. “We no longer have any nuisance, and all amenities (clinic, nursery and supermarket) are located four kilometers from our home. “

In July 2020, Florence and her companion, Théodore, a specialist educator, left their Toulouse apartment to rent a 130 m² house, surrounded by a 1000 m² garden, in Ambres, a village in the Tarn region of 1000 inhabitants. A decision matured well before the first confinement, in spring 2020, reinforced by the Covid-9 pandemic and, above all, the birth of Marcel, their first child.

Since this change, Florence has been working from home and very rarely travels to Toulouse. On the other hand, this is not the case for Théodore, who performs, four days a week, in staggered hours, a journey of forty-five minutes to reach his office, located in the center of the Pink City. “For him, a true city dweller, the clash between town and country was frontal. He needs the bitumen ”, admits his companion. However, convinced by their choice, they are preparing to become owners at the end of 2021.

The case of this neorural couple is far from isolated. In the Tarn, the population increased by 0.3% per year between 2013 and 2018, only because of new inhabitants. Concentrated in the west of the department, this demographic growth is linked to the proximity to Toulouse. And the municipalities located along the A68 linking the Pink City to Albi are the most dynamic. Even if it is not yet measurable, this phenomenon has increased with the successive confinements, as illustrated by the good health of the real estate market. In the first half of 2021, housing sales increased by 15% to 20% in municipalities located within a radius of 30 to 60 km around the regional metropolis.

“Limit urban sprawl”

Four minutes from the entrance to the motorway, Couffouleux is a victim of its own success. “The demand is extremely high. A house sells in two days “, says the mayor, Olivier Damez (various left). “There is nothing left to sell, and little land is still constructible. “ In fact, selling prices have skyrocketed by 20% in the space of a year.

A few kilometers further, Jean-Christophe Wolmer-Guibaud rubs his hands. “My accommodation is increasing in value”, welcomes this Toulouse business manager, who took the plunge ten years ago. Especially since Saint-Waast, the hamlet chosen to build his house, is popular. “Two agricultural plots, adjoining my garden, have been sold to individuals. It’s the game. You can’t be alone, and this will create a bond with the neighbors. “ However, this phenomenon is not without consequences. “The inhabitants are afraid that their town will become a dormitory town”, reports the mayor of Couffouleux.

You have 21.53% of this article to read. The rest is for subscribers only.

–