Small skiing resorts in Savoy

Less well-known than the very cosmopolitan Courchevel, Méribel or La Plagne, Pralognan-la-Vanoise, Crest-Voland, Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe and La Rosière place their bets on their closeness to nature and family get-togethers.

The valley of Pralognan lies below the glaciers of La Vanoise, the largest ice-cap in Europe. 30 peaks attain altitudes of over 3,000 metres. Water is everywhere, in the form of torrents, waterfalls and lakes. Created in 1963, the National Park protects fauna and flora. Ideal for trekking, Alpine and Nordic skiing, this domain at the foot of La Grande Casse is an ode to nature. Its proximity to the glaciers garantees excellent snow cover. Fans of cross-country skiing head for the 26 km of signposted trails while the skating rink, spa, hiking and snowshoe paths offer alternatives to non-skiers. In contrast to resorts which were built during the boom in the leisure market, Pralognan has remained an authentic village. The family village of Crest-Voland is laid out right at the foot of the ski-runs. Both beginners and more experienced skiers treat themselves to fun and thrills amidst the fir-trees. They can opt for the Espace Diamant or set off for Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, Les Saisies, Flumet or Praz-sur-Arly. In Le Val d’Arly, between Mont-Blanc, Le Beaufortain and Les Aravis, Notre-Dame-de-Belle­combe installed a “cable sled” in 1937, becoming with Megève one of the very first skiing resorts. At an altitude of 1,850 metres, La Rosière opens out to the San Bernardo domain, 150 km of slopes and almost 40 ski-lifts, straddling the border between France and Italy : unfurling a scenic view of the valley of La Tarentaise, it faces due south and enjoys glorious sunshine.

“In October, 2010, Pralognan-la-Vanoise was awarded the Alpine Pearls label, a distinction marking its commitment to preserve the environment and protect the natural setting,” says Valérie Masson of l’@gence.com, also based in Champagny, linked to La Plagne, and Bozel, not far from Les Trois Vallées. In both winter and summer, mountain-lovers head for the resort well-known for its vast leisure area and picture-postcard scenery. The agency is currently marketing a chalet called “L’Etoile des Glaces”, built of stone and wood, and consisting of 20 apartments with two to four main rooms, balconies, ski-lockers and cellars, priced from 5,000 to 5,500 € per sq. metre (as compared with older apartments ranging from 4,000 to 4,800 € depending on their location and appointments). The resid­ences are all intimate and blend perfectly into their surroundings. The buyers, mostly French, with a few Belgians and English, are clearly less decided than in the winter of 2011. They usually pay cash for holiday apartments priced between 100,000 and 250,000 €. The idea of a long-term investment is frequently associated with that of their own personal enjoyment. Seasonal rentals enable them to cover their running costs.

“Two comparable areas, Crest-Voland and Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe are small, typically Savoyard villages with a junior school and shops open year-round. Peaceful cocoons where people like to get together in all four seasons,” says Mélissa Socquet of the Sogimalp agency. Her clients come from various French regions, though people from Lyon particularly appreciate the resort being close at hand (less than a 2-hour drive). Traditionally, Belgians have had a pied-à-terre in Crest-Voland, handed down from one generation to the next. Today’s buyers include 40 year-olds with children who are fond of the village, and retirees looking forward to family reunions. There is, however, a real gap between demand and supply. Most clients are looking for large surface areas, apartments with two or three bedrooms or “ski-in, ski-out” chalets. But the majority of the available accommodation, built in the 1980 ’s and 1990’s, is comprised of small units. Consequently, cabin studios are hard to sell, and potential buyers can’t always find what they want, especially as turnover is relatively low. Prices range from 3,000 to 4,500 € per sq. metre with spikes up to 6,000 €. Mélissa Socquet recently handled the sale of a 2-bedroomed corner apartment of 53 m2 facing south-west towards Les Aravis, in perfect condition, at the edge of the slopes, with a double cellar, ski-locker and garage in the basement, priced at 400,000 €, and two terraced chalets of 100 m2 with private gardens of 650 m2, just 2 km from Notre-Dame, at 479,000 € each.

“Sunshine, good snow cover and the location on the Franco-Italian border are the main arguments put forward by La Rosière,” explains Lorraine Folliet of Adélie Immobilier. Winner of the “Famille Plus” label and offering traditional architecture, this resort prizes its village atmosphere. This year, it is preparing to launch a new chair-lift and there is talk of a possible ext­ension of the domain on the French side.” The well-heeled clients, again French and Belgian, are looking for apartments of at least 50 m2, with at least two bedrooms and a high level of comfort. Among her most recent transactions, Lorraine Folliet describes a “ski-in, ski-out” apartment of 62 m2 + 14 m2 of converted space, in a 4-star tourist residence with a swimming pool, spa and gym, priced at 340,000 €. A central top-floor apartment of 60 m2 (three bedrooms), facing due south, changed hands for 350,000 €, while another example of 80 m2, also in the centre, found a taker at 390,000 €. Finally, a 2-bedroomed apartment of 48 m2 in a recently-built chalet sold for 269,000 €. While the agency’s sales volume remains steady, the number of enquiries has dropped. Perfectly aware of their capabilities and the state of the market, potential buyers lay out their project in very precise terms, and are no longer willing to pay over the odds for their holiday homes.