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Places (for buying) with lakes aswell as mountains

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I doubt it will happen but there is still some low level discussion with the wife about buying an apartment/chalet in the Alps (France, maybe Austria). The missus mentioned she would be more tempted if there was a lake to swim in during the summer. I think she just feels it has to be a year round destination if it's to be considered an apartment for the family (we have kids 8 & 6) rather than just a commercial venture.

So folks what places out there have good skiing in the winter but also have a nice lake with swimming in the summer?

We both also like walking. I like cycling but the wife less so.
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Salzkammergut.

Absolutely gorgeous, but expensive if you want lake access.
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Do you mean a ski resort with a lake, or an Alpine lake near some skiing?

Thinking of France: there's Tignes I suppose for the former. Annecy, or a town on the shore of the lake is an obvious thing for me to say if the latter.
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clarky999, doesn't need to have direct lake access just somewhere quite close to bathing and swimming in it.
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Lake Annecy is very pretty.
Probably not an option (as it's Swizerland with purchase restrictions etc as well as cost) but we hiked into Champex in the summer which is set around a stunning small lake with crystal clear water. There were loads of people swimming and just mucking about in boats by it. I thought it was gorgeous. The lake is more of a big pond really and set in the village which it a small ski resort in winter.
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Lake Annecy is great in the summer, loads to do. The water isn't super hot though!
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Bourg St Maurice - skiing up the finiculair, nice park and swimming pool for sunbathing etc in the town, swimming lake 10 min drive.
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Mr Pieholeo,
Quote:

Do you mean a ski resort with a lake, or an Alpine lake near some skiing?

If only I knew Laughing I am thinking somewhere quite close to both. Tignes is probably too much skiing not enough lake, Annecy too much town/lake, not close enough skiing.

clarky999's suggestion of Salzkammergut is an interesting one. I'd never heard of it but it seems like a beautiful lake area with lots of little skiing hills in close proximity. Could be interesting. Zell am See rings a bell as a le area/ski area but I know very little about it.
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Zell?
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Layne, In Flachau we have 2 swimming lakes, one at each end of the village http://www.flachau.com/en/summer/outdoor-adventure/lakes-riding.html as well as a terrific thermal spa abiut 3kms away in Altenmarkt

If you decide to buy in Austria be careful of local planning laws about what properites can and can't be rented out. Mine can be but I know someone who biought a swanky new build in Flachau, put it on owners direct and was promptly told by the mayor that he cannot rent it out - expensive thing not to have checked. There are local laws in many resorts - you need to ask the local Gemeinde.


Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Wed 5-03-14 14:00; edited 2 times in total
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Layne wrote:
Annecy too much town/lake, not close enough skiing.


You could split the difference and live in Thones.

No not really, but from omewhere like Menthon St Bernard - right on the shore of the lake - it's an extremely short and easy drive to the Aravis stations.
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ansta1, yes Zell (althoug I think you have to pay for entry to the lidos) - one of the places with very strong adherence to the Salzburg Zoning planning laws - I was nearly caught out there by a lying agent and lawyer who were adamant that the apartmetn could be rented out, but I did my own research so pulled out of the purchase. They were very cross when they found out that I had rumbled them!
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Embrun?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Arno, Embrun would be an excellent option, great access to Lac Serre Poncon, and not far too Risoul or Vars. I suspect a lot cheaper than Annecy too. Marseille and Turin aiports both within a reasonable distance.

There's no lake in Monetier-les-Bains, but it is a great all-year round destination, so another one to throw into the pot. Natural hot springs, a bio swimming area in Villeneuve and Chantemerle. Loads of walking, lots of things suitable for kids, cycling along the valley as well as up the mountain. No restrictions on letting. Lac Serre Poncon is a 40 minute drive, but plenty of opportunity for swimming without it.
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most places will have lakes for swimming in the summer.

I can think of probably 4 or 5 lakes with half an hour of chamonix that have swimming areas.
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+2 Zell am See - very pretty, everything walking distance.
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Annecy = UBER expensive... I think it has been stated as 'the most desirable place in France now... Apartments are very pricey, however, if you focus more on 'lake Annecy, as opposed to Annecy itself, then the South and South East corners are only 30 mins form awesome skiing...

As eddiethebus stated there ar loads of summer things/lakess to do in plenty of resorts... Biased I know but Les Contamines has a Filled in lake for the summer... Sand based... Water is not too hot mind, as will be the case all over, but the lake is 'rammed' in the summer with the adventure park up there as well... Loads of great hiking, as you'd expect being at the foot of Mont Blanc...

http://en.lescontamines.com/activites-ete.html
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Aviemore Smile
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holidayloverxx, And can or do the Gemeinde actually prevent people renting? I used to get the odd letter from the Gemeinde in Schladming about declaring myself main resident in Austria, which we weren't at the time. The solicitor at the time advised it was something the Gemeinde couldn't actually demand. Sure enough the letters stopped after a while. Once you take possession of a property is there really much the local authority can do about what you use it for? Seems pretty odd in a town built on tourism to say you can't rent out. (not that I'm questioning that's what they try and do). Indeed I know in Ramsau that to get planning permission for a new build house they demand you have holiday apartments to rent out as part of the build - they want tourist beds.

Back to OP - just about any mountain town will have access to swimming lakes, I'd highly recommend my part of the woods though, lots of natural swimming lakes, swimming pools, more hiking than you could possibly manage and endless biking options from flat-ish valleys route, miles of single track and lift served downhill. All less than 1 hour from Salzburg, reasonable property prices and of course extensive skiing too. You many want to narrow down your search with some extra criteria.
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Quote:

from omewhere like Menthon St Bernard - right on the shore of the lake - it's an extremely short and easy drive to the Aravis stations.


MsB is lovely - my favourite spot on the lake, often stop there on the way to and from Geneva airport. But I imagine it's hugely expensive. Has a Sothebys Estate Agent (or maybe that's the next place). Lots of letting potential in the summer, much less in winter I guess, as although it's an easy drive to the Aravis stations, for a local resident, it's too far for most ski holiday families.

The usual questions, Layne - are you primarily looking for a place for your own holidays, and hoping to offset a small part of the cost by renting, or are you looking to maximise return on capital? How many weeks a year are you going to be able to spend there, with school age children - and how many of these weeks will you be foregoing top rental income?
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or of course how about more local

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waynos, Well, it's enforceable in court so I wouldn't risk it. Zoning for tourist accommodation vs permanent residence is enshrined in law - not the same as declarations of main residence. The issue is as you kind of say, some places wnat tourist beds, some need affordable houseing for locals (as in Flachau). I'm declared as a second home owner (which is allowed where rental is not - it's about the commercial aspect) so have to pay +50% council tax Sad. I do have a letter from the Mayor which confirms that the apartment block I am in was built as tourist accommodation and it is permissable to rent. In Zell am See it was completely different as it was second home which I wanted to use as a commercial rental - not allowed - there are exepmtions but only for 10 years, although in the end there was agreement that as the house was previosly a pension that had been converted it could be regarded as havign been previusly a rental property tso the status was changed - a very rare win by all accounts.
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Chatel might be worth considering
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waynos, you are not supposed to swim in any of the lakes in and around Milton Keynes. Really annoys the missus (German). The larger ones are set up for water sports, the smaller ones for fishing. Believe it or not I've never skied in MK's fridge. Somehow doesn't attract me.

pam w, in the past we've discussed buying a place somewhere like Oz-en-Oisan or Les Coches. A nice well appointed satellite village of a large ski area. But then the question was how much fun could we have there in the summer. And she specifically mentioned having a lake nearby. She really likes swimming in general and messing about in and around water and walking near water. I think she must have been a frog in a previous life Toofy Grin So anyhow I thought I would ask here and explore the idea. Maybe if I suggest one or two places it may pique her interest. As the kids are growing up, skiing somewhere not ski/ski out is less of an issue.
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Layne, Oz wouldn't be a bad option. The reservoir at the bottom of the hill is used for sailing etc during the summer I believe
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interlaken

thats swissish for between the lakes
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Alleghe
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invermere
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hobbiteater, Alleghe would be a wonderful place in Summer, and it is very beautiful in winter too (once it stopped snowing and the sun came out).
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st mortiz, lenzerheide
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Arno wrote:
Layne, Oz wouldn't be a bad option. The reservoir at the bottom of the hill is used for sailing etc during the summer I believe


Beat me to it! You can't swim in the reservoir though but there's plenty of other lakes in walking/lift/biking distance and loads of other summer activities.
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Layne, My brothers Chalet will soon be up for sale in Champex Lac Nr Verbier.
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Layne, I bought a place in Zell last year for exactly all the same reasons as you, great summer resort, good skiing and easy access from most parts of UK. I will reiterate that you must be very careful with the status of the property that you are buying, during the week I spent in Zell arranging the purchase I spent about 3 hours with lawyer and bank arranging contract and finance and about 3 days at the Mayors/Tourist office trying to get confirmation that I had touristic rental permission.

If you are interested in Zell PM me and I can give you contact details of the estate agent I used he was about the only one I felt was trustworthy and we still keep in touch regularly.

Good luck with your search
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May I suggest Alleghe in the Dolomites. Nice town, decent skiing (I am told) excellent mountains and a beautiful lake. Which I would never, ever swim in.
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mbeaney,which agent did you use? I used Sage in zell for my flachau purchase. They were excellent. The lying corrupt guy I referred to earlier was an intermediary in a private sale, not an estate agent.
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johnE Why would you not swim in the lake at Alleghe? Something wrong with it? Loch Alleghe monster?
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holidayloverxx, I used Schober Real, Klaus was an absolute gentleman from start to finish and helped greatly with every part of the purchase. I was maybe a bit strong in calling the other agents untrustworthy, it was more a feeling that they were much more interested in flogging very expensive new builds to multi millionaires and when the found out that I had done a lot of research and new exactly what I wanted and what price I should be paying the started to switch off. For example, when I started looking in July last year, I visited Zell and met with just about all the agents in town, since then I have only heard from 3 of the 8 or so I met with (Sage and Schober being 2 of them).
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very interested in this thread, always been my dream to own a place in the Alps. Out of interest would you know roughly what price were looking at for a 2 bed place in Zell??
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DRHOSKING, depends whereabouts. The most affordable places are in Schuttdorf, nearer the Areitbahn. The closer to the City Express the dearer they are

Look here http://www.rightmove.co.uk/overseas-property-for-sale/Zell-am-See.html but google for the estate agents in Zell, there are a few

This is worth a look as well - although some of the propeorties have been on there for years http://www.austrian-property.com/Apartments-for-sale-austria.html

and this one http://www.euroburo-salzburgerland.com/azell.htm
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https://www.google.co.uk/#q=zell+am+see+immobilien

Google search for agents in Zell above, note that many of these properties will have usage restrictions on them but this will not be mentioned in the property notes on websites, you will have to contact the agent to find out.

As for price it can vary greatly depending on location, age of property, and usage restrictions.
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