The region is popular as an all year round holiday destination
A French property developer has brought forward plans to build more holiday homes in the French Alps because of demand.
The region is now popular as an all year round holiday destination, according to MGM which has sold more than half of its development in the traditional farming village and ski resort of Les Carroz d’Araches in the Grand Massif area of the French Alps.
Its Chalet des Belles Pistes which has 19 leaseback apartments is on schedule for completion ahead of the ski season at the end of this year and now a further 14 apartments for outright purchase are planned.
The new development, Chalet Adénora, is five minutes’ walk from the centre of the bustling village and 50 metres from the ski lift and each of the two and three bedroom apartments come with balconies and terraces as well as a ski locker, secure cellar storage and a parking space.
‘The internal finishes will be a blend of traditional and contemporary styles planned to create a twenty first century feel within our typically Alpine exterior of local timber and stone,’ said Richard Deans who heads MGM’s London sales team.
He pointed out that the prices of MGM apartments in villages like Les Carroz can be around 25% lower than comparable properties in big name resorts like nearby Chamonix.
At Chalet Adénora prices start at €350,000 for a two bedroom apartment with a floor area of 56 square meters.
Les Carroz d’Araches is one of five interconnected ski resorts which comprise the Grand Massif, the third biggest ski area in the French Alps and has some of the most scenic and traditional towns and villages in the region such as Samoëns, Morillon and Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval as well as the purpose built ski resort of Flaine.
The Haute Savoie region between Geneva and Chamonix, along the wooded valley of the River Giffre, has 265 kilometres of slopes at altitudes of up to 2,500 metres. As many of the major slopes are north facing, they retain their snow for a longer period than many other resorts.
Growing numbers of British buyers are opting for properties in locations like these where they can pursue a lifestyle which enables them to integrate with local people while enjoying good skiing as well as a huge variety of other activities throughout the year.
During the summer in Les Carroz, visitors can enjoy 900 kilometres of walking trails, horse riding, biking, climbing and potholing. Hang gliding, paragliding and hot air ballooning are also available locally and there are opportunities for archery, white water rafting and fishing. Facilities like tennis courts and open air pools are on the doorstep.
Currently the local authority is investing €15 million in improvements for skiers which include easier access, particularly for disabled people, new high speed chair lifts and 30 new snow canons to ensure snow at the bottom of the slopes. In addition to skiing, winter sports in Les Carroz include dog sledging, raquette trekking and climbing frozen waterfalls.
Les Carroz is a 50 minute drive from Geneva Airport and Chambery Airport is 90 minutes by road. During the ski season Eurostar trains run direct from London’s St Pancras International to Bourg St Maurice which is 90 minutes by car from Les Carroz.