FRENCH ALPS PROPERTY REPORT 2018 Contents a BOOMING FRENCH a Booming French Property Market Brings Energy to the Alps 3
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FRENCH ALPS PROPERTY REPORT 2018 Contents A BOOMING FRENCH A booming French property market brings energy to the Alps 3 It’s an exciting time to buy a mountain home 4 PROPERTY MARKET There’s more to the mountains than snow 6 BRINGS ENERGY Terrésens: the only way is up 8 With you every step of the way 10 TO THE ALPS Nexalia: laying the foundations for a lifetime of holidays 12 The French property market is booming. The 12 months to the end Future perfect: why Arc 1950 is so popular with investors 14 of October 2017 saw a record number of sales of existing properties: 958,000, up from 564,000 in the depths of the Credit Crunch. Buoyed Halo Financial: get more of the Alps for your money 16 by a sense of national revival under Emmanuel Macron, and a strong A place in the sun 18 Eurozone economy, it looks set to prosper for some time to come. Not surprisingly, the market for Alpine property in France has benefited too. We don’t have to look far for the reasons. France is home to many of the world’s most famous mountain resorts, and its largest and most exciting ski areas. With a long winter season (lasting 22 weeks in some resorts), and a buzzing summer scene in July and August, it offers investors significant rental returns - as well as the chance to lead a healthier, more active life. For many, the prospect of escaping into this beautiful and inspiring environment is just as important as opening up a new revenue stream. But it’s not just the French who are beating a path to the Alps. Here at Erna Low Property we’ve seen strong demand from both British and international buyers, and we’re ideally placed to help them. We’re a French estate agency, with offices in both London and the French Alps, and we offer not only an insider’s view of the French property market, but also the best new offers from property developers. There are many ways to purchase a property in the French Alps, and we can guide savvy investors to the right solutions, aided by a network of hand-picked associates. It’s a seamless service, from the first enquiry to the signing of the final deeds of sale, and beyond. We’re here to help whenever you need us. François Marchand, Director Photo: © Romany Rybaleov/shutterstock.com www.ernalowproperty.com 3 IT’S AN EXCITING TIME TO New resort investment Chamonix €477m 40-year upgrade of lifts and pistes (ongoing) BUY A MOUNTAIN HOME La Plagne €455m Redevelopment of lift system and Aime 2000 resort New investment, ground-breaking technology, and changing tastes are Val d’Isère €200m re-energising the French Alps. Redevelopment of Coin de Val district Megève €100m New hotels, lifts and snow-making systems Les Deux Alpes – Alpe d’Huez €60m Possible project to link the two resorts by gondola Samoëns €25m New lifts and pistes t’s an exciting time to buy property in the French Alps. Resorts are investing heavily in new infrastructure, just as the ski industry - and mountain sports in general - are going Rock-bottom mortgages and a Ithrough a period of change and renewal. The resurgent French property market market for apartments and chalets is in good health too, fed by rock-bottom mortgage rates Repayments €100,000 and a resurgent Eurozone economy. on a 15 year will spend €12m boosting its snowmaking fixed-rate €80,000 €92,700 The sums being invested in mountain capacity before 2024m. Meanwhile, new MTB mortgage resorts are sometimes staggering. In 2017, parks, trail-running networks, yoga festivals of €240,000 €60,000 €66,455 for example, Val d’Isère announced a €200m and e-biking facilities provide for a growing €40,000 redevelopment of Le Coin de Val - a large slice number of summer visitors. In fact, some Total interest to repay of the village centre, that’ll house new shops resorts now see a brighter future as a summer €20,000 €35,201 and restaurants, apartments, hotels and a bus destination than a winter one. apartment complexes have been launched Luxurious La Plagne station. Meanwhile, south of Grenoble, Les across the Alps, while in existing high-quality Gojda/shutterstock.com © Lukas Photo: apartments Monthly repayments €2,000 Deux Alpes and Alpe d’Huez are developing The net effect has been to make the developments such as Arc 1950, the resale FOR SALE Set at an altitude of 2,050m in Plagne (3.75%) (2.75%) (1.5%) plans for a spectacular €60m gondola, linking mountains more exciting than ever. In winter, market is in good health. No doubt, the rock- €1,000 Soleil, the recently-launched White €2,181 €2,035 €1,862 improving infrastructure bottom interest charged on fixed-rate Euro Pearl development offers a high-end, €0 is combining with new mortgages is helping to drive demand. So too It’s an exciting time to buy property in the snowsure base in the heart of La 2011 2014 2018 equipment, and a new is a resurgent French property market. In the Plagne’s vast ski area. The 81 ski-in, Source: Erna Low Property French Alps. Resorts are investing heavily in wave of wearable tech - 12 months to the end of October 2017, the ski-out apartments have their own Ô such as the CARV digital Notaires de France registered a record number des Cimes spa, and will be the resort’s new infrastructure, just as the ski industry Rise in average 18.0% ski instructor - to make us of sales of existing properties: 958,000, up from first-ever five-star residence. They’re a house prices in Savoie 16.0% fitting symbol of the new, modernising - and mountain sports in general - are going all better, happier skiers. 564,000 in the depths of the credit crunch in 16.4% 14.0% At the same time, the idea 2009. With the Eurozone economy so buoyant, spirit in La Plagne, which has recently through a period of change and renewal. 12.0% of what a winter holiday it’s a trend that’s likely to continue. announced €455m of new investment the two resorts across the deep chasm of the can be is expanding. Music fans are being on lifts, villages and infrastructure. The 10.0% 2-5 bedroom apartments are priced from Romanche valley. And in La Plagne, a total of drawn into the mountains by a growing range Here at Erna Low Property we’ve seen plenty 8.0% €325,000-€690,000, off-plan. €455m will be spent on ski area upgrades and of rock concerts (the latest is Chamonix’s April of interest from English-speaking buyers, with 6.0% the expansion of Aime 2000. event, Musilac), whilst ski tourers are walking both enquiries and sales recovering sharply in 4.0% 5.4% the second half of 2017. We’ve seen a rise in up their Alps, as well as skiing back down. 2.0% In part, this wave of investment is being driven overall spend too. The average purchase price 0.0% by a race to the top. These days, resorts are In summer the mushrooming growth of is up from €339,500 in the two years before the 2012-17 3 months to 1 November 2017 competing for A-list status with fast lifts, sports such as mountain biking has been Brexit referendum, to €439,000 between June Source: barometre.immobilier.notaires.fr eye-catching accommodation, and state- accompanied by interest in the Alps as a family 2016 and December 2017. of-the-art swimming pools. But it’s also an destination - a place where children can grow Total number 1,000,000 Buyers do need to be aware of a growing of sales of acknowledgement that changing tastes – and and prosper, away from social media and 900,000 existing 958,000 a changing climate - are reshaping what it video gaming. As a result, the most progressive differentiation between lower and higher- altitude resorts. Up high, the focus is firmly on properties in 800,000 means to be a mountain resort. resorts are now almost as busy in July and France over skiing. Lower down, summer is as important 700,000 August as they are during the ski season. the previous To be successful in the modern era, ski areas as winter. But whichever style of resort they 12 months 600,000 652,000 need powerful snowmaking systems to It’s no wonder then that demand for a second choose, they can be sure of one thing: if they 500,000 564,000 supplement what Mother Nature can provide, home in this inspiring and invigorating love the mountains, few property investments and right across region the snow cannons environment is on the rise. Over the past could ever have such a richly-rewarding are multiplying. La Plagne, for example, four years, an impressive range of new impact on their lives. 0 Aug 2009 Feb 2013 Oct 2017 Source: Notaires de France 4 Erna Low Property | French Alps Property Report www.ernalowproperty.com 5 THERE’S MORE TO THE MOUNTAINS THAN SNOW Many buyers are looking for a healthy, active environment in which to nurture their families - and summer is just as important as winter when they consider a mountain home. Mountain biking, Les Saisies. Photo: © Monica Dalmasso FOR SALE The best of both seasons in Les Saisies The new apartments in the Chalets des Cimes are perfectly- placed for both summer and winter - as they back onto an area of MTB trails and pistes.