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The British buy Chamonix

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
50% of property in the town is being bought by Brits - generally very affluent Brits in view of the soaring property prices - sometimes newly retired (at a suitably young age) from banking. And, as we know from past threads, not all the locals are very happy about this.

This excellently-researched article in today's Times, by Damian Whitworth, looks at the pressures on Chamonix and the lifestyles enjoyed by the - literally - nouveau riche.

Know anyone who's bought into the Chamonix lifestyle? Tempted yourself? Too busy banking?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I'm personally not overkeen on the concept of purchasing property abroad, mainly due to the obvious and acute cultural impact this has. It appears the Englsih have a fascination to purchase but then do very little to assimilate themselves in the customs and culture of the local environment. The Dordogne is but a classic example of which there are many. I haven't been to Chamonix in a long time so cannot speak of recent experience but on the occasions I have visited I was struck by the array of Anglo- Saxon drunkards roaming the streets, bringing their own unique brand of lifestyle on what should be the epitome of French mountain culture. I can only imagine it has got worse.

Moreover, this Alpine property boom has the effect of homogenising what were distinct mountain communities, essentially reducing the habitat to a commercial conduit. We should be very careful about this because we'll lose the very essence of why we visit the mountains in the first place.

Because we can purchase a mountain property it doesn't make it right, does it?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
kevin mcclean, it doesn't make it wrong, either.
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The article does try to portray things in a relatively balanced way, but still does not really reflect the true situation. A snapshot of anecdotes, interspersed with a few rather vague figures, only goes so far. How many of the 1,000 are really there all year round? Are they all within the Chamonix commune (pop. 11,000 in total) or are some in outlying villages/towns? What about all the wealthy French/Dutch etc who also contribute to accelerating rises in property prices in the region? Can we really draw any significant conclusions from pot luck interviews of a few individuals?

In reality the great majority of locals are more than pleased at the influx, which has brought jobs and wealth to the region. Few people complain. A large proportion of Brits who move over permanently do manage to integrate perfectly well into the community. Some take up positions of responsibility locally - for example, the new president of the Chamonix Ski Club is half-Irish, something that would have been unimaginable not so many years ago. The situation is very similar in Bourg Saint Maurice where the Les Arcs Ski Club here has two Brits on its board of management. British children for the most part go to French schools and after a few years turn out more French than British in many cases. Many dual nationals help the process along.

Sure, you can always find the exceptions to the rule, those that give the majority a bad name... but the French are quite capable of working out who they are for themselves.

On the whole the Savoyards are a welcoming people, at a crossroads between three nations, well used to population movements (you've only got to look at the surnames in the phone book to realise the extent of the Italian influence over the years here in Bourg St Maurice, for example). Just as in Provence, the Touraine, Paris, or Lyon - where I've lived previously - the French take changes in their stride, and I've never encountered the slightest bad feeling or discrimination.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Given half a chance we'd sell up and move to the chamonix valley. We got engaged there several years ago atop the A.d.Midi and its a special place for us and one we would normally visit at least once a year. However, I would think again about relocating into the cham vally with so many brits buying there as the whole thing about moving abroad is to imerse yourself in the culture and community.

If only i could a) find a job that would keep me and the family out there on an onging basis and b) have the money to buy a decent property I guess it will stay a pipedream rolling eyes

To wake up and catch the sun on the peaks either side of the valley is something really special and all those who are there should take a min to realise what a special place it is they live in!!!!!!
Very Happy Very Happy
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I am a victim of the British buying there.

I was minding my own business of running a mobile home (we call it static caravan here) there with another familay. Visiting the place a few times in a year, waking up in every morning to admire the Mont Blanc, motorbiking into Switzerland, Italy and France in the summer, learning to ski in the winter and pay the camp site about £1500 to £2000 each year for the privilege. It is an experience of being a tourist and a local resident depending how I want it to be done.

Last year the camp site owner said a Mafia made an offer he couldn't refused. He showed me every hosue he built on the camp site could command 1 million Euro and my annual contribution to him was therefore a chicken feed. So that ended my 7 years association with Chamonix. Couldn't really complain an over 60-year camp owner to grab the money and run, could I?

Chamonix is a place one can get into Switzerland in about 10 or 12 miles. Italy is just the other side of the tunnel of less than 10 miles away. It has both summer and winter season. If you don't like mountain it can be miserable place to be especially in the winter. I bet most British buy up the place because of its strategic location the demand of place will remain buoyant for a forseeable future to come.

It is an investment one can enjoy at the same time.

I wouldn't be surprise Bourg St Maurice could be the next on the hit list as its Petit St Bernard pass is a gateway into Italy in the summer. In winter it is the centre of the 1600km prime skiing piste the French can offer.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Over the border in Switzerland EU citizens (and other non Swiss) cannot buy property, or so I have been led to believe.

There are also parts of the EU where permits or restrictions on occupancy are placed on housing, usually in places vulnerable to German buyers Laughing

Here in the UK it is becoming increasingly common in our National Parks to place occupancy restrictions on planning permissions, to prevent the loss of new housing to external demand, typically retirement and long range commuting as well as second homes.

Here in the Yorkshire Dales we recently attracted a lot of publicty and mixed reaction to a similar policy.

Perhaps that might be part of the solution in Chamonix. Occupancy restrictions and local need assessments as part of the planning process would at least prevent the loss of the few remaining development opportunities to external (international) demand. such a policy would eventually build up a stock of housing that could only be occupied by people who need to live in the valley eg. to deliver key services. The remaining 99% of the housing stock would still be available to the open market.

What do you think ?
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I wonder how many of these British immigrants can speak French or want to ??

From what I have read, there wealthy(most) and not working so the bubble will burst eventually. Smile

These enclaves of foriegn nationality's are not exclusive to the Brits. I mentioned in another topic about the Dutch . Theres a town in the south of France ( still cant remember the name) where 20,000 Clogs live. The Germans own/live in large swaves of Italy.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Peter S, I don't believe in restricting the rights of people to own particular classes of property, whether in the Yorkshire Dales or the French Alps. Where would it all end?
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Peter S wrote:
Over the border in Switzerland EU citizens (and other non Swiss) cannot buy property, or so I have been led to believe.

There are also parts of the EU where permits or restrictions on occupancy are placed on housing, usually in places vulnerable to German buyers Laughing



Sort of, there's restrictions that vary from canton to canton and on a more local level. More interesting, some of the local immobiliers get so few queries they don't understand the restrictions.

Austria have some limited derogations in the EU and some of the new entrants got limited restrictions primarily focused at German buyers as you say.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
PG, Your lack of problems probably stems from your top class French! I noticed a great difference in the way I was treated once I got to grips with the language. I do believe that after 15 years they consider me as "belonging", but I'll never be French, and without children in school it's actually quite hard to get into the French social circles. I'm not complaining though - everyone should live here (except the moronic binge drinkers of course). wink
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