Val d'Isère

Background

Located in a steep mountain valley, for many centuries Val d’Isère consisted of a small village where the  long winters and altitude of 1850m made life and work a struggle. In the early 20th century a few small hotels had sprung up in the area to welcome the botanists and walkers who visited in the summer months. In 1929 Jacques Mouflier came across the village and, realizing its potential as a winter resort, convinced the hotels to open for the winter. He began redeveloping the area despite the misgivings of those who thought that the precarious position of the village and its location far away from the larger towns and cities would be unlikely to attract tourists. In 1936 the first drag lift was built and in 1937 the construction of the road linking nearby Bourg Saint Maurice to Italy improved access to Val d’Isère and the surrounding area.

After World War II the resort became globally recognized and produced a number of skiing champions which raised its international profile. The town was revamped in the 1980’s in preparation for the 1992 Winter Olympics for which the demanding Face de Bellevarde run was used for the men’s downhill race.

Now after more than 80 years Val d’Isère continues to be one of the premier ski resorts in Europe and hosts several high profile competitions including the annual Critérium de la Premiere Neige which is part of the Ski World Cup circuit. The combination of the picturesque old town, excellent skiing facilities and wide range of both winter and summer activities make it one of the best-loved areas of the French Alps.  The challenging runs make it one of the best destinations for advanced skiers while the off-slope activities and active social scene are also a draw for non-skiers with the town being pretty and lively enough to offer plenty to do year-round.

Val d’Isère’s principal appeal is its proximity to one of the most beautiful ski areas in the world, the Espace Killy, which offers over 300km of ski runs over 90 lifts and is named after the Olympic medal winner Jean-Claude Killy who grew up in Val d’Isère. The valley itself sits in a bowl surrounded by mountains and is split into several small ‘hamlets’ with the central area, often called Val Village, being the heart of activity. The cosy village atmosphere is emphasized by the traditional wood and stone chalets and the pretty baroque church of Saint Bernard de Menthon, which dates from 1664 is the venue for the annual Classicaval music concerts.

Profile

Buying a property in Val d’Isère guarantees unlimited access to the Espace Killy, one of the premier ski destinations in the world. Although the entire valley is quite small and therefore the number of available properties is limited compared to other resorts, nonetheless there is a range of different property types available in the hamlets of Val d’Isere. The area of La Daille which remains a little detached from the village, has its own ski lift. It offers mainly apartments of varying sizes in large, newly constructucted, residential complexes which tower over the entrance to the valley.

In the centre of the town there are apartments and wooden chalets, some of the most beautiful chalets are situated in the higher parts of the village towards Bellevarde. Probably the best chalets in the whole valet are located in the picturesque hamlet of Le Fornet. Although building permission is rare, it is sometimes possible to find and buy new luxury chalets.