Broummana and the Metn
Twenty minutes from Beirut and ten degrees cooler. The only part of the mountain that functions as a year-round address rather than a summer one.
The band, not the village
Beit Mery and Broummana sit around 800 metres, Baabdat and Dhour el Choueir higher. Together they form the ridge above Beirut that has been the city's summer escape since the nineteenth century.
What distinguishes them from the higher villages is proximity. This is commuting distance, which means the houses are lived in through the year and the market does not empty in November.
Old stock and new
The Metn carries an unusual amount of historic building — traditional Lebanese houses with triple arches, red tile roofs and terraced gardens, alongside decades of later construction of varying quality.
The old houses are the draw and carry the usual complications: divided inheritance, party walls, and restoration costs that routinely exceed expectations. They are also, when properly done, the finest thing you can own on this ridge.
What varies within a short distance
Prices and character shift sharply between villages and between sides of the same village. Aspect matters — a north-facing parcel in Broummana behaves very differently in winter from a south-facing one — as does whether the view is toward Beirut and the sea or inland.
Do not treat a price achieved in Beit Mery as a guide to Baabdat, or vice versa.
Before you offer
- Confirm the coefficient and setbacks, which vary by municipality.
- For older houses, structural survey first, aesthetics second.
- Check what may be built on the parcels below, particularly where you are buying a view.
- Confirm mains water, drainage and access to the property in winter conditions.