Finding a holiday home which appeals throughout the year can sometimes be a struggle, especially when it comes to those who want to purchase a ski property but are concerned they won’t get sufficient use out of it.
But with a greater popularity in the summer than the winter, Samoëns in the French Alps could be a surefire choice for those deliberating this issue. Renowned as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Samoëns offers a wide variety of summer and winter sports, and is full of historical and cultural attractions. With a variety of properties in the town on sale through MGM French Properties, Samoëns makes perfect sense for those looking for a well-rounded, dual season ski property purchase.
Designated as a ‘ville fleurie’, Samoëns is well-known for its stunning landscapes year-round, and its varied and long history. A little slice of Paris in the Alps, the town is famed nationwide for its botanic garden, Jaÿsinia, which houses 4,500 types of Alpine flowers. The garden was created by Marie-Louise Jaÿ, a Samoëns-born businesswoman who co-founded the iconic La Samaritaine department in Paris’ first arondissement. The picturesque park is almost 800 metres above sea level on a steep limestone slope, overlooking old Samoëns, featuring castle ruins, a chapel and copious fountains.
Samoëns is also unique in its stonemasonry heritage, stemming from a famous brotherhood which existed in the 17th century in the town. La Société des Maçons were commissioned on projects by Napoleon among others, and used their own secret dialect to retain privacy, called mourmé. Their work can be seen all over Samoëns today through its architecture, creating a unique and fascinating landscape.
Samoëns offers an almost unlimited number of summer activities to complement their winter sports offering. The town is perfectly-placed to explore the stunning vistas of the Grand Massif mountain range and is incredibly popular with hikers. Additionally, golfing, water-skiing, rafting, fishing, paragliding, horse-riding and mountain biking, amongst others, are all readily available. The village centre is filled with local bistros, restaurants and artisan retailers for those who prefer a more leisurely approach. The central square is marked by a remarkable 15th century lime tree, and the town’s Savoyard architecture is ameliorated by stone sculptures by international artists.
MGM French Properties has recently launched Chalet Saskya. A boutique and small development of outright purchase apartments, with prices starting at €270,000 for a one-bedroom home, up to €700,000 for a four-bedroom duplex apartment. The development is ideally located next to the Grand Massif Express station ski lift, allowing for speedy ski access in the winter months. The twelve apartment within the development all come with their own spacious balcony area.
Another development in Samoëns is Les Chalets de Laÿssia, centred right in the heart of the town for great proximity to restaurants, bars and local amenities. Architecturally inspired by the stone mason tradition in the village, only one-bedroom apartments remain within the leaseback development, and start from €200,000. The benefits of leaseback include hotel service and guaranteed rental income for the buyer, through an agreement to rent out the property through MGM.
Finally, Résidence Alexane is located in the centre of the town, close to the Grand Massif Express. The development features two chalets, each comprising of 13 one to four-bedroom apartments, carefully designed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding alpine scenery while maintaining a modern and contemporary feel. Setting the development apart is the range of top-class hotel- style facilities including indoor pool, fitness suite, gym, sauna, jacuzzi and steam rooms and spa. Two-bedroom apartments are available for outright purchase from €355,000, while leaseback homes range from one to three-bedrooms, starting from €245, 834. The apartments are available to purchase off-plan now.
For further information on property in Samoëns contact MGM French Properties on Tel: 0207 494 0706
