A rural landscape traversed by a very lovely bank of Lake Geneva, villages with lots of character gathered around Douvaine, a service-based economy... All just a stone’s throw from the Canton of Geneva. Thus presented, the portrait of the “Bas-Chablais” explains enthusiasm on the part of buyers.

After signing the draft charter for a Franco-Vaud-Geneva agglomeration in December 2007, this region has continued to work on its development ever since. Douvaine, whose population rose from 3,920 in 1999 to 4,500 in 2006, has naturally assumed the role as capital. A real crossroads for routes towards Geneva, Thonon and Annemasse, this commune just 6 km from the Swiss canton is crossed by more than 20,000 vehicles per day. Fans of winter sports also take this road to reach Avoriaz, Morzine, Châtel and Les Gets. Quite comparable in terms of size, Sciez lies south of the lake in the Golfe de Coudrée. Consisting of a town and several hamlets, it proudly bears the “Station Verte” and “Pavillon Bleu” labels. Veigy with 3,000 residents is not very far either from the water. Excenevex boasts the only sandy beach. Yvoire recalls both the medieval town and the fishermen's village of the 14th century, while Nernier offers typical houses covered with vines.

“The Chablais/Lake Geneva area is following the national trend : prices have become more reasonable, closer to those seen in 2005, and exceptionally low mortgage rates, around 3.05 % over 10 years and 3.6 % over 20 years, are enciting buyers to take the plunge,” says Sebastien Poirier of Poirier Immobilier. “Then, one can’t fail to notice the region’s special features, such as its proximity to Switzerland, the appeal of the lake which draws wealthy Arab and Russian clients and, in parallel, the existence of small pieds-à-terre that suit French buyers in search of holiday homes. The Swiss and those straddling the frontier take advantage of an exchange rate of 1.36 to buy properties here, especially as just over the border, the market is both saturated and expensive. They usually invest from 300,000 € - the price of a semi-detached house or an apartment of 80 to 110 m2 - to 500,000 € - the budget required for a house of 130-150 m2 in grounds of 1,000 to 1,200 m2. Nationals of countries in Eastern Europe or the Middle East pay 600,000 to 1.5 million euros for a villa. They prefer the shores of the lake and willingly fork out 1.2 million euros or more to obtain direct access to Lake Geneva. This estate-agent, whose motto is “competence, ethics, pragmatism”, gives the example of a house of 160 m2 in need of refurbishment in grounds of 1,200 m2, which recently sold for 1.4 million euros. Last year, a Middle Eastern client lavished 13 million euros on a magnificent property at the water’s edge. This particular clientele accounts for only 5 % of the buyers but 15 % of total turnover.

Less well-heeled and hardly more numerous, the French, with a majority of Parisians, spend around 200,000 € on holiday homes. They often insist on a view of Lake Geneva, but make concessions in terms of living space. One such client has just paid 195,000 € for a modest home of 52 m2 with a garage at Messery. Veigy, very close to the border, and Chens-le-Pont, on the lake yet near the customs, are the most highly-prized communes. If it has much less charm than the second of the two, Douvaine has benefitted from considerable development and offers all the shops and amenities required for everyday life. Messery, Nernier, Yvoire and Excenevex then bear comparison, the first enjoying a slight head-start. As a plot of at least 1,500 m2 is required to obtain a building permit, a rule in effect in much of the region, one can be sure of enjoying tranquil surroundings which are not too built-up. Finally, Sciez, Anthy and Perrignier propose attractive prices, 15 % below those of Douvaine which is, however, only a 10-minute drive away. Among his recent sales, Philippe Soulié of the Groupe International Immobilier - four agencies in France, one in Switzerland - describes a villa of 220 m2 on the gated and guarded estate of Coudrée in grounds of 1,800 m2 with pool, acquired by a “frontalier” for 1,250,000 € ; and a house at the water’s edge priced at 3 million euros, with living space of 350 m2, grounds of 4,000 m2, bought by an East European client ready to invest a further 1 million euros in renovation. Demand usually falls, however, into the 350,000-450,000 € bracket, a range with a shortage of quality products. “If we look at figures recorded in the Douvaine agency, 90 % of buyers are employed on Swiss soil,” notes the president of the AMEPI. The lack of building land and the principle of quotas are the best arguments advanced by the Bas-Chablais. Not forgetting the price differences between the two countries. Recently, a buyer paid a million Swiss francs, ie. 700,000 €, for a semi-detached house at Vésenaz. The same home on the French side of the border - in the notorious “Magic Bean”, as Philippe Soulié calls it - does not exceed 400,000 €. Beyond 450,000 €, local buyers throw in the towel. However, the top end of the market seems to have no limit. Currently, a price-tag of 17 million euros dangles from a property of 1,400 m2 with indoor pool, hammam and sauna, in a park of over 5,000 m2 at the edge of Lake Geneva on the commune of Chens-le-Pont, the favourite address among buyers from the Middle East.