Property for sale in Jalón

Buying a house in Jalón, Xaló in Valencian, means buying in the largest village of the Vall de Pop, in the interior of the Marina Alta. The village lies flat on the valley floor, with the river Gorgos running right through it, and has pharmacy, surgery and school within walking distance. To the south the municipality climbs up against the Serra de Bèrnia, with the hamlet of Cases de Bèrnia high against the ridge. Buying here means choosing between the village, the plain along the river and the slopes, and that choice decides what you need to know about water, fire and the road.

In the village you live on flat ground, with everyday amenities on foot; on Saturday morning a large flea and antiques market along the river draws visitors from outside. On the plain around the village, farm tracks run between vineyards and orchards, with the odd finca. On the slopes around the valley lie urbanisations with villas and building plots, with more of a view than in the village. Towards the Bèrnia it gets quieter, against protected mountain landscape. The neighbouring village of Alcalalí lies a few kilometres to the west.

In the village you buy village houses and townhouses, on the plain fincas with farmland, and on the slopes villas in urbanisations, where building plots are also offered. Many homes outside the centre of Jalón stand on rural land, where specific rules apply to extensions, outbuildings and pools. For homes built long ago without a licence there is a separate procedure, but only under conditions. Have an adviser check for each plot what is registered and licensed, and how water and drainage are arranged, before you make an offer.

Jalón suits people who want to live all year in a Spanish village, with market, school and amenities close by, and walkers and cyclists, as the climbs around the valley are well known. It suits those who want to live carefree right by the river less well: the Gorgos has burst its banks in the village, cutting off farm tracks. Against the mountains, fire is a factor: in the Serra del Ferrer, between Tàrbena and Jalón, a large area of forest burned and homes were evacuated. Have each address checked for its position relative to the riverbed and the forest.

Via the road to Benissa you reach the AP-7 and the coastal tram; no tram runs in the valley itself. Alicante airport is over an hour away by car. For hospital care Jalón falls under Dénia; the village has a surgery. The village has its own school that runs to the end of compulsory secondary education, so children no longer have to go to another village for that. You play golf on the coast. Read more about the area on the page about the Costa Blanca North.