Great value ski chalets and apartments

With the ski season just around the corner, we wanted to highlight some of the great value ski chalets and apartments currently for sale through Ascendant.

If you are looking for a bargain bolthole in the Alps, you might want to consider a superb 1-bedroom apartment in St Gervais les Bains priced at just 85,000 euros. The apartment is located just around the corner from the TMB station: from here there is a train link to the ski slopes of nearby Les Houches and a regular shuttle bus service to the main Saint Gervais lift. The centre of this attractive resort, with its many shops, bars and restaurants, is a mere 5 minutes walk away.

Ski-in, ski-out properties often command a price premium, which makes our 2-bed apartment in La Grande Terche priced at 185,000 euros excellent value for money. There are a number of shops and restaurants in the immediate vicinity and for those that wish to explore the wider Portes du Soleil domain by car the apartment has the advantage of being sold with a covered parking space.

We have just added two new ski chalets to our Portes du Soleil portfolio. The first, a traditional alpine chalet located on the ski bus route into Morzine, is priced at a competitive 399,000 euros. The second chalet, close to the centre of Les Gets, one of the most sought-after Alpine resorts, is available for 490,000 euros.

Down the road in the Grand Massif domain, we are marketing a beautiful farmhouse, only 400m away from one of the main ski lifts in Samoens. The property is split into six apartments which are let out successfully in the winter and summer; each apartment has two bedrooms and its own kitchen. There are also some great mountain views from the sunny, south-facing garden. The price of this property has just dropped to 825,000 euros which we believe offers fantastic value for money. Early viewing recommended!

Portes du Soleil property

We're delighted to announce the addition of a new team member specifically dedicated to property sales in the Portes du Soleil region. Carole Cavet joined the Ascendant team in November and will be covering the property market in Morzine, Les Gets, Saint Jean d'Aulps, Chatel and Avoriaz.

Carole has worked in the Portes du Soleil property market for a number of years and her experience and expertise will further enhance our market presence in this part of the Haute-Savoie. Carole has lived in the Morzine area since 2004 and is on hand for all your property needs, whether it is for viewings during buying trips, valuation and marketing property for sale, recommending mortgage experts and accountants, or assistance with local builders, tradesmen and property management companies.

The decision to have a dedicated Ascendant team member in the Portes du Soleil is due to increasing demand from both buyers and vendors, so watch this space in the coming weeks as new and exciting properties to view are added to the Ascendant website as well as blog items and news on the Portes du Soleil property market.

If you would like to speak to Carole about your property search, or you have a property for sale in the Portes du Soleil area that you would like us to sell for you, please contact us on +33 (0)4 50 10 44 23 or info@ascendant-property.com and let us do the rest.

The snow has arrived!

All thoughts of the summer's seemingly endless heat wave are well and truly behind us after the first heavy snowfall of the season hit the northern French Alps this week.

With temperatures falling and heavy precipitation on the cards for the weekend, the next few days promise plenty more snow as autumn crosses over to the winter season.

The mountains were cloaked in beautiful colours of vibrant red, amber and yellow this autumn and up until last week temperatures remained mild enough to venture out without a coat during the day. However it was a very different story during viewing trips in Morzine, Les Gets and Samoens this week, when we were caught out by sudden flurries of snow!

In the various mountain resorts preparations for the start of the winter season are well underway and the build up to Christmas week (dare we even mention Christmas yet?) has begun.

If you're avidly following every last flake of snow as it falls, try the website www.snow-forecast.com - a useful source of information.

If you're planning a trip to the French Alps this winter to look for property for sale, or you have a property you would like to sell, please contact us and we'll be happy to help.