MGM Properties share their top tips for the French property market ahead of the 2018/19 ski season

Find out which resorts you should be investing in this season with this guide to top property in the French Alps

Purchasing a home overseas can be an exciting but daunting prospect, and for those looking at French Alpine property, the wide variety of different resorts can make the choice seem impossible. Ahead of the upcoming ski season, expert developers MGM French Properties share their insider tips on the locations on the up and best for investment.

For those looking for a small but welcoming dual-season resort, Samoëns is a savvy choice. Renowned as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Samoëns offers a wide variety of summer and winter sports, and is full of historical and cultural attractions. Designated as a ‘ville fleurie’, Samoëns is well-known for its year-round stunning landscapes, with a unique stonemasonry heritage which defines the town’s architecture. The resort is renowned around France for its botanic garden, Jaÿsinia, which houses 4,500 types of Alpine flowers.

Résidence Alexane is located in the centre of the town, close to the Grand Massif Express, which provides access to 265km of connected ski runs. The development features two chalets, each comprising of 13 one to four-bedroom apartments, carefully designed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding alpine scenery while maintaining a modern and contemporary feel.

Setting the development apart is the range of top-class hotel-style facilities including indoor pool, fitness suite, gym, sauna, jacuzzi and steam rooms and spa. One-bedroom apartments are available starting from €245, 834. The homes are available to purchase off-plan under leaseback agreement now, ahead of completion at the end of this year.

Another one-to-watch is Tignes 1800, a relatively new resort which first opened in 2013. The resort provides all the benefits of larger resorts, combined with a more tranquil atmosphere in which to enjoy quality time, and has seen great popularity with families. It also enjoys close proximity to central Tignes and other larger resorts for those seeking après-ski and other nightlife.

Named after famous French skier, Jean-Claude Killy, the Espace Killy resort, which Tignes is linked to, is located in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie. The 300km of pistes includes 44km of cross-country area, 22 green runs, 61 blues, 46 reds and 25 blacks, giving an enormous range for skiers who want to experience the variety of this fantastic resort. One for avid skiers, Tignes is widely-recognised as one of the most snow-sure resorts in the French Alps.

Le Lodge des Neiges is the ultimate ski-in-ski-out development, with MGM French Properties offering both outright purchase and leaseback in the same development. Located right on the slopes and just above the gondola in Tignes 1800, Le Lodge des Neiges features an indoor swimming pool, children’s paddling pool, sauna, steam room, hammam, whirlpools and private gymnasium. Prices start range from €250,000 for a one-bedroom apartment as a leaseback purchase, and €425,000 for a two-bedroom apartment as an outright purchase. The apartments will be complete in Q4 of 2019.

Finally, Les Houches, on the outskirts of Chamonix, offers excellent value for those seeking the excitements of Chamonix at a lower price point. Located just six kilometres down the valley from the skiing capital, Les Houches offers similar stunning panoramas of the Chamonix valley. The area maintains an authentic rustic feel, comprising traditional mountain hamlets and boasting a relaxed community atmosphere.

Notably, central Chamonix is accessible in as little as 15 minutes via regular train and shuttle bus links, perfect for exploring other areas of the valley. Multi-zone ski passes are available which cover both resorts, with some giving access to sections of the Mont Blanc in Italy and Switzerland.

Located just 200 metres from the Prarion Gondola, and within easy distance of the Bellevue ski lift, the Chalet Délys development offers excellent slope access for those who ski regularly. The apartments are all well-sized, with floorplates ranging from 60 sqm to 118 sqm. The outright purchase homes come unfurnished, but with fully-fitted kitchen and bathroom, allowing the perfect opportunity for the purchaser to put their personality into the interiors through their own choice of style and furniture.

The large private balcony or terrace which comes with each home will offer fantastic views of the Mont-Blanc mountain range. Properties at this exceptional development start from €430,000 for a two-bedroom apartment, and the development will be ready in late 2019.

Richard Deans, Sales Manager at MGM French Properties, comments, “The resorts included here represent the incredibly diverse offering of the French Alps as a whole, where great investment opportunities can be found for every kind of taste and buyer. Tignes is the ideal ski enthusiast purchase, while the stunning history and architecture of Samoëns is hard to resist. Meanwhile, Les Houches offers enviable access to Chamonix while retaining its own more tranquil and family-friendly charm.

“All of these developments benefit from MGM’s superior building materials and craftmanship. I would advise those debating it to look into these under-the-radar areas sooner rather than later.”

For further information on French Alpine properties, contact MGM French Properties on Tel: 0207 494 0706 or visit: www.mgmfrenchproperties.com