Real estate is so low in France, you can buy an entire Provencal village for less than Euro 97.000,00!


The Village Proven Potential Unexploited Potential Equity ROI Links

Description of the village

Built over a period of four years with an unmatched attention to detail and realism, this 1/6 scale model of a Provencal village from the XIXth century is one of a kind. All the references to Marcel Pagnol or Alphonse Daudet are there for the “connaisseur” to appreciate while the magic of life in Provence is accessible to all.

Every single roof‘s tiles has been fabricated one by one and cooked using traditional methods, all 12,000.00 of them!

Sprawling over 2000 square feet this village contains over 50 houses with seven (7) key centers of interest and populated by well over 200 santons (the personages wear hand-made traditional costumes!):
  • Downton, complete with a kinetic bread maker and real clothes hang to dry
  • The village living quarters, where the traditional “Farandole” dance takes place regularly
  • The “Vieux Metiers”: soap maker, knife sharpener, wine maker, baker
  • The hill with a lavender field and a working windmill, And a “Nativity”
It is in fact the biggest scale model of a Provencal town as listed in the Guiness book of record in 1991. It is fully wired and in compliance with North American Standard for all of the working light. Most importantly it shows life in the Alpilles: family dinner, open air market, birth- giving and other day to day life “little pleasures”.

Proven Potential

When in France, Provence village has been commissioned by many cities as part of their Christmas entertainment centers. (Among others: Romans, Strasbourg, Annecy, Valence, Lyon, Saint Galmier and Avignon) The average rate of visitors is 33600 persons, though it peaked as high as 70000 in Lyons. It brought in at least 70K Euro in entrance fees alone to the host city. Most visitors stay for about 40mn.



Provence village was invited to Quebec in 2002 and showed at the “Maison Religieuse” and “Floralies Jouvence” (it is currently stored there ready to be installed as meanwhile Benoit’s passion for wine took over and he is right now the sommelier at Rabanel – Arles)
http://www.rabanel.com

Other success stories about scale model visit as source of revenue:
  • Bekonskot – UK, the World's oldest Model Village.
    It was first openened to the public in 1929 and has made over £4m at current value for charity since then.
  • Paradou – France:
    Year round exhibit of “La petite Provence du Paradou”
    http://www.lapetiteprovenceduparadou.com
    A starting point to various “day trip” (Euro 24.00 to 35.00)
  • Musée Ciotaden:
    La Ciotat France: Nativity scene included in the exhibit titled “Au Fil du temps” during the 2008 X-mas holidays.

Yet Unexploited Potential




Educational aspect:
Benoit is passionate about both the culture and the landscapes of Provence. When he toured with the exhibit, his explanations enthralled visitors so.
  • An on site “recorded” tour of the sets can be made from his knowledge.
  • A commented video tour could also be video-streamed, downloadable, available on DVD in the boutique.
  • A stand alone book of all the tales, legends and other descriptions already existing and made available during the tour can be easily produced.
Cultural aspect:
Provence is rich in tradition: from its unique language, to the traditional costumes still worn today to celebrate local event, there is much that can be introduced, and commercialized:
  • New Year greeting cards in Provençal
  • Almanach (give a descriptive)
  • Calendar with ancient drawing and lay- out updated yearly
  • Standard merchandising:
    • Variety of T-shirt with Slogan written in Provencal
    • Plates with drawn themes
    • Aprons and similar.

Equity

This scaled model contains over two hundred (200 traditional) Santons (clay figurines done by hands by some of the most respected artists of this expertise, also painted by hand down to the most minute details). Since at a scale of 1/6, each santon is about 30cm high (11.8 inches for a stand-up person. The value of the “santon” is Euro 11,640.

The actual buildings are one of a kind, build with traditional materials (wood, Fontvielle stone, slaked lime, clay and so forth) and can not be estimated. There is 50 of them total, their average height is three (3) feet, and can weigh up to 100 pounds. Artistically they are based on the “Beaux de Provence” a well known tourists’ destination.

Click here to see the complete list, including their current market value.


Return on Investment

Buying costs: Euros 97,000

Ownership: Originally conceptualized by Emile Holdrinet (back in 1986), then Frederic Juven, the fully developed Village Provencal is currently owned by Benoit Troutier. After successfully taking the exhibit to Canada in 2003, he now wishes to focus on his passion for bio-wines, hence his putting the Village Provencal for sale.

See the ROI Chart: Entrance fee / Visitors.

Shipping costs:
  • the Village Provencal is fully crated in Quebec (Conté de Belle Chasse), on or about 35 miles from the US border.
  • Canada, fits into a standard 20’ container to your destination (APC)
  • Insurance (APC)
  • Custom broker and fees (if outside Canada or the US)
Installation Costs. Benoit + one (1) helper:



Contacts


Northen America

Benoit TROUTIER
ben7013@hotmail.com
+1 (418) 204-4065
Europe

Jean-Christophe HYACINTHE
hyacinthej@yahoo.com
+33 (0)6 78 65 60 84