With the end of the summer holidays, have you often caught yourself browsing through your local estate agent’s window? Were you contemplating the value of that idyllic spot you love so much? Even after your return, have you daydreamed about residing there?
However, two concerns tend to eclipse such dreams like a lingering thundercloud. The first one being, considering that any holiday home you purchase will remain vacant for a large portion of the year, is it justifiable? Secondly, even if you love the place, would you willingly opt to spend every vacation there? This way, the dream of a holiday home seems to disappear with your fading sun tan, only to confront you with reality for another year.
Suppose there was an alternate approach? What if, for the equivalent cost of one unassuming holiday home, you could own a fraction of five extravagant ones? Preferably located at Europe’s most coveted spots, from the sunlit beaches of Cote d’Azur, pastoral landscapes of Tuscany, to the sunny lanes of a village in Mallorca?
This is precisely the opportunity August Collections, the brainchild of French interior design expert and ex-lawyer Mélie Dunod presents. Born and raised in Paris, Dunod upholds the French culture of treating holidays with utmost regard. In France, the annual August holiday, “le long weekend”, and spring ski break are all considered sacred.
Having grown up in a family prosperous in the construction and development industry, she traded her successful legal profession for a luxurious interior design venture, Rio London. This business specialises in high-end properties and hotels. The unique concept of August Collections was conceived when Dunod and Nico Watzenig, her business associate, realised they were both contemplating purchasing a holiday home at the same time.
In the beginning, the concept seemed a bit outlandish – pooling resources to jointly invest in holiday properties both in Spain and southern France instead of individually stashing away money for a single location. This whimsical idea marked the birth of August Collections, explained one of the starters.
August Collections, established in 2018, continues to operate on this principle of shared ownership, simultaneously opening up this unique opportunity to others. For the cost of a single vacation property, members of August Collections buy a membership into a collection of five superb properties, situated at premier locations.
Maison Valbonne, a quaint Provencal villa on the French Riviera, marked the group’s initial restoration attempt. Since then, the company has successfully refurbished and sold 50 properties. The group has developed a vibrant community of hundreds of members, with an ever-growing waiting list to join.
Each year, only six collections are offered, each bought and co-owned by 21 owners. Typically, owners enjoy 12 weeks per annum touring across their portfolio of properties.
Every collection is customized to cater to assorted budgets, lifestyles, travel inclinations, and family sizes. Whether you desire a chic Parisian apartment, a premium ski chalet in Chamonix, or a spacious Tuscan farmhouse ideal for large family retreats, August Collections have you covered.
Their specialty lies in rehabilitating heritage properties needing a little attention, located in prime destinations, and converting them into luxury retreats. Dunod explains the vision to offer an enriched experience of holiday home ownership, granting them access to top-notch properties, their expertise, and best locations. They claim to provide more value and options for the investors’ money.
Being a renovator, decorator, and furnished on a grand scale, allows August Collections to offer financial-several advantages to the buyers. The company handles all the complexities of ownership, including maintenance and cleaning services, so you won’t have to worry if your boiler malfunctions in your chalet on a Chamonix mountain, they’ve got you covered.
With August Collections, you can enjoy a holiday tailored to you.
The enterprise offers a variety of property collections. The Signature Collection incorporates four to five-bedroom residences designed to cater to the needs of travel-loving families. These properties are situated in idyllic locales such as the South of France, Tuscany, Mallorca, the French Alps, and the charming English Cotswolds. This lifestyle can be procured for a price starting at €435,000, despite each property’s worth spreading between €1.5 and €2 million.
The firm also offers a more opulent option, the Premium Collection. These residences are nestled in the Cotswolds, Tuscany, Mallorca, southern France, and the French Alps and are priced from €700,000.
The Pied À Terre Collection is designed specifically for those fascinated by European cities. It features lavishly decorated two-bedroom flats situated in London, Paris, Barcelona, Rome, and Cannes, with prices beginning at €360,000.
As shareholders, clients have the full freedom to sell their shares. There have been instances where customers have sold their share in one collection to invest in another. The firm has a member waiting list, expediting such transactions, explains Dunod.
The clientele is international and comprises a balanced mix of families with younger and older offspring and retirees. This spread ensures steady demand throughout the year. “The booking system is structured in a way that not only helps members secure the weeks they desire but also maintains fairness,” Dunod explains.
The key premise behind every August Collections property, regardless of geographical location, is the guarantee of a supreme regional experience and an unmatched location.
“If the property is in Tuscany, the setting would be an old farmhouse atop a hill extending a splendid view, surrounded by numerous olive trees. The desire is to provide spacious dining areas, vaulted ceilings, terracotta floors, open kitchens, and a pizza oven. The occupant should be absorbed in this splendid isolation, yet just a mere 10-minute drive away from a charming village,” she details.
“For a Parisian apartment, the emphasis is on ceiling mouldings and vintage marble fireplaces, positioned conveniently on carefully selected streets, making living like a local effortless. The company never invests in city homes located in tourist-heavy areas.”
Accommodations in Tuscany, Mallorca and Southern France all feature a swimming pool, whereas ski chalets incorporate wellness facilities such as hot tubs, saunas or a fitness centre.
“There has been a transformation in the perception of luxury. It was formerly associated with marble-clad bathrooms and gold accents scattered throughout. However, the present-day definition of luxury is far more understated and exclusive, focusing on uniqueness and regional experiences,” comments Dunod.
Another advantageous trait is the shared ownership aspect which ensures the properties are occupied all year round. Recognizing the effect of unoccupied vacation properties in her home country of France, this aspect holds particular significance for her.
“It provides a much more sustainable approach for the communities in those regions, which is something I take pride in,” she elaborates, “particularly as an individual who enjoys embarking on travel adventures and immersing herself in local cultures.”