Your property in the French Alps
Unrivalled escapism and truly unique family time are intrinsically linked with buying a property in the French Alps.
While the charm of the Alps began with the simplicity of skiing down mountainous slopes, the resorts, towns and villages each have their own distinct personality that makes having a base here all the more compelling.
The area offers buyers a wealth of choice, from smart, modern apartments with easy access to the slopes, all the way through to luxury chalets with hot tubs and swimming pools, town houses and even farmhouses to convert in some locations.
Inside The French Alps
Nothing stands still in the French Alps, with the area constantly striving to embrace technology to help reinvent itself and the infrastructure that serves it.
In Chamonix, for instance, a near €500 milllion, 40-year pledge from the Compagnie du Mont Blanc has already helped create three new gondolas (cable car transport for 10 people in each cabin), two chair lifts and two beginner areas, with further developments to come.
While skiing is the predominant activity, other mountain sports including rock climbing, hill walking, lake swimming, trail-running, paragliding and even sleeping in refuges are all available. Then there’s the ‘après ski’ and fewer places in the world can help you replenish your energy better than the French Alps, with its delicious and authentic cuisine.
Landscape
With the peak of Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc, in the French Alps, the terrain is unashamedly wild and rugged.
The area’s premium resorts range in elevation, from the picturesque Megève being one of the mid-altitude resorts, through to the likes of lofty Val d’Isère.
But the Alps are more than just peaks, with a plethora of lakes to explore in the area, offering excellent hiking and wild swimming opportunities.
Education
The French Alps are primarily about getting away from it all. But resorts are increasingly trying to become year-round destinations meaning the number of people living there full-time is rising.
International schools are available in the Alps, with places such as SEK International School, near Megève, among the alpine institutions available.
For universities, the Université Grenoble Alpes is among the 10 best-ranked further education institutions in France.
Activities and Entertainment
The French Alps are undoubtedly the European capital of skiing and snowboarding, making this the biggest draw for people seeking a property here.
But even devout skiers uncover a vast array of other activities on offer, from snowshoe walking to hill hiking, rafting through to swimming, and ice climbing through to mountain biking. The area has even become a trail running hub, with the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc drawing competitors from across the globe.
Hot air ballooning and helicopter flights give unrivalled and uninterrupted views across the French Alps, while back on terra firma, golf is popular in the area with courses in places such as Megève, Méribel and Chamonix.
More everyday amenities are also available, with many resorts and towns offering cinemas, shops, restaurants and bars to explore.
Art and Culture
Mountain towns and villages have been occupied for centuries and evidence of their past is plentiful across the French Alps.
From medieval castles and churches, such as Châteaux de Menthon-St-Bernard – supposedly the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle - and the near-1,000-year-old Châteaux de Joux near Métabief, examples of outstanding architecture are abundant.
The most prominent museums are largely located in Grenoble, however, smaller towns do offer some captivating museums, including Besançon’s Musée des Beaux-Arts et d’Archéologie, the country’s oldest public museum founded in 1694 and Chamonix’s Musée des Cristaux, which showcases crystals and native gems.
Food and Drink
From a quick jambon beurre while strolling through a resort, to steak-frites on the balcony of an Alpine mountain restaurant peering down on the snowy scene, to the luxury surroundings of a Michelin-starred restaurant sampling just-caught lake fish, the Alps truly has it all.
The area’s outstanding produce includes fish, cured meats and sausages, while its exquisite range of cheeses and ways of eating them – fondue, raclette and tartiflette – make for unforgettable dining experiences.
Countless pâtisseries ensure a steady supply of sweet treats, with the choux pastry chocolate religieuse, and the aptly-named Mont Blanc, a meringue dessert with chestnut purée, favourites of the area.
The French Alps encompass some of the country’s most popular wine regions, such as Rhône-Alpes and Franche-Comté, making some of France’s best wine readily available, while génépi, a traditional herbal liqueur, is also popular in the Alpine region.
Accessibility
The nearest commercial airports to the French Alps are Geneva, in Switzerland, Lyon or Chambéry, in France, or Turin in Italy.
Smaller aircraft and helicopters can use the altiports located throughout the Alps, such as at Courchevel, Megève and Val d’Isère.
Alternatively, the high-speed TGV train service and Eurostar reach Bourg St Maurice, close to the Italian border in the Savoie.