From €600,000 for a 34 m² chalet in Andorra to €1.9 million for a 1,000 m² mansion in France

€600,000 for a 34-square-metre chalet in Canillo and €1.9 million for a 1,000-square-metre mansion in Tarascon-sur-Ariège, in the French Pyrenees.

Two property listings, separated by just a few dozen kilometres, highlight the striking contrast between asking prices for certain properties in Andorra's housing market and the alternatives available across the border in France.

The first property, advertised as a "detached chalet" overlooking the Grandvalira ski slopes, sparked widespread criticism on social media after being listed for €600,000.

The second property is Manoir d'Agnès, a 19th-century manor house located in Tarascon-sur-Ariège, near the road connecting Toulouse with Andorra. Currently operating as a three-star hotel, the estate is listed for €1,900,000, according to the property advertisement published by French real estate agency SAFTI.

The difference becomes particularly striking when comparing the asking prices per square metre.

The 34 m² ground-floor area of the Andorran property works out at €17,647 per square metre, while the 1,000 m² of living space in the French mansion represents €1,900 per square metre.

Using this calculation, the price per square metre of the tiny Andorran chalet is 9.3 times higher than that of the French property.

The 34 m² chalet that sparked outrage on social media

The property in Canillo was advertised through the SubastasAndorra Facebook group, with the listing highlighting its location beside a river and its views of the nearby ski slopes.

The seller described the property as a detached chalet, a description that surprised many social media users given the building's extremely small dimensions.

According to the advertisement, the property offers 34 square metres of main-floor space and a 16-square-metre mezzanine.

Other features mentioned in the listing included parking space for a large vehicle and motorcycles, a storage area with electrical outlets, double-glazed windows and electric heating.

However, the main source of controversy was the asking price.

The €600,000 price tag translates into €17,647 per square metre when only the main floor is taken into account.

If the additional 16 m² mezzanine is included, the advertised floor area increases to 50 m², reducing the calculated price to €12,000 per square metre.

It has not been confirmed whether the mezzanine meets the planning and building requirements necessary to qualify as legally recognised living space.

The advertisement triggered numerous critical reactions online, with users questioning both the property's asking price and its description as a chalet.

A French mansion with 15 bedrooms, a swimming pool and more than half a hectare of land

Across the border, in Tarascon-sur-Ariège, a historic manor house is on the market with almost thirty times the living space of the Andorran chalet's main floor.

The property is Manoir d'Agnès, a historic building dating back to the 19th century that was subsequently renovated and converted into a hotel.

The listing, published by French real estate agency SAFTI, sets an asking price of €1.9 million for an estate featuring:

• 1,000 m² of living space, distributed across several areas.

• 15 bedrooms, each equipped with a private bathroom.

• 5,307 m² of land, including gardens and wooded areas.

• A solar-heated swimming pool, jacuzzi and gym.

• Meeting rooms, dining areas, terraces and relaxation spaces.

• A separate accommodation unit of approximately 60 m² associated with the estate.

Located at 2 Rue Saint-Roch, the building retains the appearance of a grand French residence, with an elegant façade and architectural features characteristic of the late 19th century.

The property is situated along the RN20 road corridor, which connects the Principality with southern France, approximately 50 kilometres from Pas de la Casa.

According to the real estate advertisement, the property could continue operating as a hotel, be converted into tourist accommodation or potentially become a large private residence, subject to the relevant legal requirements.

Three tiny chalets would cost almost as much as the entire mansion

The price difference becomes even more apparent when comparing the total cost of the two properties.

Three chalets identical to the one advertised in Canillo would cost €1.8 million, just €100,000 less than the asking price of the entire French estate.

Together, the three Andorran properties would provide 102 m² of main-floor space, or 150 m² if all their advertised mezzanine areas were included.

By contrast, €1.9 million would purchase a building with 1,000 m² of living space and more than half a hectare of land in Tarascon-sur-Ariège.

The comparison highlights the significant difference between the asking prices, although the two properties have very different characteristics.

The Canillo chalet is a small residential property, whereas Manoir d'Agnès is a historic hotel estate with considerably greater maintenance, operating and management requirements.

Furthermore, the calculated price per square metre does not necessarily reflect average property values in either location. It simply compares the advertised asking prices with the stated floor areas.

Andorra's price per square metre remains six times higher, even including the mezzanine

The difference remains substantial even when using the calculation most favourable to the Andorran property.

If the 16 m² mezzanine is added to the 34 m² main floor, the chalet would have a total advertised area of 50 m².

Dividing the €600,000 asking price by those 50 m² produces a figure of €12,000 per square metre.

In comparison, the French mansion's €1,900 per square metre remains approximately 6.3 times lower.

It is also important to note that the asking price for the estate in Tarascon-sur-Ariège includes the surrounding land and facilities associated with its hotel operations, even though those outdoor areas have not been included in the price-per-square-metre calculation.

The contrast therefore does not depend solely on whether the Andorran chalet's mezzanine is included.

Two property markets separated by a national border

The contrast between the advertisements illustrates the differences between Andorra's real estate market and that of the French Pyrenees.

In the Principality, strong residential demand, limited land available for development and the concentration of economic activity contribute to high housing prices.

Meanwhile, French municipalities along the RN20 corridor operate within a different property market, with different levels of demand and a wider range of property uses.

However, geographical proximity does not eliminate differences in taxation, public services, maintenance costs and permitted uses of the buildings.

Purchasing the French mansion also means acquiring a large historic property currently associated with a business operation, whereas the Andorran chalet is marketed as a residential home.

Despite these differences, the comparison provides a striking illustration of the asking prices attached to certain properties in Andorra.

A 34 m² chalet advertised for €600,000 and a 1,000 m² mansion with a swimming pool and gardens listed for €1.9 million represent two contrasting examples of how dramatically property prices can vary on either side of the border.