It's the first question every owner asks, and the hardest to answer in one number: what does it actually cost to renovate a villa on the French Riviera? The honest answer is a range — but a useful one, if you know what drives it. Below are realistic 2026 figures and the factors that decide where in the range your project lands.
On the Côte d'Azur, renovation costs are usually discussed per square metre of habitable surface. As broad 2026 guidance: a light cosmetic refresh (paint, flooring, fixtures) typically runs roughly €800–1,500/m²; a full renovation including new kitchens, bathrooms, electrics and plumbing commonly lands around €1,800–3,000/m²; and a high-end or full structural rebuild with premium finishes and home automation can exceed €3,500–5,000/m² and beyond. A 200 m² villa undergoing a full renovation is therefore frequently a €400,000–600,000 project. These are guide ranges, not quotes — every villa is different.
Two contractors can quote wildly different numbers for the same villa — usually because they are pricing different scopes, not because one is cheaper. A low quote often excludes items that resurface later as 'extras'. The most expensive renovation is the one priced cheaply, started, and then re-scoped halfway through. A detailed, line-by-line estimate against a clear specification is worth more than a low headline figure.
Decide the full scope before work begins, not during it. Get an estimate tied to a written specification so you can compare like for like. Build in a contingency of 10–15% for the surprises older Riviera villas always hide behind their walls. And use a single contractor who coordinates all trades — fragmenting the project across separate suppliers is where budgets quietly leak.
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