A thousand new ski properties to be built in French Alps developer reveals

More than a thousand new ski resort properties are to be built the French Alps in a bid to keep pace with growing demand. The record number of new developments will be state of the art in terms of sustainability and fuel economy, according to the developer, MGM Group.

Apartments for sale in French ski resorts

Mountain life is one of the key elements of French culture and living. From the Alps to the Pyrenees and from the Massif Central to the Vosges, they are ideal places to go skiing, indulge in other winter sports, go walking in summer – and of course buy property.

Christmas 2009 in one of France’s most popular ski resorts, namely Chamonix, was surprisingly quiet — Britons were conspicuous by their absence thanks to the weak pound, and even the French were staying away and saving their euros.

France is a country of great diversity. Traditionally more appealing for buyers wanting rural properties to renovate, there is a growing trend towards new builds, often available under leaseback deals guaranteeing rental income. Prices have been rising rapidly, with an average increase of 16% in 2004 (10% for new properties).

While UK house prices continued to drop in a near static market at the start of this year, the London office of leading French Alpine developer The MGM Group saw sales holding up. Although slightly down on last year’s figures, the group has surpassed its sales target for the five-month winter season.

On a steep hill sloping down to Lake Geneva, this one-bedroom two-bath terrace apartment is on the top floor of a three-story building. Originally conceived as a three-bedroom, the space was renovated into more of a loft style, with a 750-square-foot common room, currently laid out with separate spaces for socializing, dining and working.

As property prices collapse in many international business centres stricken by recession, estate agents in Zurich, Switzerland’s commercial capital, are struggling to balance smugness and fear.