The Alps on your doorstep: A look at the palatial-like homes of Clarens, Switzerland

Leaving aside the fact the address is in Switzerland, not Salzburg, there’s something Sound of Music about the lakeside setting of this handsome nine-bedroom home.

Sitting pretty on more than 8800 square metres of land, the Swiss-style mansion takes in panoramic views of the lake and Alps.

Knight Frank’s CHF 14.8 million (about $22.7 million) asking price also includes an outdoor pool, guest house, vineyard and wine cellar. With the total internal living space measuring a whopping 885 square metres, there’s plenty of room for a modern-day von Trapp family.

The Bosquets de Julie area of Clarens, between Montreux and Vevey, is home to prestige lakeside homes on sprawling private estates. For international buyers, one of the neighbourhood’s biggest drawcards is St George’s International School.

The canton, or state, of Vaud is a prosperous region with a reputation for scientific innovation, natural beauty and world-class wine and cheese. It’s also a sports hub, both for participants and administrators. Popular ski resorts include Chateau-d’Oex, Gryon and Leysin.

Current market

“The luxury market in the Riviera has been a little quieter over the past two years due to the strength of the Swiss franc,” says Alex Koch de Gooreynd, a partner in European residential sales at Knight Frank.

“However, we are starting to see a higher degree of interest in recent months as clients consider this more picturesque and quieter part of the lake, as opposed to the more expensive area closer to Geneva.”

Geneva is on the opposite side of the lake, about an hour’s drive away. Rail connections are fast and frequent.

Can Australians buy in?

Non-Swiss citizens must live in Switzerland if they want to buy an estate in Clarens. Different rules apply in designated “holiday zones”, such as Montreux, where foreign residents are allowed to buy one property no larger than 200 square metres.

Purchase costs are about 3.5 per cent, de Gooreynd says.

Banks typically offer mortgages of up to 80 per cent of current market value. At least 10 per cent of the deposit must be put down in cash, as opposed to a super fund or other assets.

What you can buy for …

$20.7 million

An elegant eight-bedroom lakeside estate Corseaux, built in the early 1900s and renovated in 2010.

 $7 million

An opulent three-bedroom apartment in central Montreux with towering bookshelves and artisanal finishes.

$6.7 million

A six-bedroom Belle Epoque-style house in Blonay, near Montreux, with sweeping lake and mountain views.