The selling price of forests in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

With more than 1.1 million hectares of forest, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is one of the most wooded regions in France, representing approximately 42% of its territory. Oaks, beeches, spruces, and firs make up varied massifs, from the Burgundian limestone plateaus to the mountain forests of Comté. The timber industry is economically structural there, driven notably by the ONF, active forestry cooperatives, and a network of sawmills and wood processing industries. In this context, the forestry market is dynamic: between July 2020 and June 2025, the region accounted for 9.6% of forest transactions recorded in mainland France. This article analyzes forest sales prices in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté based on DVF data (Demandes de Valeurs Foncières), supplemented by statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture via SAFER. As 2025 data only covers the 1st half of the year, it is presented for information purposes and must be interpreted with caution.

The price of forests in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

ma-propriete.fr statistics (DVF source)

In the 1st half of 2025 (partial data, to be interpreted with caution), the median price of forests in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté stood at €4,330/ha, down from the reference year 2024. For the whole of 2024 — a full and statistically robust year — the median price reached €4,721/ha for 551 filtered transactions (576 in total). This decline in the first half of 2025 must be put into perspective: the sample of 231 transactions represents only half a year and may reflect seasonal variations rather than a fundamental trend.

Over the entire period of July 2020 – June 2025, the region recorded 3,005 transactions for a total volume of 32,478 hectares exchanged, with a median surface area of 3.6 ha per transaction. The aggregated average price over the period reached €5,968/ha, significantly above the median (€4,784/ha), a sign of significant dispersion linked to a few high-value transactions on exceptional massifs.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025, to be interpreted with caution. Source: DVF, ma-propriete.fr processing

Evolution of the median price of forests in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (2021–2025) — Source: DVF, ma-propriete.fr processing

The trend over the full years 2021 to 2024 shows moderate growth. The median price rose from €4,057/ha in 2021 to €5,189/ha in 2023, before pulling back slightly to €4,721/ha in 2024 — a stabilization movement consistent with the national trend of slowing observed that year. The region remains generally in line with the national median (€4,846/ha in 2024), positioning itself in the median range of French regions.

Ministry of Agriculture statistics (SAFER source)

Data published by the Safer Group in its annual report Le Prix des Terres allows for forest price evolution to be placed in a long-term context. Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is part of the SAFER "East" forest region, which also covers Alsace, Lorraine, and Champagne. This forest region is distinguished by prices historically lower than the national average, reflecting an abundant forest and moderate land pressure compared to the West or North of the country.

Source: Safer Group, Le Prix des Terres (2019-2024 reports). "East" forest region (including BFC, Alsace-Moselle, Lorraine, Champagne).

Average price of forests — SAFER East forest region vs national average (2016–2024) — Source: Safer Group, Le Prix des Terres

Notable fact: the SAFER East forest region shows prices slightly higher than the national average in recent years, contrary to the received wisdom that forests in the East are systematically valued lower. In 2024, the gap is limited (€4,960 vs €4,850/ha), but it testifies to the quality and productivity of the massifs in this region. The progression between 2020 and 2024 (+6.4% for the East region, +13.3% for the national average) indicates that the East was less driven by price increases than other territories.

Note: ma-propriete.fr DVF data gives a median price slightly lower than the SAFER average price for the region. This methodological difference is normal and expected — the median is less sensitive to extreme values than the average. Both sources converge to attest to a stable and active forestry market in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

The price of forests by department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Median price of forests by department — Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, 2024 and 2025* — Source: DVF, ma-propriete.fr processing

Forest sales price in Côte-d'Or (21)

Côte-d'Or is the largest department in the region (8,765 km²) and has a significant forest heritage on its limestone plateaus of the Châtillonnais, the Burgundian Morvan, and the wine-growing hillsides. In 2024, the median forest price stood at €4,739/ha, a median value in the regional context. The 1st half of 2025 recorded a sharp drop to €2,755/ha (partial data to be interpreted with caution, limited numbers). Over the 2020–2025 period, the department accounted for 334 transactions for an aggregated median price of €3,710/ha and a significant median area of 5.06 ha, testifying to a dominance of large production forests.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest sales price in Doubs (25)

Doubs presents the highest forest prices in the region with a median price of €5,825/ha in 2024, confirmed in the 1st half of 2025 (€6,933/ha, partial data to be interpreted with caution). This valuation is explained by the quality of the softwood forests (firs and spruces) of the Doubs plateaus, whose timber is in high demand by the construction and furniture sectors. Proximity to Switzerland, a solvent market for quality wood, is also a valuation factor. The areas exchanged are small (median area of 2.36 ha), a sign of a market of small owners and individual investors.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest sales price in Jura (39)

Jura, with its softwood and hardwood forest massifs on rugged terrain, positions itself within the regional average. In 2024, the median forest price reached €4,702/ha. The 1st half of 2025 marks a decline to €3,890/ha (partial data to be interpreted with caution). The Jura forest is notably known for its productive fir forests, its quality oak forests, and the presence of the Jura massif, some sectors of which are subject to certified forest management. The median area of 2.89 ha per transaction reflects a medium-sized market.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest sales price in Nièvre (58)

Nièvre is one of the most forested departments in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, with the Morvan massif covering a large part of its territory. This department is recognized for its hardwood forests — oaks, beeches, hornbeams — managed as regular high forests or coppice-with-standards. The median price stood at €4,737/ha in 2024, with a slight rebound in the 1st half of 2025 (€4,878/ha, partial data to be interpreted with caution). The median area of 4.81 ha, the highest in the region after Côte-d'Or, illustrates the tradition of large forest properties in Nièvre. The maximum price recorded over the period reached €26,761/ha, reflecting a few exceptional estates.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest sales price in Haute-Saône (70)

Haute-Saône shows the most moderate forest prices in the region, with a median price of €3,940/ha in 2024 and €3,621/ha in the 1st half of 2025 (partial data to be interpreted with caution). This price level, lower than the regional median, reflects both the nature of the massifs — essentially low-value coppice and coppice-with-standards — and less sustained purchasing pressure than in intensive exploitation zones. With 389 transactions over the period and a median area of 3.03 ha, the market remains active and accessible, making it an attractive department for first-time forest land buyers.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest sales price in Saône-et-Loire (71)

With 561 transactions over the period, Saône-et-Loire is the most active department in the region in terms of forest transaction volume. The median price in 2024 stood at €4,778/ha, in line with the regional median. The 1st half of 2025 marks an increase to €5,102/ha (partial data to be interpreted with caution). This department presents a great forest diversity — from the oak forests of Charollais and Mâconnais to the mixed forests of southern Morvan — which attracts a varied clientele, from heritage investors to professional silviculturists. The median area of 3.89 ha is in the high average of the region.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest sales price in Yonne (89)

Yonne, on the borders of Burgundy and Île-de-France, benefits from a geographical position that attracts buyers from the Paris region looking for a forest heritage less than two hours from Paris. The median price in 2024 reached €4,580/ha, with a decline in the 1st half of 2025 (€3,746/ha, partial data to be interpreted with caution). The forests of Yonne, predominantly hardwood (oak, hornbeam, aspen), are appreciated for their hunting interest as much as for their forestry potential. The median area of 4.78 ha indicates a market of medium to large sized properties.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest sales price in Territoire de Belfort (90)

Territoire de Belfort is by far the smallest department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (610 km²) and its forestry market is consequently very limited: only 21 transactions recorded over the 2020–2025 period, which requires great caution in interpreting the statistics. The aggregated median price stands at €3,608/ha. In 2024, only 2 transactions were retained after filtering, making the median (€3,222/ha) unrepresentative. 2025 data is insufficient to produce reliable departmental statistics. The Belfort forest market is structurally illiquid, which can lead to prices that are either very high (scarcity) or very low (urgency of sale).

⚠ Very small sample size (n=2) — statistics for information purposes only.

Analysis methods and statistical limits

DVF transaction analysis method used

The data presented in this article comes from the analysis of DVF transactions (Demandes de Valeurs Foncières) exclusively concerning sales of forests and woods in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté between July 2020 and June 2025. Each transaction was filtered by type of property (unbuilt forests) and geolocated by administrative department. Prices are expressed in euros per hectare (€/ha). An interquartile range (IQR) filter is systematically applied to eliminate outliers linked to data entry errors or atypical land configurations (mixed properties, specific easements). The median price is the central indicator used, as it is less sensitive to extreme values than the average price.

Limits of DVF data

DVF data covers forest sales carried out by notarial deed but does not include transfers of shares in companies such as Forestry Groups (GF) or Investment Forestry Groups (GFI). These corporate vehicles are frequently used for transactions involving large forest estates with a Simple Management Plan, which introduces a representation bias: large properties managed professionally are under-represented in DVF data. Furthermore, DVF data does not include sales made under special regimes in Alsace-Moselle. The years 2020 (July–December only) and 2025 (January–June only) are partial and not comparable to full years; they are highlighted visually in all graphic representations. Finally, small departmental sample sizes (notably Territoire de Belfort) must be interpreted with increased caution.

Differences with SAFER statistics

SAFER publishes its statistics by forest regions, which do not correspond to administrative regions. The SAFER "East" forest region covers a larger territory than Bourgogne-Franche-Comté alone, which explains discrepancies in price levels with the DVF data presented here. Furthermore, SAFER publishes average prices while ma-propriete.fr prioritizes the median price, which is more representative of the current market. These two approaches are complementary: the SAFER average allows for long-term reading (series since 1997), while the DVF median offers a precise reading of the current market by department.

Conclusion

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté presents a mature and diversified forestry market, with median prices gravitating around €4,500 to €5,000/ha depending on the year. In 2024, the regional median price (€4,721/ha) was positioned in the national median range, with significant gaps between Doubs, the most expensive department (€5,825/ha), and Haute-Saône and Territoire de Belfort, which are more accessible. The 1st half of 2025 (€4,330/ha, partial data) does not yet confirm an upward trend, but interest in Burgundian and Comtois forest heritage remains sustained. For buyers, the region offers a wide choice between production forests in Comté, Burgundian hardwood massifs, and heritage properties with high hunting potential.

To go further, consult our observatory of forest prices in France and discover our listings of forests for sale in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

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