Investment Property in France

Locations - The Alps

Popular resorts

The resorts in the French Alps are among the most popular destinations for skiing holidays in Europe, and attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The main ski resorts of the French Alps include Meribel, Courchevel and Val d’Isere, and these all now attract tourists throughout the year, as they offer a range of alpine activities to suit all seasons.

Year-round rental potential

For this reason, buying property in the Alps is becoming more popular. The prospect of rental returns during both the summer and winter seasons is attractive, and the properties themselves tend towards the higher end of the market. A popular way of buying in the Alpine region is through purchasing a leaseback property, which allows a set period of almost full rental of the property, after which owners are allowed to take up sole and exclusive residency if they wish. This removes the main difficulty of successfully marketing a property for year-round occupation.

New developments

Although new ski resorts opening in the Alps are rare, new developments and renovations in existing ski stations are proving popular. Even villages like Les Arcs and Megeve, in the shadow of Mont Blanc, have plenty of properties available.

Investment opportunities

Some of the best opportunities are in new-build or newly-renovated property, situated as close to the ski lifts as possible. Many skiers prefer to rent ‘ski-in ski-out’ accommodation where they can ski right up to the property.

Property prices

Ski properties in the Alps are generally highly priced, due to the rental demand and the fact that both summer and winter tourist seasons are already established. However, the demand for affordable rental accommodation is rising, since the advent of cheap flights allowing visitors to affordably travel to even the most glamorous resorts has widened the market.

Widening market

Skiing itself is no longer the exclusively upmarket activity that it once was, and some of the most popular hotels in well-regarded resorts have been taken over by British tour operators. From a property investment perspective, this means that a range of properties will now be in demand by holidaymakers, from exclusive chalets to more affordable apartments.