Magnifique: $26 million chalet hits the market in the French Alps

Picture the boot of Italy, with Puglia at its heel, Calabria at its toe and the Vatican City roughly at knee level. 

Now cast your eye up past the top of the boot towards the ruffles of Europe’s petticoats and there, five kilometres over the border in the Savoie region of France, is the ski resort town of Val d’Isere.

Along the eastern part of the town, high-rise dominates, while in the central and western areas, traditional chalet-style homes abound.

Chalet almost seems too modest a word to describe Le Rocher, a glamorous property on 700 square metres of land.

The six-bedroom home, offered for sale through Knight Frank for €17 million (about $A26 million), fuses rustic chic with designer flair. In the living areas, statement chandeliers are shaped like clusters of dripping icicles.

Nearby, cowskin pendant lights take the luxury lodge atmosphere to the next level.

Other features include an indoor swimming pool with jet stream alongside a steam room, a lift, spa, six bathrooms and ski-in/ski-out convenience, with the nearest ski lifts, bars and restaurants just 350 metres away.

Current market

In the world’s top ski resorts, buyers fall into two camps: those seeking attractions in summer and winter to maximise year-round rentals, and those targeting high-altitude resorts offering reliable snowfall.

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This is one of the findings of Knight Frank’s Ski Property Report 2017, which notes French resorts are outperforming their Swiss counterparts, largely due to Switzerland’s restrictions on foreign buyers.

Val d’Isere recorded the second-highest annual prime property price growth in the year to June, up 2.5 per cent, behind Chamonix at 4.8 per cent. “Val d’Isere offers one of the longest seasons due to its reliable snow cover,” the report states.

Can Australians buy in?

They sure can. Michael Bula, an international lawyer and notary based in Melbourne, says there are no restrictions on Australians buying residential property in France.

“However, conflicts of law between the Australian common law and the French civil law systems exist to affect conveyancing and property law, taxation regimes and wills, estates and successions.”

He recommends expert legal guidance from fluent French speakers. 

What you can buy for…

$13.69 million

A seven-bedroom chalet with pool – one of the largest new properties in the Petit Alaska collection, 500 metres from the slopes.

$7.75 million

An older-style chalet in the hamlet of Fornet, with nine bedrooms, nine bathrooms and breathtaking mountain views.

$3.04 million

A bright, modern, furnished three-bedroom duplex, including a wine cellar, boot dryer and two upstairs balconies.