The selling price of forests in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is one of the most forested regions in France, with approximately 1.3 million hectares of woodland, covering 53% of its territory. However, this exceptional forest cover hides great heterogeneity: from the low-productivity Mediterranean scrublands of Bouches-du-Rhône to the high-altitude alpine forests of Hautes-Alpes, including the downy oak forests of Provence, the pine forests of Var, and the coniferous forests of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the region's forest ecosystems are among the most varied in Europe. This diversity is directly reflected in prices: the gaps between departments are spectacular, ranging from less than €1,400/ha in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to over €8,000/ha in Alpes-Maritimes. Between July 2020 and June 2025, the region accounted for 6.1% of national forest transactions with 1,905 sales. As the 2025 data only covers the first half of the year, it is presented for information purposes only.

Forest prices in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

ma-propriete.fr statistics (source: DVF)

In the first half of 2025 (partial data, to be interpreted with caution), the median price of forests in PACA stood at €4,920/ha, slightly below the 2024 reference year. For the full year 2024, the median price was €5,205/ha for 341 filtered transactions. This level, which is in line with the national average, masks highly contrasting situations: Var and Alpes-Maritimes drive prices upward, while Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes show the lowest prices in metropolitan France due to vast but inaccessible and low-productivity forests.

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

Evolution of the median price of forests in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (2021–2025) — Source: DVF, processed by ma-propriete.fr

The considerable gap between the average price (€8,359/ha over the period) and the median (€5,488/ha) is one of the largest in France. It reveals a very asymmetrical distribution of prices: most transactions take place at moderate levels (undervalued garrigues and maquis), but a few exceptional sales in Var or Alpes-Maritimes drive up the average. The price trajectory is difficult to read due to this heterogeneity, with significant annual fluctuations.

Ministry of Agriculture statistics (source: SAFER)

SAFER classifies PACA in the "Alpes-Méditerranée-Pyrénées" forest region. The data available for this region is more recent and less complete than for other regions: in 2024, the average price was €3,750/ha, a slight decrease since 2022 (€3,950/ha). This level, lower than the regional DVF median, is explained by the different composition of the SAFER forest region, which includes the Pyrenees — forest areas that are more accessible and less expensive.

Source: Safer Group, Land Prices (2022–2024). "Alpes-Méditerranée-Pyrénées" forest region.

Average forest prices — Alpes-Médit.-Pyrénées SAFER vs national average (2022–2024) — Source: Safer Group, Land Prices

Forest prices by department in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Median forest prices by department — Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 2024 and 2025* — Source: DVF, processed by ma-propriete.fr

Forest selling prices in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04)

Alpes-de-Haute-Provence shows the lowest median forest price in metropolitan France: €1,387/ha in 2024. This extremely low level is due to very large but inaccessible forest massifs, primarily composed of juniper moors, Scots pines, and downy oaks on sloping terrain that is difficult to mechanize. The median area of 8.01 ha — the highest in metropolitan France — confirms that the forests sold here are large areas with low unit market value. The first half of 2025 shows a median price of €1,359/ha (partial data to be interpreted with caution).

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest selling prices in Hautes-Alpes (05)

Hautes-Alpes shares with Alpes-de-Haute-Provence the status of a forest department with very low prices: a €1,353/ha median in 2024. With only 64 transactions over the period and 11 retained after filtering in 2024, this market is not very liquid and the statistics should be viewed with caution. High-altitude alpine forests — larch, Swiss pine, spruce — offer landscape and hunting value higher than their timber value, but this is not yet reflected in selling prices. The first half of 2025 shows €2,774/ha (3 transactions — indicative).

⚠ Very small sample size. * Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest selling prices in Alpes-Maritimes (06)

Alpes-Maritimes is the most expensive forest market in the region with a median price of €8,105/ha in 2024. This high valuation reflects the richness of the Riviera territory and the demand for natural properties in an exceptional living environment. The forests of the Nice hinterland — oaks, chestnuts, mountain forests — are sought after by an affluent national and international clientele. In the first half of 2025, the median price is €6,445/ha (partial data to be interpreted with caution).

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest selling prices in Bouches-du-Rhône (13)

Bouches-du-Rhône presents a unique forest market, dominated by Mediterranean garrigues and maquis. In 2024, the median price reached €5,783/ha, with a sharp increase in the first half of 2025 (€8,905/ha, partial data to be interpreted with caution). The Sainte-Baume massif, the Luberon forests, and Aleppo pine stands make up the bulk of the market. High land pressure linked to the Aix-Marseille metropolis creates a demand for peri-urban natural heritage that supports prices.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest selling prices in Var (83)

Var is the most active department in the region with 897 transactions over the period — the largest volume in PACA. The median price in 2024 reached €6,686/ha, confirmed in the first half of 2025 (€6,341/ha, partial data to be interpreted with caution). The Var market is structured by the Mediterranean forest — cork oaks, Aleppo pines, downy oaks — and by very strong tourism and heritage demand throughout the department. The Maures, Estérel, and high-Var massifs attract a diverse clientele ranging from local owners to large international investors.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Forest selling prices in Vaucluse (84)

Vaucluse presents an intermediate forest market with a median price of €4,190/ha in 2024, decreasing in the first half of 2025 (€2,876/ha, partial data to be interpreted with caution — 17 transactions). The forests of Luberon, Ventoux, and the Dentelles de Montmirail form a high-quality forest landscape dominated by white and downy oaks. The market there is moderate in volume (207 transactions) but steady, driven by the demand for rural properties in a very popular tourist region.

* Partial data for the 1st half of 2025.

Analysis methods and statistical limitations

Analysis method of DVF transactions used

The DVF data covers forest and wood transactions in PACA between July 2020 and June 2025. An IQR filter is applied. The median price is the central indicator.

Limitations of DVF data

The high disparity in intra-regional prices makes the regional median unrepresentative of departmental markets. DVF data excludes Forestry Groups (Groupements Forestiers). In the Alps (04, 05), small sample sizes require increased caution. The years 2020 (H2) and 2025 (H1) are partial.

Differences with SAFER statistics

The SAFER Alpes-Méditerranée-Pyrénées region encompasses both PACA and the Pyrenees, producing an average price (€3,750/ha in 2024) lower than the DVF median price for PACA alone (€5,205/ha). This difference reflects the weight of low-priced alpine forests (04, 05) in the SAFER region, offset by premium markets in Var and Alpes-Maritimes in the DVF data.

Conclusion

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is a region of extreme forest contrasts. Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes offer some of the cheapest forests in France (around €1,400/ha), while Alpes-Maritimes and Var regularly exceed €6,000–€8,000/ha. For the buyer, this region offers radically different opportunities depending on the objective: alpine forests for landscape or hunting purposes at very accessible prices, or Mediterranean estates with high heritage value in Var or the Riviera hinterland.

Check out our forest price observatory in France and our forest listings in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

Find all our articles on forest prices by region