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Alpine Property Market Report November 2023

As I always do, I have reread the summer update to see how things have changed. Back in the spring of this year, we definitely felt there might be a “wobble” in the property market. Winter 2022/23 started off with the energy crisis, thanks to the war in Ukraine. Then we had the further issue of a lack of mortgages due to quickly rising interest rates (remember Kwasi’s kamikaze budget?). This was then followed up with very little snow at Christmas. Altogether, it felt a bit like a perfect storm.

In January, the snow came, and we had a long period of cold, stable weather. The energy issues stabilised and mortgages reappeared slowly. There was indeed a stutter, but it did not last long. Summer started, and it was mostly a scorcher. Thanks to the efforts of our local Tourist Office’s we had lots of big-name events. So often the fortunes of the property market here are tied to the weather, much like the fortunes of the holiday industry in general. Sometimes I think this is what it must feel like to be a farmer.

The summer was busy again, but still with two underlying issues: the difficulty of obtaining a mortgage and a general lack of available properties. I have looked at our numbers for the last few months. The number of people looking was slightly higher in the “Covid years” of 20/21, today’s numbers are up from last year (2022), and up from the pre-COVID year of 2019. HOWEVER, the number of properties available is down compared to all those years, so there is pressure that is keeping the prices up. The number of sales is down compared to these last few years due to a lack of “stock.” If you are selling, don’t be tempted to overprice your property, because if you do, it will linger on the market. And if you are looking, secure financing first if you need it, and don’t be surprised if you have to offer at the asking price.

Political pressures are building in our ski areas due to two issues. One is environmental. Continual growth just feels wrong when we are trying to preserve our planet for future generations, and the other is available and affordable housing for residents. People see the new developments going up in the center of our towns and rail against the local council to do something about it. Unfortunately, local councils are mostly overruled by national planning guidelines. Change is slow, but it is happening.

You may have heard talk of higher taxation on second homes. This is part of the slow change mentioned above. Despite what some UK papers will tell you, this is not something aimed at the British. It’s a blanket change that affects everyone. Second homes and vacant premises will be subject to higher taxes, and the money raised will help build affordable housing. All in all, a good thing in our book.

Other changes that are slowly having an effect are our energy performance certificates (DPEs). They have been around for more than 15 years now, and their importance is starting to have an impact. Eventually, the French government is aiming to have all dwellings as a D or better. From this year, properties with an F or G certificate are considered a “fail” and further costly surveys are required before a property can be advertised for sale. This is to educate a buyer about the work required to improve the energy efficiency of the property. Properties in this failed category are known as “passoires thermiques” or thermal sieves. If they are rated G, then they can’t be let out long-term from 2025; this regulation will eventually affect E and F properties as well.

Seasons seem to be extending, this is another slow change, but bit by bit, the local amenities are staying open a touch longer. Not that many years ago, the summer season was very much limited to July and August, but in areas like the Portes du Soleil it now feels more like June through September. Chamonix has always had longer seasons, nowadays there is almost no down time.. Add to this that more people are enjoying our mountains “out of season,” such as in Spring and Autumn, something the people that live here have always appreciated. We’ve just had family to stay during the November holidays, and there has been plenty to do during some pretty inclement weather. Mountain walks between the rain, the ice rink, and swimming pool have been open, and the new “luge d’été” in Les Gets too. Beyond that, a showstopper of a trip up the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix was a real hit and should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Chalune from Foron, November 2023
Chalune from Foron, November 2023

Questions and answers September 2023

We took part in a Webinar hosted by Lumon (currency specialists), we answered 22 questions about buying a property in the French Alps, these questions had been put forward by our audience.

The panel members were:

Gareth Jefferies – French Property Expert at Alpine Property
Fiona Watts – Finance specialist at IPF
Dennelle Taylor Nizoux – Visa specialist at Renestance
Jonathan Watson – Currency Specialist at LUMON

The full video is available on the video posted below. However you can jump to a relevant question by clicking on the time-stamps below.

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 07:29 Looking for a property at altitude, do you have any advice?
  • 10:13 How easy is it to obtain a mortgage in France when self-employed?
  • 11:59 How do I obtain a long term visa for France, without becoming tax resident?
  • 15:08 What costs are added to the purchase price when buying in France?
  • 16:20 Why should I use a currency broker over the high street banks?
  • 19:19 Does a residency permit allow access to the EU schengen area over the current 90 and 180-day restrictions?
  • 20:34 Can UK Nationals obtain French mortgages?
  • 21:11 Can the French government help subsidise making your home more efficient?
  • 24:31 Does buying a French property through a company change the financing arrangements?
  • 26:21 Does France have a digital nomad visa?
  • 28:16 Do I need to engage an architect for a barn renovation in France?
  • 30:32 Can I get insurance that covers natural disasters when buying a property in the alps?
  • 33:47 How is affordability for a mortgage calculated in France? How much deposit will I need?
  • 36:42 How does a currency broker know the best time for clients to transfer their money?
  • 40:06 When Fiona says finance costs should not be more than ⅓ of income, is this before or after tax?
  • 41:02 Can you tell us where the new “up and coming” place is to invest in the Alps?
  • 43:04 It is being reported in the UK that France is going to tax British second home owners. Can you tell us about this please?
  • 46:05 If I have an Irish passport, can my husband and children (who do not) stay longer than 3 months?
  • 47:21 Do purchase chains exist in France?
  • 52:15 Can you give us an overview of the taxes involved when buying an investment property?
  • 54:57 What is your view about global warming and less snow in the winter?
  • 58:42 Do I need a visa if I am joining my family in France?

Tax on second homes in France

The government in France is trying to rebalance the housing situation in favour of primary residences and renters. This is raising many questions. The press in the UK is often reporting this as a tax on British second home owners, however these taxes concern everyone, the French included.

Briefly

  • Taxe d’Habitation has been abolished for primary homes, taxe d’habitation is payable only on furnished properties that are not primary homes, this mainly concerns second homes that are not rented out.
  • Owners of furnished rentals should declare the rental income in France (wherever they live), this means they may well be registered as a small business. In this case cotisation foncière des entreprises (CFE) is payable and the owner is exonerated from Taxe d’Habitation.
  • If a property is rented out AND used occasionally by the owner, then both Taxe d’Habitation and CFE is payable
  • All properties are liable for Taxe Fonciere (land tax), these are broadly related to the rental value of the property.
  • Unfurnished, vacant properties are covered by Taxes sur les logements vacants (TLV), this is payable on vacant unfurnished properties. This does not concern many properties in the French Alps!

Communes in certain areas of housing stress (all the communes we cover in the Haute Savoie) can increase the tax d’habitation on second homes from between 5 and 60%, I have already seen that some of the communes around here have made their announcements.

Cluses have increased theirs by 30%

https://www.ledauphine.com/politique/2023/09/29/cluses-la-taxe-d-habitation-sur-les-residences-secondaires-sera-majoree-de-30

The money raised should go to providing low cost housing for residents.

More information on the TLV here

https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F17293?lang=en

Taxe fonciere is increasing too, this affects everyone, French, foreign, main homes, second homes. I have listed some of our local villages here, you can find yours in this article

https://c.ledauphine.com/economie/2023/09/06/taxe-fonciere-ou-sont-les-plus-grosses-hausses-de-votre-departement-et-en-france

Chatel 33%
Grand Bornand 32%
Chamonix 28%
Les Gets 25%
Morzine 26%
Montriond 19%
St Jean d’Aulps 24%


What do you need to know about Les Gets?

Altitude 1150m
Population 1200
Distance to Geneva airport: 1h10
Nearest Train: Cluses (30min)
Skiing: Portes du Soleil – 600km !

All the properties we have for sale in Les Gets https://alpine-property.com/lesgets

Our online valuation tool for Les Gets https://alpine-property.com/les-gets/valuation

Les Gets gets its name from an old French word that describes the channels cut through the forests. These are used to drag the wood down the mountain after it has been cut. But like so many alpine towns the people don’t survive on agriculture now. However they do still make their living off the natural resources of the land. Namely skiing, mountain biking and the wonderful views.

Les Gets is the quintessential alpine village, made up of lots of individual chalets nestled amongst the trees and pistes. When we are asked by photographers where to go for the classic shots of skiers passing by snow covered chalets we send them to Les Gets. The Chavannes side of the village has everything they need.

The altitude of Les Gets is slightly greater than its neighbour Morzine which means that options for skiing back to the village are more varied. This makes the village feel slightly snowier too.

The skiing in Les Gets is shared with Morzine which in turn is connected to Avoriaz and the rest of the Portes du Soleil. This gives access to over 12 connected ski areas and 600 km of skiing, one of the largest ski areas in the world. In the winter apart from the downhill skiing there is even a fair amount of free cross-country skiing, and if this is not enough there are even more cross country ski options 20 minutes away in Praz des Lys.

Our showcase video of Les Gets

As is the case with most of the areas that Alpine Property covers, it’s not just about the winter. Les Gets has a very active summer season. The Tour de France passes through the village frequently and amongst the mountain biking community it is well known for the various World Cup and World Championship events held in the village. In the summer there is a family focus around the swimming at the lac des ecoles. On the other side of the valley the ski lifts stay open on Mont Chery giving some of the best views of Mont Blanc in the Haute Savoie.

Getting there

Like much of the Haute Savoie, access has been another key to the success of Les Gets. The motorway and railway station are only 30 minutes away in Cluses and and Geneva airport just over 1 hr by road.

In conclusion Les Gets beckons adventure enthusiasts and nature lovers alike with its captivating beauty and diverse range of activities throughout the year. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie looking to conquer the slopes or a nature enthusiast seeking tranquillity amidst stunning alpine landscapes, Les Gets offers an idyllic escape. Embrace the thrill of winter sports or immerse yourself in the charm of summer activities – Les Gets is a destination that promises unforgettable experiences in every season.

Associations and sport

Buy your winter or summer ski pass online https://pass.lesgets.com/en/

Les Gets Ski Club (Les Gets Ski Competition) https://www.facebook.com/lesgetsskicompetition/?locale=fr_FR

Office de Tourisme des Gets https://www.lesgets.com/

18 hole Golf course, open June until October https://www.lesgets.golf/

Important Annual Events and Festivals:

International wood cutting competition (Les Cognées), this has to been seen to be believed. Beginning of June https://www.lesgets.com/temps_fort/les-cognees/

Pass’Portes du Soleil, last weekend of June https://en.passportesdusoleil.com/

Les Gets 4×4 Trials first weekend of August https://www.lesgets.com/en/agenda/trial-4×4-210605-En/

Rallye du Mont Blanc, last weekend of August / beginning of September http://www.rallye-mont-blanc-morzine.com/

Summer 2023

16th July 2023 – Start of the 15th stage of the Tour de France https://www.lesgets.com/en/temps_fort/tour-de-france/

7th to 17th of September 2023 – UCI Mountain Bike World Cup https://www.lesgets.com/en/agenda/uci-mountain-bike-world-cup-6490455-En/

Weekly Market

Every Thursday between 8 and 12 at the Place du Marché

Below are some recent phone snaps of Les Gets ↓

Powder day behind Mont Chery
The Chavannes pistes in Les Gets
Les Gets village taken from Chavannes
Autumn in Les Gets

Alpine Property Market Report June 2023

The pandemic has clearly caused an unprecedented surge in demand for second homes in many parts of the world. At Alpine Property, we have seen this influx of buyers manifest itself in the primary home market as well, as people seek to leave the suburbs and move to the mountains to take advantage of remote working opportunities. We have also observed a gradual deflation of this market, however, raising the question of whether the bubble has burst, or just decreased slightly. Nevertheless, the market is still strong and the demand for holiday homes remains high.

The French property market has been booming for two years, making it increasingly difficult to find a new home that meets any size of budget. This has been a factor in the recent slowdown of the market. Moreover, heightened interest rates set by the government have led to a lack of profitability for banks offering mortgages, making them difficult and often impossible for individuals to acquire. This was especially true during the Winter of 2022-2023, when mortgages were virtually unavailable.

As of mid-June, there are signs of the mortgage situation beginning to improve in France. However, it remains a bumpy road, especially in the UK where the interest rate hikes are making it difficult for buyers to secure financing for their UK homes. The biggest problem remains the lack of properties coming onto the market. Cash buyers, who are unaffected by the mortgage situation, are facing stiff competition for each new listing and our advice is to make an offer at the asking price to secure the property they are interested in. Thankfully, the trend of price inflation appears to have subsided, this means the properties that are significantly overpriced will be slow to sell.

It is often a question that our agents are asked – what is the internet access like in the area? For those looking to change their pace of life and seek out a better work-life balance, this question is incredibly important. Opting to work from home has become increasingly common, and access to reliable internet is key for many professions. Luckily, our villages are in the process of being connected to fibre, and for those that are still waiting we have Starlink, Elon Musk’s revolutionary satellite internet service. More and more we are using our bikes for transport, not just for pleasure. It would be beneficial to have improved cycle infrastructure to make the everyday tasks of daily life easier to do without a car – something that Alpine Property strongly advocates for!

We are not new-build specialists here at Alpine Property; we do have some new-build properties for sale on our website, but we generally concentrate on resale properties, renovation projects, etc. As everyone can see, there have been a lot of new apartment developments built in our villages in recent years, and they’ll continue to pop up all across our valley in the coming years. This was mainly down to central government encouraging more house building. Quite often we hear people blaming the local councils, the town halls, the mayors for this change, which is often perceived as the overdevelopment of our authentic mountain villages. It’s important to understand however, that there’s not a lot that our elected officials can do about this situation. In the last year we’ve seen the local planning rules tighten, so there should be fewer building sites in the coming years.

Despite all of these considerations – supply, demand, interest rates, internet speeds – the general situation in the local property market remains the same. People of many different nationalities still want to spend more time than the average holiday affords them in the mountains and when they play the long game, they usually win. Recently I’ve started to notice a few other considerations for buyers however; let’s talk about the weather. To the joy of many, we have four distinct seasons in the alps, punctuating our progress through the year, yet winter is still the main attraction. Earlier this year it looked like the ski season might have been an issue, with record festive season temperatures across Europe resulting in a shortage of snow. It was OK in the end. I’d noticed that in last few years, the season seemed to finish slightly earlier than usual. Not this year however; in the end the skiing higher up carried on until the final days of winter.

Rather than focus on snow depths however, I’d suggest future mountain property owners consider a year-round view on how they’ll use their home. We have three massive cycling events taking place in our region this summer; the Etape du Tour and Le Tour de France in July, both of which will bring in tens of thousands of road cyclists with images beamed across the world. UCI Mountain Bike World Series Festival takes place across Morzine, Les Gets and Chatel at the beginning of September, which will attract as many fat-tyre enthusiasts. It’s my view that these global events will continue to promote our region to future property buyers, picking up any slack that comes from a less-snowier-than-average winter season, and therefore not seeing an end to demand for property in the Alps for years to come.

What will the snow be like at Christmas?

That is usually how the question is phrased. Otherwise, we could pick from the following

  • Will there be snow if I go skiing at Christmas?
  • Will there definitely be lifts open at Christmas?

To stop the question appearing silly, you have to look at the context. The person asking it is thinking about committing a lot of money, time and emotional capital to booking a holiday. So when you consider the context the question does not appear quite so nuts.

The answer is “Who knows?”, it’s like asking if a property will increase in value. The only thing we can do is look at history and make an educated guess.

So will there be snow at Christmas?

I don’t know….but….generally yes. More or less, it can be hit and miss but…in the 23 Christmases I have been in the French Alps, I’d say that there has always been some skiing available on some days over the Christmas week. Usually skiing is available on every day of the week, and sometimes the skiing is excellent.

Does it matter?

For some people it does. And I’d say that if it is the most important part of your “ski” holiday then booking for later in January or February is a better bet. If that is not possible consider one of the high altitude ski areas like Avoriaz, Flaine, Val d’Isere etc. But beware, booking one of these resorts will only maximise your chances. It won’t guarantee anything!

For others it won’t matter. It’s a holiday whatever happens. There will always be winter walks, sledging, too much to eat and if it is lashing down with rain outside, board games and books. Many of the people who visit every year are content with one or two days skiing.

When do the ski areas open?

Most ski areas fix a date, often a Saturday in mid-December, so that might be one or two weekends before Christmas. And if there is sufficient snow they will open for weekends earlier on. Tignes will try and open earlier in November and it rarely fails. This year (2022) has been the warmest on record and Tignes have had to delay the opening by one week. Avoriaz is opening “early” on the weekend (3-Dec).

I have pictures from each of the last 10 years.

The following image from December 2022 ↓

2-Dec-2022 – Skiing up towards the Mossettes

This image ↓ is from mid December 2021. An excellent year to ski at Christmas.

12-Dec-2021, Val d’Abondance

December 2020 ↓

1-Dec-2020 – Skiing on the Pleney above Morzine

December 2019 ↓

10-Dec-2019 – Les Lindarets a few days before the lifts open

Mid December 2018 ↓ and then the 30th December ↓↓ 2 weeks made quite a difference. There was skiing at Christmas but it was quite hard and icy.

11-Dec-2018 At the summit of Mt Chery in Les Gets
30-Dec-2018 – St Jean d’Aulps, winter walks were better than the skiing.

Early December 2017 ↓

2-Dec-2017 – Cross Country skiing at Praz des Lys / Sommand

18th December 2016 ↓ There was skiing at Christmas, but it was for the committed.

18-Dec-2016 – World Cup Cross Country Skiing at La Clusaz

19th December 2015 ↓ There was skiing at Christmas, but it was like 2016.

19-Dec-2015 – 1440m on the Plateau des Glières near Annecy

26th December 2014 ↓ This is looking down on Les Gets, there was skiing above Chavannes, but for anything more you’d need to drive for 30 min to one of the access points for Avoriaz.

26-Dec-2014 – Les Gets, skiing at Chavannes and above.

29th December 2013 ↓ Plenty of snow. This picture is taken not far from Morzine – technically in Samoëns.

29-Dec-2013 – Chardonnière – Samoëns

6th December 2012 ↓ and ↓↓ Plenty of snow this year.

6-Dec-2012 – Driving to Chavannes from Les Gets

A day to avoid the roads !

5-Dec-2012 – Chasse-neige on the Les Gets road
GRIDSERVE Electric Super Hub at Moto Rugby, 11 super-chargers

Driving an electric car to the Alps

Tesla drivers probably don’t need to read on. They have had a good charging infrastructure for years now, so driving to and from the Alps is no issue at all.

Travel to and from the Alps has changed somewhat since COVID. Now people are looking for “greener”, cheaper and perhaps healthier ways to travel. I’ve had a small EV for 6 years. It was a great second car and worked well for us where we live in the French Alps. I’ve been surprised at how quickly electric cars have developed in that time and recently upgraded to a much bigger EV. Now our electric car is the main car in the household. We don’t drive to and from the UK very often. The last time was well over 10 years ago. However we recently could not avoid it so I thought I’d write about how it went.

GRIDSERVE Electric Super Hub at Moto Rugby, 11 super-chargers
GRIDSERVE Electric Super Hub at Moto Rugby, 11 super-chargers

Before I go on. I’d like to acknowledge the fact that no travel is “green”, there are only more or less eco ways to go. So in order of preference:

  • Don’t go!
  • Take a bike or walk
  • Travel by Train or Bus
  • Drive an EV
  • Then a fossil fuel burning car
  • A long way down the list is to fly

In brief

We made 6 stops on the way to Middlesbrough from the Alps. 9 on the way back. We never had any major issues, the only minor issues we had were in the UK. On average the charging stops lasted 20 minutes. Overall our charging experience was better in France. We spoke to a British person charging their EV at one of the motorway fast chargers and he raised this before we did, he said his experience charging in France was better than the UK. As an aside, we were less tired than in the past, stopping every 1.5 to 2 hrs really helps from that point of view.

Was it cheaper than driving an ICE vehicle?

ICE (Internal Combustion Engine). And the answer is “no”. In general owning an EV is cheaper than owning an ICE. 95% of the time I charge at home and this is 20% of the cost of using diesel. In addition, my car only needs a cheap service every 2 years. These savings quickly add up. However, when making a long journey you will use fast chargers on the motorways and they are priced the same as conventional fuels, and sometimes more! You will save money by taking the “eco” routes, or by driving slower but these options are open to you whatever vehicle you drive.

Ionity charging station, Aire de Jura
Ionity charging station, Aire de Jura

The full story

We needed to transport a couple of bikes back from the UK and some personal possessions so driving was really the only viable option. My car is now a Skoda Enyaq, it was the largest, cheapest EV available when I bought it last year. It is only a “standard range” model, so a 60kW battery, any more would be overkill for my day to day use, it does provide enough range for a very long journey, but if you are a frequent long distance driver you will find a long range model much more practical.

EV’s come with different sized batteries, the smaller they are, the cheaper and lighter the car is. If you want to try and make the minimum impact on the planet you should go for as small and light as is practical.

  • 40 kW or less is great for local journeys of less than 200km, for most people this would cover 90% of their driving
  • 50-60-70 kW should do everything, but long journey’s will require quite a few stops.
  • 80+kW is considered “long range” but can be very heavy and expensive.

We made our journey in November 2022, driving from the Alps to Middlesbrough (eventually Newcastle) and back again. We used the tunnel to cross the channel. The total distance we travelled was 3500 km. You might consider using a longer ferry crossing for that trip. Hull to Rotterdam is an option. I’m not sure how “eco” ferries are though.

Tesla charging station, Aire de Jura, a typical situation in France, Ionity was busy, Tesla was empty
Tesla charging station, Aire de Jura, a typical situation in France, Ionity was busy, Tesla was empty

As far as planning went we didn’t spend too much time on it. We used an app called “A Better Routeplanner” https://abetterrouteplanner.com/, which did most of what we needed from a planning point of view. It selects the places to charge automatically. It’s not the most stable app and is not as good as Google at dealing with road closures (we did get caught out by this), but if you use it alongside Google Maps for the navigation it is fine.

We decided to split the journey around Lille. It would make sense to find somewhere to stay that offers charging on site. That would save one charge. But as I said, we didn’t spend long on planning so didn’t have that option. We also had winter tires on the car which won’t have helped the efficiency.

Alps to the UK

1400 km and 6 stops altogether. We only stopped twice between Morzine and Lille. The weather was warm for this leg. 15-20C. 2 stops is quite hard to do and you’d need perfect conditions. We only had 2 in the car, no bikes, we didn’t need any air-conditioning and we drove quite slowly (110km/h). We cut the corner to cross the Jura too. The motorway route via Bourg en Bresse is an hour faster but will mean another charge stop and will cost more on the autoroute (22 €). Don’t discount this shortcut. The route is beautiful and there is a great spot to stop for cheese at the “Fruitière du Pays Grandvallier” close to Morbier.

Typical quiet Tesla superchargers near Saint Quentin
Typical quiet Tesla superchargers near Saint Quentin

We used a fast charger at a Lidl in Lille the next morning and then again at the check-in for the tunnel. In the UK we had to make two more stops before we got to our destination near Middlesbrough. In all, the mpg came out at about 17Wh/100km (3.6 mi/kWh) and the charging added a couple of hours to the journey.

Charging at our destination was done at a fast charger at McDonalds 5 min from where we were staying. We made various excursions in the area. Always using fast chargers.

Keep an eye out from the "eco" route suggestions in Google
Keep an eye out from the “eco” route suggestions in Google

UK back to the Alps

For the journey back the weather had cooled significantly. So we started out with a frost and maximum temperatures hovered around 10C. This makes a big difference to the energy consumption, because not only do you need to heat the cabin but for optimal performance the car will heat the battery too. We had more luggage and a couple of bikes on a tow bar rack (I had not realised before this trip, but at motorway speeds this reduces range by 10 to 15%). We also drove a bit quicker. More like 120km/h and up to 130 km/h (81mph), 120 km/h is the optimal speed in most EV’s when you take into account the charging times. It’s not the optimal speed for saving money, that’s probably about 30 km/h! So, if you really want to cut down on charging stops then drive with the lorries at 90 km/h. It’s pretty boring though!

The Angle of the North near Newcastle
The Angel of the North near Newcastle

The efficiency on the way home was 30% worse at 24 kWh/100km (2.6 mi/kWh). We stopped 9 times. We had to drop our 2 girls at Luton airport on the way, and of course Murphy’s law dictated that the biggest issue we were to have on the entire trip was the charge station just before Luton airport at the services in Rugby. It was a typical issue that thankfully is getting less frequent. The charging machines didn’t recognise any of my 3 membership cards or either of my two debit cards. After 15 minutes and 3 different machines I finally managed to make it work with a credit card. It was a busy spot with 10 charging points and about half the people there were having similar issues. It was stressful and not acceptable. I’ve experienced it many times in the last 7 years but am thankful that it now seems to be getting rarer.

We had another issue at a McDonalds on the side of the M25, we plugged in and went for a coffee, when we got back we discovered the charge had given up after a minute. So we had to wait another 20 min to get the charge we needed. It was a newbie mistake. Always check the car is charging on your app when drinking coffee. I was too relaxed and had left my phone in the car!

Only selected Tesla charging stations are available to all, these are at the Channel Tunnel check-in
Only selected Tesla charging stations are available to all, these are at the Channel Tunnel check-in

Charging your EV in the ski resort

If you are making the journey from the UK to the Alps, you’ll want to know what the charging is like when you arrive. Many of the chalets and hotels have started to fit charge points in the last few years, that will be your first port of call. Beyond that, almost every French town in the Haute Savoie has at least 2 reliable and fairly cheap 22 kW charge points (so not fast chargers). Beyond that many more are being added as I write this. The local paper recently mentioned 20 new points in Chamonix.

Personally I carry the following cards

  • Eborn – This is the “local” one in the French Alps – in fact it covers the whole Rhone Alps. Travellers to the region probably don’t need this, the following cards should cover it.
  • ChargeMap – I think this is the most popular in France, their interactive map has lots of good information and comments about individual chargers.
  • PowerPass – This came with the car, it’s connected to Ionity which is the biggest fast charge network in France.
  • Plugshare – This is one of the biggest pan european cards.
EV charging in the Alps
Bring your charging cable for destination charging in the French Alps

My other EV blogs

An electric car in winter

An electric car in the snow

Electric vehicles and solar panels; they aren’t really that green anyway?

Samoëns property valuations, May 2022

Get your own property valuation for Samoëns or the surrounding towns on our dedicated Property Valuation page.

We have traditionally written market reports for all the ski stations in the Haute Savoie together. This is the entire area covered by Alpine Property. This year we’ll focus on some of the individual ski towns. This way we’ll be able to go into more details. For this report we will focus on Samoëns property valuation.

This report has been compiled using one of the leading price evaluation algorithms in France. We have been using this within our agency for a while and find it very reliable. It draws information from historical data gathered from the Notaires and current real estate listings. If you would like a personalised free valuation then please contact us. Or if you are just looking for the property we have for sale in Samoens have a look here.

As of the first half of 2022, the property market in Samoëns has been extremely dynamic. Demand is outweighing supply. As a result of working from home due to Covid restrictions, there has been a noticeable movement of buyers (mainly French) seeking homes which can be used as their principal residence . International buyers have returned including investors who are keen to secure properties through video tours or live virtual visits with an agent. One positive outcome of Covid is that it has pushed the Notaires to modernise by enabling power of attorneys to be signed digitally thus facilitating transactions remotely.

Samoens Maire

From the buyers point of view there has been more focus on individual stand alone properties. The priority is space for a home office, a good internet connection and a garden. Traditionally people have wanted to be close to the ski lifts. Now more isolated areas are being considered, Substantial properties with a view are sought after, as are small stand alone units that can be transformed. Also spacious 2 or 3 bedroom apartments with decent terraces or balconies with a view.

Samoens centre ville

On the skiing side, there is the new Vercland Gondola just above Samoëns. This new lift has 10 seater cabins that travel from Vercland to Samoens 1600 in an impressive 7 minutes. It opened this season 2021 /2022 (postponed from 2020/2021 due to Covid). Super fast and efficient. To help with access there is an increased shuttle service between the Grand Massif Express and Vercland. There is also work scheduled to improve the parking at Vercland.

Politically, there is a new administration under mayor Jean-Charles Mogenet, the administration is keen for diversification of activities to be offered year round, proposing Samoëns as a “Four seasons” destination. This is a very positive outlook for our customers looking to invest in a rental property in the area and also for those who wish to make Samoëns their year round residence.

We have done a brief resume of the current prices in Samoëns. Obviously for accurate figures we would need the exact location and state of the property.

Reference Apartment,
Close to the centre of Samoëns
60m², 2/3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Price 372 000 € (6 200 € / m²)
Between 342 000 – 400 000 € (5 700 – 6 666 € /m² )

Reference Chalet
Close to the centre of Samoëns
140m2, 4/5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms on 600m² of land
Price 850 000 € (6 070 € / m²)
Between 725 000 – 958 000 € (5 180 – 6 840 € /m² )

You can see from the figure below that the prices have accelerated quickly since the beginning of the pandemic.

Evolution du Prix Samoens

And below how the distribution of the available properties is spread between chalets and apartments. A 30/70 split is fairly typical for our alpine towns. You can also see the strong growth of number of available apartments since 2010.

Nombre de logements Samoens

Obviously Samoëns is well placed for the skiing and surrounding mountains. But if you are living there all year round and running a business remotely too, access to Geneva becomes more important than ever. You can see from the image below Geneva is just outside the 45min range and Chamonix too.

Temps de transport Samoens

The population in the Haute Savoie is on a general upward trend. It is one of the most dynamic departments in France. Despite this many of the popular ski towns in the regions are seeing a population decline as people are pushed further down the valleys due to the prices close to the centres. This is not the case in Samoëns.

Taux de croissance Samoens

There is access to some of this valuation report for Samoëns or the surrounding towns on our dedicated Property Valuation page. Or contact us directly for the most detailed analysis.

An electric car in the winter

What are electric cars like to use in the winter? It’s one of the first questions I get asked about my car. I have a Skoda Enyaq 60 and the winter is almost over. However this is my 6th winter in the Alps with an electric car ! My first was a much smaller BMW i3, I’ve written about it on “an EV in the snow

The quick answer is that they are much better to use than the old gas guzzler (ICE). I will never be going back. However, that is not the whole story. There are downsides that mostly concern reduced range.

EV’s are so much more convenient and comfortable in the cold

One of the best things about them is their preheat facility. You can either pre-programme your car via the app to warm up for a certain time, or just click the button on the app. Some cars have a button on the key, I’ve set this car to automatically warm or cool as you unlock it. The frost will melt from the windscreen and the car will be warm when you start. And unlike an ICE car which needs the engine to warm up first, the heaters are almost instantaneous. When you live on a hill like we do, you can drive downhill in an ICE car for 20 minutes and the car never warms up! I’ve heard people out here in the Alps say “why didn’t anyone tell me how good the preheat facility is?” Well, now you know. One of those things you never knew you needed, until you’ve tried it! This really is the game changer in the winter.

This car has rear wheel drive 😲

But what if you get “trapped” in your car in the winter?

This was a scare story put all over social media this winter. The papers were alarming people with the thought of dying of hyperthermia if they were trapped in the snow and could not run their fossil burner to keep warm. Whereas the opposite is actually the case. When an EV is stopped it can carry on heating the cabin without issue. It’s actually dead convenient when you are sat in your car at -10C waiting for something. In the old days you had to sit with the engine running. Not any more.

I’ve been stuck in traffic, stuck behind fallen trees in the depths of winter and been quite happy. Also much safer, there is no risk of death from carbon monoxide poisoning (see this tragic incident in Pakistan). The worst case scenario for my car is 6kw of heating on a 60kw battery, so that will run for 10 hrs when full, 5 hours when half full. And actually, because when the cabin is warm, the heaters will have to work less hard, my guess is that it’s more like 20 hrs full and 10 hrs at 50% – in fact this guy tested it and got even more.

Driving in the snow

They handle driving on ice and snow really well. It goes without saying that I use winter tyres. All EV’s are automatic, they all have computer controlled throttle, brakes and sometimes steering too. You use your foot to tell the car you’d like to go and the car decides if the traction can take it. If the wheels slip, the car will reduce the power and find grip where it can. All modern cars do this, but it tends to be better in an EV, the lack of any gears just makes the whole process smoother. It’s the same with understeer or oversteer, it’s basically eliminated. It’s not just an EV thing though. I mention it however because it means you can have a rear wheel drive car and not worry about the old issues in the snow. Both my EV’s have been rear wheel drive and thanks to the traction and stability controls have outperformed my previous front wheel drive cars in the winter.

An electric motor doesn’t care about the cold

They don’t have diesel that can freeze. This isn’t a huge issue for ICE cars in the winter but it does happen, and when it does it is very inconvenient and often tricky to sort out. Occasionally when the temperatures drop under -10C and often at less than -15C you’ll see cars struggling on the alpine roads or broken down on the verge. It’s usually because their diesel has frozen. It is worse on certain models. I think it has something to do with water in the diesel filter freezing up.

The inconvenient truth

The available range in an EV is less when it is cold. The reduction in the Enyaq is not as bad as it was in the BMW but it is still significant. Before I go any further, this is only as “issue” on long journeys. And only then because you’ll have to stop for a recharge. And even that it’s not too bad anymore. The Enyaq I have is the smaller capacity 60kw version. There is a bigger 80kw version available. When the outside temperature is more than around 10C it will manage 350km on one charge.

At -10C it will still drive 250km, and most of the time I don’t do more than that in a day, so the car just goes on charge overnight and I don’t notice. I make a weekly 200km trip on a Sunday night. That’s fine too. But more than that and I’ll have to charge it up on the journey. There are fast chargers all around us now and a quick top up sometimes only takes 5 min, for a refill from 10% to 80% it might take 30min, it’s rare that I have to do that though.

The reason things are getting better for EV’s in the cold is down to the size of the battery. It’s not so much that batteries are worse in the cold, it’s more that the car needs extra power to heat the cabin and the batteries, some people will turn the interior heating off to deal with this. I won’t. I don’t think that getting cold is worth it, even for the environment. And the windows steam up without the heaters and that’s just not clever.

Winter tyres are essential, I was a bit late putting them on in 2021 so had to use some chains

The maths tells all

I’ve simplified things slightly. My first car had a 20kw battery. The heaters took 5kw/h, on average, so the range could easily go down by 30% on a 2 hr trip
My second car had a 30kw battery. The heaters were the same and took 5kw/h, but that’s a smaller % of the battery so it was more like 20% reduction on a 2 hr trip.
This car has a 60kw battery, the heaters take 6kw, so that’s a reduction in range of 15% on a 2 hr trip.

The other way to improve this is to buy a car with a heat pump fitted. It does come standard on many EV’s, which is great. Not on the Enyaq though, in my case it would have been a 1000€ extra, so not really worth it. Under ideal conditions they could reduce that 6kw load to 2kw, at which point that’s a 3% reduction. And if you get the long range version which has an 80kw battery, that would mean a 2.5% reduction.

No winter tyres? Then chains work fine

Even more inconvenient truth

Long trips in the winter. And I repeat, this is not for round trips, this is for long linear trips that will require recharges on the way. So you car has a range of 350km at 100% charge. That’s fine and that’s the summer too. But it’s colder in the winter, lets say -1C, so that’ll mean a loss of about 20% on the range range = 280km. Which is still fine if you are doing a round trip, but if you are on a linear trip and want to charge along the way, you won’t want to run the car much below 10% “just in case”, so that reduces the range again to 250km, and you’ll discover that when you charge past 80% the charge rate drops right down to preserve the life of the battery. So really it makes sense to run your car between 10% and 80%, so that’s another 20% to take off = 200km real range.

But that’s not all. A long trip will involve driving on the motorway. EV’s can go at pretty much any speed you want, but just the same as an ICE at high speed the energy consumption starts to ramp up at motorway speeds. So motorways take even more than you expect. At 130km/h take off another 20%. You’ll probably drive at more like 110km/h so it’ll be more like a 10% decrease. So the total figure is 180km. Double gulp. Now you know why you keep overtaking Tesla’s on the motorway. They are faster than a 1m€ super car, but practically, they prefer cruising around at a lower speed so they can go further!

And there is more

It’s a small thing, but it’s real. EV’s are charging faster and faster. Mine charges at 100kw/h, some charge at 350kw/h. So my 10 to 80% charge should take about 30 min on a supercharger. However, you know what’s coming don’t you? These charging speeds are hard to attain in the cold. In winter the reality is my car charges at half this speed to protect the cold battery from damage. So instead of 30 min, it could be 1hr.

The good bit of this is that the car manufacturers are getting very good at making the batteries last longer and longer with good battery management. This is great, I expect my battery to outlast the life of the car, it’ll then go on to have a second life in a house or as a grid stabiliser or something….but one of the things a battery doesn’t like is a fast charge when cold.

So the manufacturer has a choice between warming the battery with the heater (uses more energy) or throttling the charging speed. Some of them get it right. I believe you can tell a Tesla where you are going, it will then predict where the charge will take place and pre-warm the battery in the kilometres before the charge. This sort of predictive management seems to be a bit complicated for VW and others, they say they are working on it. The way around it is to drive at warp speed in the kilometres before the charge, this high drain will warm the battery “naturally”, I’ve tried it, it works a bit but it’s not ideal for loads of reasons.

Skoda do have a good and believable range calculator for their cars https://rangecalculator.skoda-auto.com have a good play with this, it is a lot more intuitive than my attempts to explain some of these issues.

The EV database is a good reference for real life range predictions across the various EV’s available. https://ev-database.org/


A Better Route Planner is a great way of putting together ALL the variables and planning a long trip https://abetterrouteplanner.com/

What do you need to know about Samoëns?

Altitude 720m
Population 2200
Distance to Geneva airport: 1h15
Nearest Train: Cluses (25min)
Skiing: Grand Massif – 265km

All the properties we have for sale in Samoëns https://alpine-property.com/Samoëns 

Our online valuation tool for Samoëns https://alpine-property.com/Samoëns/valuation 

Samoëns has the best of both worlds, it’s a traditional Savoyard resort and a delightful small town. Samoëns has consciously maintained its Alpine charm, despite a recent flurry of expansion in which new chalets and lifts have added to its appeal. At just 720m, snow in the resort is not guaranteed. However this is not a problem because access to one of the most snow-sure ski areas in the Alps is fast and convenient. 

Samoëns is a real village. It’s not just a ski resort. It has a year round community that acts and feels like a real village. It’s well connected too, just an hour and a quarter from Geneva airport and with the nearest train station, about 25min away at Cluses. It’s not just Samoëns either, there are lots of smaller villages Morillon, Verchaix, Taninges, Mieussy, Les Carroz and Flaine.

The summer season is just as busy as the winter season, but then, it’s not really about seasons in Samoëns. The point about Samoëns is that it has an all year round community life. For instance Samoëns loves its weekly market, it’s a hugely important part of the village. In addition to the market, there are a full range of activities, events and festivals. There is even a local radio station for the entire valley too.

Samoëns is one of the few ski resorts in the Alps with a stable number of inhabitants. Whereas many areas are losing their communities because they are being priced out of the area. The population of Samoëns is stable, if not growing. 

Associations

https://www.mairiedeSamoëns.fr/guide-des-associations

Some listings https://hautesavoieassociations.fr/Samoëns/

Handiglisse Association – provides sports equipment for disabled individuals (such as uniski, dualski or kartski) seeking to partake in mountain activities (adapted for summer and winter) with qualified instructors. 

Website: http://www.Samoëns-handiglisse.com

https://Samoëns.com/commerce-location-pret/pret-de-materiel-handisport

https://Samoëns.com/handi-activites-hiver/handiski-avec-skisession

Giffre en transition – a group of local initiatives for ecological and social transition with the Giffre Valley.  Website :www.giffre-en-transition.fr or Email: contact@giffre-en-transition.fr

Naturide 74 –  VTT / Mountain Biking Club 

https://www.facebook.com/clubnaturide74

Important Events and Festivals:

Criou Blues & Celt Festival  https://www.facebook.com/CRIOUBLUESFestival

Ultra Trail du Haut GIffre https://Samoëns.com/animations/ultra-trail-du-haut-giffre-2021-8eme-edition

REFUGES – summer 

There are four great refuges in Samoëns 

https://www.refuge-du-folly.fr

https://www.refugedebostan.fr/ (normally open in winter, but not this winter 2021/22)

http://www.refuge-chardonniere.fr/ (in the territory of Samoens, but accessed from Morzine)

https://www.refugedesales.com/

Morillon has a great selection of summer activities around their lake ‘Lac Bleu’ for all ages 

Horse-riding, tennis, air bag, Mali Parc, accrobranche, brand new assault course on the lake called Le Splash, pump track.

Le Lac Bleu

Samoëns Lac is now open for swimming from July 7th

Commerce and Weekly Market 

Supporting our local commerce and weekly Wednesday market (all year around on Wednesday mornings) is a hugely important component to Samoëns life.

Radio Giffre https://www.radiogiffre.com

It broadcasts out of Samoëns but encompasses the valley du Giffre and has just celebrated its 40 year anniversary. It’s an important exchange of local information within the Giffre Valley.

Medieval History and Stone carvers of Samoëns 

https://Samoëns.com/histoire-Samoëns-la-ville-des-sept-monts

And finally, Le Petit Train, the train driver Claude is a character and does a little antidotal ‘Tour’ of the village, not to be missed, whether young or old