Located between Le Vuache and Le Mont-Salève, this resort rises to an altitude of 460 metres above sea level, covers about 3,750 acres of land and is home to over 11,000 people. Its main asset lies in the immediate vicinity of the business hub of Switzerland. A geographical feature to which the sub-prefecture of Haute-Savoie owes its steady population growth and flourishing real-estate market.

Annecy is 35 km from Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, Thonon-les-Bains 47 km, Chambery 82 km, and Chamonix 90 km. Annemasse and Geneva are respectively only 15 and 10 km away. The train serves the town, which is also connected to Geneva by coach. There are 150 businesses, shops and services. The industrial zone Les Marais employs 200 people versus 57 who work in the Sous le Puy activity zone, 35 in the ZAC Viaduc and 90 in Les Vieux Moulins. Every Friday morning, the market is in full swing. On weekends, Le Macumba, one of Europe's biggest leisure sites with six clubs and four restaurants, scores record attendance levels. The casino and very recent Vitam'Parc also provide entertainment. Composed of little hamlets, the community above all hosts the famous “frontaliers” who work in Switzerland and live across the border in France.
“80 % of buyers, French, Portuguese or English, indeed work in Geneva, in large companies or at the airport, very easily reached from Saint-Julien,” confirm Solange Perrin-Confort Depollier and Sandrine Colombel of Perrin-Confort Immobilier (an agency boasting eight years of experience in the region). These clients are prepared to pay 160,000-180,000 € for a 1-bedroom apartment, 230,000-260,000 € for 2 bedrooms and 260,000-380,000 € for 3 bedrooms, while fans of houses pay from 350,000 to 1 million euros and beyond. There is a severe shortage of offerings in all segments and housing types combined. Boosted by exceptionally low interest rates, demand comes up against sellers determined to wait for better days before parting with their strongholds. “It’s not a very smart calculation, especially as competition between French towns in the Genevois region does not systematically place Saint-Julien at the top of the list,” warn our experts. Collonges-sous-Salève, Archamps and Bossey enjoy sublime views of Geneva and the Jura, while Viry and Valleiry, slightly further out, propose affordable prices. Recently, an apartment of 100 m2 in need of a lick of paint, well-situated but rather noisy, found a buyer at 250,000 €. The same property, in perfect condition and without any noise, could have sold for 320,000 €, even more if it had been in a select area. Fully renovated, a village house of 120 m2 with a garden changes hands at around 435,000 €. An old building of 160 m2, superbly maintained and set in wooded grounds of 1,200 m2, can justifiably command 500,000 €. Currently, 1.5 million euros are being asked for a property of 375 m2, tastefully restored, with 125 m2 of annexes, in grounds of 3,000 m2 enjoying a 360° view of the mountains. The segment composed of villas is so diverse that it is difficult to set any rules for pricing. They really have to be assessed case by case. “Without any major defects and in satisfactory condition, a good apartment in Saint-Julien, Collonges, Archamps or Bossey costs around 4,000 €/m2. With a minimum of comfort, a house of 150 m2 in grounds of 1,000 m2 starts at 500,000 €,” notes, however, Jean-Jacques Frarin of the Immobilac agency. Most transactions revolve around 300,000 € for apartments and range from 500,000 to 600,000 € for houses. The market is doing well and prices remain steady. They have in fact reached the level observed of those in the Pays de Gex, which were historically higher. In Le Genevois, a property is judged by its proximity to the economic powerhouse and not just in terms of value for money. Unlike Annemasse and Thonon, two addresses that could become autonomous, Saint-Julien remains entirely oriented toward the Swiss city.