Customer feedback

We would both like to thank you for your help with our purchase and all the advice along the way. You have helped make it a very simple process…could have been very complicated I think!!! We are pleased with the apartment and looking forward to our first holiday there..and many more!

Thanks again,

Shane and Marion.

If you would like Ascendant to help you to locate your perfect ski property for sale, call us now on 0844 555 32 74

Saint Gervais bridge

Exciting news for prospective and existing property owners in Saint Gervais les Bains! In summer 2008 permission was granted for a new bridge to be constructed across the Bonnant gorge; providing direct access between the residences, hotels and businesses of the town centre and the Saint Gervais cable car as well as reducing the amount of traffic passing through the resort centre.

The bridge will span between the entrance to the village on the D902 and the entrance to the ski lift on the D909. As well as two lanes of traffic there will be dedicated cycle lanes and pavements for pedestrians. The major benefit of the project will be to reduce the amount of traffic passing through the resort centre – currently the only direct route to access the ski lift from the A40 motorway and Le Fayet direction. It will also enable vehicles travelling from the Megeve / Sallanches direction to circumnavigate the town centre, reducing traffic and journey times for drivers. Preparatory work has already been carried out and the full scale project is due to commence in September 2009, with completion scheduled for the first quarter of 2012.

The Saint Gervais council has invested heavily in the revitalisation of the resort centre over the past 7 years and this is one of the reasons why the village has become such a popular destination for property hunters. The village centre has a pretty cobbled square with water feature, lined with grand old apartment residences, cafes, boutiques, hotels and public buildings. Property prices are significantly lower in Saint Gervais than nearby Megeve or Chamonix and capital growth in the resort has been rising at an impressive rate. The new bridge is the next step in the carefully planned development of this beautiful resort, aiming to further improve the quality of life of its residents.

If you are considering buying a ski or summer holiday property in the Saint Gervais area, take a look at our “Buy Property” page. We have a wide range of apartments and chalets and we will be happy to help you locate your dream property.

Winter Olympics 2018

Here at Ascendant Property we're supporting Annecy's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. France has already confirmed that it will be putting forward a candidate city for the 23rd edition of the games and on March 18th this year, the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) will announce the name of that candidate. Annecy faces competing bids from the cities of Nice and Grenoble, plus a rather ambitious entry by the little village of Pelvoux in the Southern Alps, home to just 400 people!

The Annecy bid has a long and growing list of supporters from the sporting, political and commercial communities, all keen to see the Winter Olympics return to its birthplace in Haute-Savoie (Chamonix having hosted the inaugural event in 1924). Even its Swiss neighbour, Geneva, has firmly come out in support of the 2018 Games taking place in Annecy and Haute Savoie. Competition events would be spread out between Annecy and the nearby winter resorts of this area, the largest, most popular ski destination in the world. Many of the resorts are famous names in their own rights. Chamonix, of course, would play an integral part, hosting skiing and ice hockey events in the shadow of Mont Blanc. Morzine-Avoriaz in the Portes du Soleil would host many of the downhill skiing competitions; curling would take place in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains; Flaine would be home to snowboarding and the ski jumping and cross-country events would take place in La Clusaz. Annecy itself would host the ice skating and speed skating, plus the Olympic village.

The support for the Annecy Haute-Savoie bid is understandable. The area is exceptionally beautiful and has unrivalled infrastructure (good road and rail links and easy access from Geneva International Airport; modern, extensive winter sports facilities; quality accommodation, restaurants etc.). These are the very same reasons that people from around the world choose to buy property here. Good luck Annecy on the 18th March!

Snow conditions

The ski resorts of Haute-Savoie have been enjoying some of the best snow conditions for many years and with heavy snow forecast over the next few days it looks set to continue well into the season.

In the run up to Christmas 2008 plenty of snow fell over the northern French Alps enabling the ski resorts to open as early as late November. For the team here at Ascendant, the January weeks that follow the holiday rush often offer some of the best skiing the area has to offer, with crystal clear blue skies, empty ski pistes and al fresco dining against a backdrop of snow clad peaks.

Last Monday we headed over to Les Gets for the day, the week before we were in La Clusaz and this coming Monday (weather permitting, we have become fair weather skiers now it's right on our doorstep) we’ll be going to Les Contamines Montjoie. We make it our mission to ski as much of the Haute-Savoie area during the winter, so we can tell you what each resort is like when you’re considering where to buy your ski property. It’s a hard life but someone has to do it.

If you’re coming out to the area and you want to check out the snow conditions before you travel, try the website www.ski-resort-france.co.uk. The snow bulletins added by the various ski resorts will tell you when it last snowed, the depth of the snow and the snow conditions. Checking it over today, Chamonix has 188cm at the top and 70cm at the bottom, Saint Gervais has 140cm at the top and 50cm at the bottom and Samoens has 120cm and 67cm at the bottom. With a good top-up due in the early part of next week it looks like February half term should offer some great ski conditions if you can’t make it out beforehand.

Don’t forget we’re on hand to help you locate your dream ski property - so tell us what you’re looking for and let us help you to spend more time on the ski slopes.

Geneva - Annecy motorway

Since December 2008 it’s become even easier to reach Annecy and the ski resorts of the Aravis Mountains from Geneva city centre and airport. The new Annecy - Geneva motorway opened in December 2008 and has cut the journey time from Annecy to Geneva to just 25 minutes by car.

The new route is a toll road and there is a charge of about 5 euros to use it, however if you are a regular commuter membership discounts are available. If you own a property or you are planning to purchase a property in the Annecy area or the nearby ski resorts of La Clusaz or Le Grand Bornand the new motorway makes a real difference to your journey times.

The new motorway also confirms Annecy and the Lake Annecy area as an excellent choice for those relocating to Geneva for work purposes. Annecy property offers much better value than Geneva and surrounding areas, as well as being one of the most beautiful towns in France. The quality of life here is fabulous, offering all the amenities of an affluent and vibrant town combined with the magnificent scenery of Lake Annecy and the surrounding mountains. The mountain resorts of La Clusaz and Le Grand Bornand are just a 25 minute drive from Annecy and local inhabitants are able to enjoy swimming and watersports on the clean, clear waters of Lake Annecy as well as skiing, paragliding, hiking and climbing in the mountains.

If you plan a move to the area and you are considering a property purchase in Annecy or a ski property in La Clusaz or Le Grand Bornand, get in touch, we’d be delighted to advise you and help with your purchase.

New Year New Site Design

Happy New Year from the Ascendant Property Team!

Just before Christmas we set up this new website layout, giving you better access to the wide range of French Alps Properties we have on offer and also to brighten up the look of the site!

We hope you enjoy, both the new look site and our new property blog.

This new property blog will feature news and views from the Ski and Alpine Property market from Ascendant Property, giving you the chance to see what we've been up to and the latest Property for sale in Chamonix, Annecy, Les Contamines, Morzine, Saint Gervais and Samoens.

Let us know what you think of our new blog and site design by contacting us today!