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.

Les Gets - new ski property!

The village of Les Gets in the Portes du Soleil has been participating in a major development called "Project Village 2003-2013" for the past 6 years, with a view to protect the natural environment and develop an eco-tourism programme which will benefit the local area for many years to come.

The village experienced a boom in tourism in the early 2000s and this put pressure on the local infrastructure, in particular water supply, drainage and road traffic. As a result the Les Gets town hall took the decision to put in place an action plan to rigorously address the situation.

The first and most critical steps from a buyers perspective was the immediate revision of the town planning rules (Plan Local d'Urbanisme), to restrict future development within the village and surrounding area. Despite growing demand from buyers and developers, the town hall imposed a strict limit on the number of planning permissions granted over the past 5 years, which effectively froze all new building. The mairie then used this time to invest in the water supply and sewage systems in Les Gets, which had come under immense pressure due to the quantity of new properties and tourist numbers in the winter and summer seasons.

Recently the work was finished and the town hall has been able to grant new permits for builders and developers. The Les Gets property market is now seeing the benefits of their efforts with a limited number of superb new build apartment residences planned for the village centre. The residences are all low-rise, high-quality constructions built in a traditional alpine style to blend naturally with this charming, historical village. For details of a selection of the new projects planned, please click on the links below:

Le Schuss

Le Champe

Eden Roc

Le Cristal

Chalune

Le Passafranc

The town hall has also invested heavily in public transport, creating a number of car parks on the outskirts of the village which are serviced by free buses. The aim is to encourage locals and tourists to use public transport wherever possible and to protect the peace and charm of the village centre.

Les Gets has implemented plans to protect its forests which cover over a third of the territory. Wood is a vital asset to the village, whether it is for building chalets, supplying other parts of the region, or firewood and it is seen as an important renewable energy.

The ski lifts at Les Gets are also signing up to the effort. SAGETS is investing heavily in durable tourism and the Les Gets ski lifts are now certified ISO 9001 with ISO 14001 in the pipeline. Consequently the ski lifts are signed up to an ongoing programme of eco-tourism set to last for many years to come.

For details on property for sale in Les Gets, please contact the Ascendant team.

The month to buy ski property

For those looking to purchase a property in time for the winter season 2009 / 2010, September is THE month to buy! The purchase process for a French property takes approximately 3 months from offer acceptance to completion - so if you want to be spending Christmas in your new alpine home (or perhaps just generating some peak season rental income from it), now is definitely the time to get your search started.

It's another day of perfect blue skies and hot sunshine here in the French Alps today. The temperature in Annecy has hit a scorching 36 degrees and the lakes and mountains of this beautiful area are packed with tourists enjoying the great scenery and outdoor activities on offer. It's hard to imagine that in less than four months time, the area will be filled with skiers and other winter sports enthusiasts enjoying Christmas and New Year in the snow - that's the beauty of this dual-season destination!

Get your property search started with Ascendant this September and soon you too could be enjoying the benefits of a second home that you can use (and rent out) in both winter and summer. In addition to some great resale opportunities, we are pleased to offer a number of top quality, new build properties for sale - ready now and with key handover in time for Christmas. All come with a 10 year buildings guarantee as standard. For example:

Three bedroom apartments in the centre of St Gervais les Bains (Evasion Mont Blanc), priced from 340,000 euros.

One, two and four bedroom apartments in the centre of Les Contamines (Evasion Mont Blanc), priced from 268,500 euros.

Two, three and four bedroom apartments in St Martin de Belleville (Three Valleys), priced from 545,510 euros.

Special offer in Les Contamines!

Work is now well underway on an exciting new apartment residence in the village centre of Les Contamines-Montjoie, a resort which is surely one of the best kept secrets in the northern French Alps. With just 4 apartments remaining, now is a great time to view and take advantage of a special offer of 299,000 euros for a spacious 2-bed apartment of 50m2. With reduced notaires fees of approximately 2.5% and a 10-years builder's guarantee, this high-quality residence is a real gem in the local ski property market.

Les Contamines is located in the Evasion Mont Blanc ski domain, set against the stunning backdrop of Mont Blanc, and is renowned for its high quality snow cover, quiet slopes and suitability for winter sports enthusiasts of all levels. The resort is also busy in summer, with an array of activities on offer and some beautiful Alpine scenery to be enjoyed.

The village started out as a pretty Savoyard farming community and despite expansion in recent years Les Contamines has successfully retained its charm and character. Les Contamines is nestled in a valley surrounded by stunning mountain peaks and alpine scenery. Lying on the famous "Tour de Mont Blanc" walking route, it is the last community between the French-Italian borders and is also on a pilgrimage route due to the old church of Notre Dame and an ancient monastery clinging to the mountain side high above the valley. This is an area of the Alps where you can still see working Savoyard farms operating using traditional techniques (the other day I saw a farmer loading up a wooden hay cart drawn by a huge cart horse).

Whilst retaining its sense of history, the centre of Les Contamines has a good selection of restaurants, cafes, bars and shops and is an ideal holiday destination for couples and families. Just outside the village there is a large activity park, with a sailing and swimming lake, archery, horse-riding and an acro-branching centre amongst other activities. It is a popular resort in both summer and winter; with a good mix of French and international tourists visiting the area and property in Les Contamines has excellent dual-season rental potential.

The new apartment residence has a traditional alpine design, perfectly in-keeping with the beautiful surroundings. It is made up of 16 high quality apartments, of which just 4 remain, and is scheduled for completion in autumn 2009. Prices include fully equipped kitchens and bathrooms; private garages are also available at extra cost. All the village amenities are within an easy 5 minute walk of the development and the main lifts are only 2-3 minutes away by shuttle bus (or about 15 minutes on foot).

To view details of the 4 remaining apartments, click on the links below:

1-bed apartment

2-bed apartment

3-bed apartment

3-bed penthouse apartment

To view other ski and summer property for sale in Les Contamines and Evasion Mont Blanc visit our Buy Property pages.