Global private equity firm The Carlyle Group has announced the sale of its Anthemis building complex in Lyon to RREEF Spezial Invest, a subsidiary of the RREEF fund managed by Deutsche Bank. The sale was carried out at a net price of EUR 70.7 mln and included guarantees on the lease of the remaining space.

The Anthemis complex, located at 118-126 boulevard Vivier Merle in the business district of Lyon, comprises two separate office buildings with a total lettable area of 18,450 m2, as well as a restaurant. The property was completed in May 2009 and is currently 60% let to two blue-chip tenants, SNCF and Oracle. Advanced negotiations are currently underway with a local authority, which would increase occupancy to 75%.

Eric Sasson, managing director and head of Carlyle's European real estate operations, commented: 'The investment market in France is currently experiencing a real improvement in levels of activity, indicating that the fundamentals of this market remain strong.'

Maximilien de Wailly, head of RREEF France said: 'RREEF is actively looking to invest for our German core funds in assets at prime locations which are secured on a long-term basis with high-quality tenants. We will continue to invest in 2010 in recent development properties and stable assets in Paris and prime regional cities'.

Carlyle Group was advised by Thierry Vachon of Meudon and by Clifford Chance, and RREEF Spezial Invest was advised by Wargny & Katz and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Keops brokered the sale.