Buying property in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, known simply as Cap Ferrat, is the most discreet address on the French Riviera. It is a green, wooded peninsula between Nice and Monaco, a place of gated estates, private shoreline and old money that prefers to be left in peace. If your priority is privacy and a trophy home rather than nightlife, this is where the serious buyers look.

What it is like

Cap Ferrat is small, calm and almost entirely residential. There is a pretty little port, a handful of restaurants and some of the best coastal walks on the Riviera, but the daily mood is quiet. Nice international airport is around twenty-five minutes away, and Monaco is next door, which is part of the appeal for buyers who value both seclusion and access.

The kind of property you find here

The peninsula is built up and tightly held, so supply is scarce. The prizes are villas with direct sea frontage or open views over the bays of Villefranche and Beaulieu, often set in mature gardens behind walls and gates. Turnover is low, the very best properties frequently change hands privately, and that rarity is exactly what underpins values over the long term.

What it costs

Cap Ferrat sits at the very top of the Riviera market. As a guide, prime villas trade at some of the highest values in Europe, and waterfront trophy homes go well beyond that. Prices move with the rarity of each property rather than a simple per-square-metre figure, so treat any headline number with caution and judge each home on its own merits.

To put real numbers on it, the commune-wide average is around 18,200 euros a square metre, with the wider market running from roughly 7,700 euros for the more accessible apartments to about 36,300 euros for the best houses, and the finest waterfront villas trading well above that (MeilleursAgents commune index, built on notaire DVF records, late 2025). To see what a given budget buys here against the rest of the coast, try our Riviera budget calculator.

Financing and currency

Even buyers who could pay cash often finance part of a Cap Ferrat purchase, because a euro mortgage hedges currency risk and reduces the value exposed to the French wealth tax. If your money is not in euros, plan the exchange carefully, since on a purchase of this size the currency markup at a bank can cost more than the notaire.

For the full picture, read our guides to non-resident mortgages and transferring money to France.

Is it right for you

Choose Cap Ferrat if you want privacy, prestige and a long-term store of value, and if you are comfortable that the trade-off is a quiet, residential rhythm rather than a lively town. Buyers who want restaurants and life on the doorstep are usually happier in Cannes.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm your situation with a notaire or adviser before you commit.