Chamonix : a tourist town
Radia Amar - 20 December 2019
Dotted with towns and villages, the valley of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc shares frontiers with Switzerland and Italy, while Chamonix itself combines the attractiveness of a renowned ski resort with the infrastructures of a town active all year round.
Reached by train and the motorway, Chamonix is just 1 hour from Geneva Airport. With easy access, it joins Les Houches, Servoz and Vallorcine to form a valley composed of Alpine meadows, forests, rushing streams and an urban centre. Facing Mont-Blanc, the centre of the commune rises to an altitude of 1035 m. About 9,500 people live here year-round. In winter, the population rises to 60,000 with fans invading the three ski domains of Les Grands Montets, Brévent/Flégère and Balme.
Offering a selection of properties ranging from studios to comfortable chalets and building plots, the AIM agency has assisted buyers in the Chamonix region for over 60 years. “The market for the centre of Chamonix is very buoyant, posting steadily rising sales volumes and short completion periods,” says manageress Brigitte Comte. “Small properties are highly sought-after in the town centre, at an average price of around 200,000 €. They serve as both holiday homes and accommodation for people working in local shops and businesses. The entire area sees steady demand, not just the centre, but also the localities of Les Praz de Chamonix, Les Houches and Argentière. Overall, the market in Chamonix and its surrounding area remains very stable.”
Specializing in sales, rental management and the sale of business assets within a radius of 25 km around Chamonix, Century 21 Chevallier Immobilier, just opposite the Post Office, also handles seasonal rentals that are in strong demand. “Some of our clients reserve properties for the entire winter season, even if they do not occupy them full time,” says agency manager Philippe Chevallier. “The 160 lots in our portfolio are available by the week or year-round, depending on our clients’ requirements.” Most demand focuses on the heart of the town of Chamonix and its upper southern slopes ; strictly speaking, this is not just a resort, but a real international tourist town of wide renown, active all year round. The valley suffers from a scarcity of available properties with the number of new developments reduced to about 30 available lots. Old properties rarely come up for sale, and if they do, they do not stay long on the market, leading to rising prices . “By way of example, we have just sold a property of 52 m2 for 390,000 €, facing south, on an upper floor in a 1970’s residence on the main avenue in Chamonix. We are also offering a 1-bedroom apartment of 33 m2 with a south-facing balcony in the hyper-centre, priced at 300,000 €.” As the valley is narrow, the southern slopes enjoying the sunniest outlook are the most sought-after : localities called Les Moussoux, Les Pècles, Le Brévent, Les Nants, Les Praz and Les Tines, where prices start from 8,000 € per sq.m. “Despite rising prices and rare availabilities, the number of sales has risen by 10 % over the past year, resulting in lower stocks and, therefore, a lower level of appeal for the region.” On the market for new developments, the agency recently sold a property in the residence La Cordée, in the plain of Les Praz : a 2-bedroomed apartment of 85 m2 with a garage, priced at 745,000 €. It should be said that garages are very highly-prized assets in this area, finding takers at 25,000 € on average.