Le Massif des Aravis, main and holiday homes

The communes of La Clusaz, Saint-Jean-de-Sixt and Thônes nestle in the Massif des Aravis, stretching from the agglomeration of Annecy to the valley of the Arve and Val d’Arly. Close together, they nevertheless have their own personalities and specific assets.

28 km from Annecy, La Clusaz began to develop strongly in the 1960’s. Most of the buildings in the resort in fact date back to this period. Offering about 4,500 homes of which 80 % are second residences, the accommodation in La Clusaz consists 70 % of apartments and 30 % of chalets. “The resort is becoming more attractive, and its position has quite definitely risen in the ranks,” says Patrick Thevenet, director of the Atherac agency, the first to open on the commune back in 1958. After first placing its bets on quantity by building classic apartments and standard chalets, La Clusaz now boasts dozens of high-class chalets offering luxurious appointments. “Even though luxury properties still comprise a niche market, the premium market is undergoing development,” adds our expert, whose agency has targetted this sector of the market over the past few years, introducing in particular a new service catering for tax advantages. “We propose two formulas for acquisitions, the first classic, the second in the guise of para-hotelry, enabling the buyer to propose his chalet later on for rentals with hotel services included.” The main asset of this formula ? In addition to its novelty, recovery of VAT ! An undeniable tax incentive when such a significant investment is being considered. “We are currently being contacted by clients benefitting from comfortable budgets who no longer want to invest in markets posting prices deemed as extravagant,” explains Patrick Thevenet, who has just sold a sumptuous chalet priced at 2,700,000 €. “An equivalent property in Megève would have been offered at 9-10 million euros.” Outside the luxury sector, all properties in La Clusaz usually sell at the prices posted and rapidly, due to their scarcity in the face of steady demand from a mainly French clientele. “With renovation on the cards, apartments cost from 5,000 to 6,500 € per sq. metre. In perfect condition, in recent residences, prices range from 7,000 to 8,000 € per sqm.” What about new ones ? Attaining as much as 11,500 € per sqm, these developments sometimes struggle to find takers.

Based in the village of Thônes since 2007, the Luxalpes agency opened by François-Xavier Loyer specializes in properties between the lakes and mountains. An expert on the markets of Le Grand-Bornand, Manigot, Thônes and Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, he has noticed that more and more buyers are drawn by Les Aravis as the site of their permanent home. “A considerable number of sales in 2014 were completed by people working in Geneva and Annecy. They no longer hesitate to drive on a daily basis (20 mins. in the case of Annecy, 45 mins. for Geneva) in order to enjoy a quiet life-style in the country, in a warm traditional chalet,” says our specialist. This new phenomenon is confirmed in Saint-Jean-de-Sixt where the rarity of properties available for sale underpins prices. In this friendly resort, a baulkwood chalet with 3 or 4 bedrooms costs from 400,000 €, a 2-bedroomed apartment of sound quality from 270,000 €. In Thônes, where population growth is among the highest in France, young families appreciate the liveliness of its social, cultural and commercial life all year round. Chalets here can be found from 350,000 €, 3-bedroomed apartments in good condition from 300,000 €. “In Thônes, prices are holding steady, although, with buyers rarer than before, bargaining is becoming a little tougher,” notes François-Xavier Loyer.

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