Golf And Skiing Properties In France

Golf and skiing are particularly well catered for in many areas of France. Obviously the ski areas are more defined, being Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Hautes Alpes, Pyrénées-Orientales, Pyrénées- Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées and Ariège, with Andorran, Italian and Spanish ski stations being accessible from certain parts of France.

Golf courses can be found in most areas of France, but there are certain pockets where there are several top quality courses. The possibility of buying a property overlooking a golf course or within half an hour of a good course is available at a wide range of prices.

Some of these areas will be ideal for those who enjoy both golf and skiing, as when the snow melts there are golf courses to enjoy. If you love skiing, golf and country walks, a home in the ski areas could be the answer.

You need to consider various points, including the fact that the higher the resort, the longer you are likely to have snow; whether the resort has a village centre; and whether it is a yearround resort with facilities and amenities for the months when there is no snow.

Older resorts such as Megève have lovely, old, cobbled streets and pretty town centres, which are alive all year round. Some purpose-built ski stations, such as La Plagne,may be closed or very quiet in low-season months, but during the ski season they become part of a huge ski area – La Plagne is part of Paradiski, which offers 425km of pistes and some of the best skiing in the world, for example.

The style of properties in or near ski resorts differs considerably from other parts of France. They are normally wooden chalets or chalet-style apartment blocks and are built with roofs to withstand heavy snowfall.

If you only plan on using your property for a limited amount of time each year, a leaseback property may be a good option. These offer a number of weeks’ personal use per year with a guaranteed rental when you are not using it, which also means you don’t need to worry about the property being left empty for long periods. In some cases, you receive a discount if you wish to use the property more than the agreed allowance, while some developers allow you to exchange your weeks for time in another one of their managed properties, offering more varied skiing (you might also be able to exchange weeks for a coastal location).

Ski property options

A leaseback development with pool and sauna in Brides-les- Bains offers 104 studios and 28 one-bed apartments. The development has direct access to the cable cars which link into the Trois Vallées (200 ski lifts and over 600km of runs).

The nine-year lease offers returns of 4.9%, with two options: pure financial returns with no occupation or up to eight weeks’ occupation p.a. with a proportional guaranteed rental return. There’s also the option to use developments in other parts of France. Prices are from €71,900 (excluding VAT) for a studio apartment and completion is due in December this year.

Also due to be completed this year, but at the other end of the budget scale, is a development of five traditional ski chalets, with communal pool, close to the ski slopes in Morzine. The resort offers 209 ski lifts, 289 runs with access to 12 ski stations in France and Switzerland and summer activities. Prices start at €802,625 for the two three-bed duplex chalets and €1,285,000 for the four-bed chalet with a separate one-bed apartment.

In the popular resort of Les Arcs, a leaseback development of 115 apartments with pool and fitness centre offers prices from €165,804 (ex VAT) for a one-bed apartment, with completion due between the fourth quarter 2008 and the second quarter 2009.

Three options are available: pure investment with rental returns of 3.8% p.a., 3% with five weeks’ occupation, or 2.5% with 12 weeks’ occupation, plus there’s an opportunity to use other developments in France.

Part of the vast Paradiski area, Les Arcs offers activities such as walking trails, squash, 18-hole golf course, mountain biking, paragliding, plus there are links by funicular train to Bourg St Maurice (TGV station).

Best of both worlds

Some ski areas can be reached within an hour or two of coastal resorts, giving the possibility of waterfront holidays with access to skiing – you could enjoy lunch on the piste, dinner by the sea and then have a game of golf the next morning!

An hour and a half’s drive from the Côte d’Azur, in Isola 2000, is a leaseback development offering twobedroom apartments with indoor pool and sauna. Isola has nearly 50 pistes catering for all different levels of ability, totalling 120km. The 11-year, 11-month lease offers a return of up to 3.93% plus a holiday allowance of €1,330 to €1,705. Prices are from €153,627 (ex VAT) for a two-bed-plus-sleeping-area apartment and completion is due in December 2008.

Get into the swing

Although situated throughout France, golf courses are often found in groups, which suits the avid golfer who likes to try out different courses. In the Côte d’Azur, for example, you have upwards of eight courses within 40 minutes’ drive of each other. There are a similar number in the Vaucluse, Bouches du Rhône, as well as along the Atlantic coast between Biarritz and Bordeaux. The north coast offers several golf courses around Deauville and the D-day landing beaches, while Pas de Calais has golf courses in close proximity around Le Touquet and Hardelot, with several others within 30 minutes’ drive.

Courses are harder to find in very rural areas as there is little demand for golf from the farming communities.

Keen golfers have the choice of buying a property on a course or one that is centrally located for several golf courses. As with any property purchase in France, you will first need to choose an area you like, that is accessible and that offers you all the facilities and facets of life that you intend to enjoy when in France. Obviously your budget will influence your decision too.

Golf property options

The choice ranges from large, expensive villas to small apartments, character houses to new developments, and re-sale to leaseback properties.

At the top end is an 18thcentury, south-facing, sixbedroom property on the outskirts of Bordeaux priced at €1,590,000.Within walking distance of the local golf club, and set in 10 acres of landscaped grounds, it comes with a guest lodge, swimming pool and lake.

A development situated around the new nine-hole golf course and within the domaine of Pont Royal, Provence, with access to the 18-hole course, shops, cafés, pool and horseriding centre, offers three/fourbedroom houses with private pools, set in quarter of an acre gardens. Priced from €629,000 to €2m, the houses have views over the fairways and homeowners can become members of the golf club or just pay to play.

Leaseback developments situated on or close to golf courses include Le Domaine De L’Emeraude near St Malo (studios and apartments from €93,280; 11-year lease, three options: pure investment with returns of 4.5% p.a; 3% returns with 18 days’ personal use p.a; 12 weeks’ personal use with a guaranteed income); Le Village de la Mer in the Vendée (prices from €110,945 ex VAT, nine-year lease, return of up to 4.9% HT and up to eight weeks’ use with proportional rental return – or purchase with an 11-year lease and six weeks’ use and the developer will pay the full 11 years’ rent in advance on completion); and Le Domaine Du Golf in Languedoc, just 15 minutes from the beach (two/three-bedroom houses, prices from €179,000, 11-year lease with up to six months’ personal use and rental returns).

If you’d prefer a classic purchase, how about a renovated one-bed apartment in Hérault with a terrace overlooking pine groves and a golf course? In a quiet block with pool and tennis court, it’s on the market for €108,000.

Penny Zoldan founded Latitudes French Property Agents 19 years ago. Tel: 020 8951 5155 www.latitudes.co.uk

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