10 of the best alpine properties

I'm often asked by our customers: if you had the money to invest, which property would you buy?

Well, here is a list of my current Top Ten alpine properties, with prices ranging from 85,000 euros up to 2.95 million.

Best balcony view:
Studio apartment, St Gervais, 85,000 euros
This attractive apartment has a large and sunny balcony with breathtaking views of St Gervais village, the Mont Blanc range and the Rochers de Fiz.

Best for rental potential:
2-bed apartment, Samoens, 189,000 euros
A real bargain! Benefiting from reduced notaires fees, this two bedroom apartment is in excellent condition. With a good lettings history in place, you can expect to make over 15,000 euros per annum in rental income.

Best for ski-in, ski-out:
2-bed apartment, Morzine, 190,000 euros
Right next to the Nyon cable car, offering direct access to the Morzine / Les Gets ski domain, this great value duplex apartment sleeps up to 6 people.

Best small business opportunity:
8-bed house, Samoens, 540,000 euros
Located close to Samoens, and on the ski-bus route, this property is split into 3 self-contained apartments. There is also potential to renovate another building on site.

Best large family home:
7-bed chalet, St Jean d'Aulps, 750,000 euros
Warm, welcoming and wonderful views! A great family home in the Portes du Soleil that could also be run as a small catered chalet operation.

Best investment opportunity:
12-bed house, Samoens 825,000 euros
This beautiful property (pictured) is only 400m from the Vercland ski lift in Samoens. Divided into 6 two-bed apartments, and with a separate small chalet on the grounds, there are numerous investment opportunities to be explored: seasonal rentals, development and re-sale, conversion back into a family home. Huge potential for the price tag.

Best penthouse apartment:
4-bed apartment, Morzine, 880,000 euros
200m from the Super Morzine lift and a similar distance from the Pleney pistes, this apartment will occupy the entire top floor of a new apartment residence. Completion scheduled for spring / summer 2011; it is still possible to add your own personal touch at this early stage.

Best luxury apartment:
4-bed apartment, St Martin de Belleville, 1.044m euros
This new build apartment offers approximately 120m2 of living space. The design is authentically alpine and there are high quality fixtures and fittings throughout. Only 300m from the ski lifts of the 3 Valleys ski domain.

Best for an extended family:
9-bed house, Annecy, 1.354m euros
A beautiful stone-built alpine farmhouse, renovated to a high standard and offering three separate living spaces: ideal for an extended family, or for running a chambre d'hote business close to Annecy. There is around 600m2 of living space and a swimming pool in the attractive gardens surrounding the property.

Best luxury chalet:
6-bed chalet, Megeve, 2.95m euros
The ultimate in luxury in that most upmarket of alpine ski resorts, Megeve. Recently renovated to an extremely high standard, this property is walking distance from the village centre.

New builds ready for next winter

If you've been enjoying the snow in the mountains this winter, your thoughts may be turning to buying your own alpine property for next season. In addition to our wide selection of resale ski chalets and apartments, we are currently also selling new build developments where you will get the keys in time for Christmas 2010. Here are a few of our favourites:

Hameau des Fes, Morzine

This high quality development is a short distance from the historic centre of Morzine and well placed for reaching a large number of the ski lifts in and around town. There are three 2-bed apartments and two 3-bed apartments still available with prices from 600,000 euros; the construction work is nearing completion and delivery can be arranged for summer 2010.

Passa Franc, Les Gets

Constuction of the Passa Franc development, next to the ski slopes in Les Gets, has now been completed. Two large apartments are still for sale: one is priced at 695,000 euros, the other at 750,000 euros and both have large terraces and balconies with views of the ski pistes and mountains.

Le Champe, Les Gets

In a peaceful location yet only a short walk from the Mont Chery ski lift, this charming small development has been started and will be ready in time for Christmas. In addition to a 1-bed apartment on the first floor, there are two 3-bed apartments with large terraces still for sale on the ground floor.

Le Petit Paradis, Les Contamines

A renovation project rather than a true new build development, Le Petit Paradis will comprise 17 high quality apartments. Prices start at 256,100 euros for a 1-bed apartment with additional bunk bedroom; there are also 2-bed and 3-bed apartments available.

Haute-Tour, St Gervais les Bains

Offering superb value for money and ready now, Haute-Tour is a new build development right in the centre of this beautiful resort town. A limited number of 3-bed, 2-bath apartments remain for sale, priced from 335,000 euros.

Les Chalets du Nant Giraud, St Martin de Belleville

St Martin de Belleville is an authentic alpine village, linked in to the massive 3 Valleys ski area. The apartments in this development have been built to the highest possible specification by a well-respected local builder. Two apartments remain: a 2-bed and 4-bed. Delivery of apartments can be arranged 4 months after reservation. Private chalets also available, please call the Ascendant Property team for further information.

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.

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!

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!