The “Avant-pays Savoyard”, a smooth landing

Covering 513 km2, this rural area lies at the far west of the “département” at altitudes ranging from 210 and 1933 metres. Aiguebelette, the third largest natural lake in France, is right in the centre. Fans of the countryside in search of prices that are still affordable can find what they’re looking for here.

This lengthwise area serving as a meeting-point for Le Bugey, Le Dauphiné and La Savoie lies between the River Guiers, the mountain chain of L’Épine and La Chartreuse. The landscape consists in turn of plains and vineyards, forests and mountains. Industry accounts for 45 % of employment in the private sector, though agriculture and commerce are also pursued on an active basis. Those fond of “eco-tourism”, cycling, hiking and water sports are very well catered for.

“Before the fall of 2008 and the announcement of the financial crisis, the Avant-pays Savoyard posted prices well below those in effect in Chambéry, Aix-les-Bains, Annecy, Lyon and the French Genevois. It was precisely to this lag that the region owed its salvation at the height of the storm,” explains Catherine Bernardy of Actions Services Immobiliers. Here, you won’t find excessive promotion, tax exemption schemes or speculative booms. The region can congratulate itself on a smooth landing. In Savoy, there is a distinction to be drawn between the mountains and the plains, large towns and the countryside. North of Novalaise, the Pays de Chartreuse, Les Echelles and Les Entremonts form a region with a tourist vocation, classified as a nature park and largely focused on the timber industry. The south, with its wine producing activity, is more turned towards Le Chat, Le Bourget and the basin around Aix. More urban, Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers and Les Pont-de-Beauvoisin offer all the amenities necessary for everyday family life. Local authorities are working on developing these two areas, while taking care to preserve the rural environment. The ten entities forming the community of communes of Lake Aiguebelette show a population increase of 27.24 % between 1999 and 2010, rising from 4,165 to 5,249 inhabitants. Chambéry, 12 minutes away in off-peak periods, and Aix-les-Bains, 15 minutes away, are good providers of housing solutions. “Building plots of 800 to 1,200 m2 cost 95,000 €,” comments Catherine Bernardy, who has just left Nances for Novalaise. If their condition, diagnosis techniques and energy performance levels leave something to be desired, houses sell for around 1,500-1,600 €/m2. A price that can rise to 1,800-2,600 €/m2 depending on the age of the property, provided that it offers quality appointments. Some homes - 180-200 m2 in perfect condition in grounds of 2,000-3,000 m2 - can attain 400,000 €. Some of the buyers, often transferred from large cities, work in Annecy, Lyon or Geneva, respectively 40 minutes and 1 hour away by car.

“Even during the crisis, demand remained steady. Currently, buyers with budgets of 280,000 to 320,000 € are interested in houses of 120 m2 with gardens of at least 800 m2, ie. more space both inside and outside than that obtained with the same budget in Chambery,” says Olivier Guetaz of Novalaise Immobilier. The few owners of second homes from Lyon, fans of old stone, share the market with people working in urban areas in Savoy, drawn by the peaceful and luxuriant setting. When correctly estimated, recent or modernized houses sell without any difficulty. With its shops, amenities and numerous public and private schools up to intermediate level, Novalaise is the flagship town. The popularity of other towns then depends on their proximity to the motorway. Ayn, Gerbaix, Saint-Alban-de-Montbel and Lépin-le-Lac, which has a train station, continue to meet with great success.

“The Avant-pays Savoyard benefits from good transport services, especially those offered by rail,” adds Armanda Costa of the Sun City Street agency. The average transaction is around 250,000 €. Recently, a couple working in Chambéry paid 245,000 € for a house of 105 m2 with a garden of 600 m2. The same house would have cost 315,000 € in the Prefecture of département 73. The dynamism of real-estate activity here is thus explained by the gap between the two addresses, especially as prices in the former political capital of the Counts of Savoy fell during the crisis. This very appealing and countrified fall-back market can thus look forward to a bright future.