Whether you are looking for a holiday home or you are simply seeking a stable investment opportunity, buying property in the French Alps is an excellent choice.
While the Alps span more than 1,000km across eight Alpine countries – Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, France, Italy and Monaco – the French Alps are home to some of the most celebrated ski resorts in the world.
For those looking for a lifestyle-enhancing property, a chalet in the Alps translates into summers spent biking, hiking and mountain-lake swimming and skiing and snowboarding holidays in the winter. Property in the French Alps also means year-round rental opportunities.
World’s best resort is in the French Alps
Last month in November 2016 – and for the third time – Val Thorens took the title of World’s Best Ski Resort at the World Ski Awards. The resort is part of the Three Valleys, known as Saint-Bon, Allues, and Belleville – with Val Thorens in the latter. It comprises eight ski resorts – Courchevel, La Tania, Méribel, Brides les Bains, Les Menuires, Saint Martin de Belleville, Val Thorens and Orelle – and is the biggest ski area in the world.
As well as offering top facilities to all, which comprise 337 downhill skiing pistes (53 Green, 136 Blue, 113 Red, and 35 Black), the après ski is also renowned for its excellence, especially for those with demanding palates, as it holds 18 Michelin stars across twelve gastronomic restaurants.
Live it up in La Tania
Properties such as this stunning individual chalet in the centre of La Tania are proving popular. In the heart of the resort with direct access to the shops and slopes it offers a potentially substantial rental yield over twelve months of the year.
White water rafting, fishing, mountain biking and golf – these kind of activities are always on offer, and with five bedrooms a large family can be catered for. This particular property is especially attractive as it has glorious mountain views, is priced at €1,330,000 and comes with reduced notary fees.
Morzine and Les Gets
Home Hunts has observed an increase in the number of clients enquiring about Morzine, Les Gets, Chamonix and Megève.
Morzine and Les Gets – part of the Portes du Soleil which comprises thirteen resorts – offer excellent facilities and skiing opportunities. Morzine is the largest town in the area and a good prospect for those wishing to buy property in the French Alps, especially for those looking for a family-friendly destination.
Les Gets boasts phenomenal mountain biking trails, a lake and an 18-hole high altitude golf course. It is also just 30 minutes from Lake Geneva for sailing and water sports.
“Demand seems to be increasing at a faster rate here than other areas,” says Tim Swannie, Director of Home Hunts. “We expect prices to rise in these areas in 2017, so buying here is a good investment for the future as well as a year-round holiday home.”
This extraordinary five-bedroom chalet in Les Gets is something of a rarity. Positioned to provide easy access to the town and chair lifts, it also has a beautiful indoor swimming pool which can be viewed from the glass floor in the master bedroom. An exciting south-facing property, which also has a hammam, this is the perfect playground for families on vacation, but its endless entertainment factor means it would bring in a substantial rental yield.
Chamonix and Megève
Chamonix, at the base of Mont-Blanc, has one of the longest skiing seasons in the Alps and a strong rental market. The first Winter Olympics were held here in 1924 and it offers ski areas for all levels of ability, from beginners to thrill seekers.
Megève, which is located around an hour from Geneva airport, has three main ski zones: Rochebrune, Mont d’Arbois and Le Jaillet. It offers 445km of ski terrain and hosts several prestigious ski schools.
“Sales in Megève continue to increase and prices are also due to rise throughout 2017,” says Tim. “At the moment clients are particularly interested in modern chalets, which are designed for both winter and summer. We’ve got many properties to show clients in this area, some of which are presented in our online portfolio and others which are off-market opportunities.”
If you are looking to buy property in the French Alps, visit Home Hunts’ property search facility at www.home-hunts.com. To speak directly with a local Home Hunts consultant about a particular area and the best investment opportunities, call +33 (0)970 44 66 43.
