France And Switzerland: The Most Popular Destinations To Buy Ski Properties

snow covered swiss alps with chalets in the foreground
The Covid-19 crisis has done little to curb demand for prime ski properties in top European and U.S. mountain resort markets.

The Covid-19 crisis has done little to curb demand for prime ski properties, especially in Europe and the U.S. On the contrary, the pandemic even encouraged more deep-pocketed individuals to live in luxury resorts.

Fresh air and open spaces are often cited among the top priorities for ski property investors. As the top 1% find ways to isolate in style, many have chosen ski resorts instead of enormous yachts or secluded luxury cabins.

Potential buyers ranked France and Switzerland as the top two destinations to buy ski properties, according to a 2021 research survey. The poll suggested a steady outlook for the global ski property market from 2021 to 2022.

contemporary chalets covered in snow with mountains in background

France and Switzerland are among the top picks among luxury home-buyers.

How Buyers Decide On Purchase Decisions

More than half of the survey’s respondents would use a ski property in France and Switzerland for personal use. Their willingness to invest in personal ski resorts matches a budget of more than EUR 1 million (over US $1.1 million).

Only 20% of prospective buyers with less than EUR 1 million plan to acquire ski properties for personal use. The remaining 80% intend to rent them out whenever they’re away.

France and Switzerland became the top pick for 39% and 41% of respondents, respectively. Austria and Canada joined the top four markets for 2021 and 2022.

Most potential luxury buyers consider three things before a purchase decision:

  • Scenic views
  • High-speed Internet access
  • Outdoor space
mountains sit in the backdrop of a chalet in gstaad, switzerland

Gstaad remains a world-class destination, making it’s real estate among the priciest in all of Switzerland.

Dual-season resorts are also attractive to luxury buyers and investors. It isn’t surprising for them to look for such properties amid the growing threat of climate change.

The five metrics often used to determine the resiliency of a global ski resort include altitude, reliability, length of season, snowfall and temperature.

There are a little over 60 ski resorts in the world that could withstand a changing climate, including in France and Switzerland.

skiing down a mountain in switzerland

Gstaad, the most expensive alpine village in Switzerland, features ski properties with an average per-square-meter price of US $36,000

The Top Ski Resorts In Switzerland

Switzerland’s ski resorts slightly outperformed France based on overall resiliency, price outlook and growth prospects.

Zermatt ranks as the world’s most climate-change-proof resort. Its 3,900-meter summit provides skiers with a conducive, high-altitude glacier experience.

Zermatt’s topography may be its key selling point, but other resorts such as Gstaad truly raise the benchmark for a luxurious ski lifestyle.

Gstaad, the most expensive alpine village in Switzerland, features ski properties with an average per-square-meter price of US $36,000, according to Quentin du Pasquier, FGP Swiss & Alps general manager.

Prime properties in some ski resorts even fetch approximately US $71,000 per square meter.

Monica Lospa, FGP Swiss & Alps real estate partner, said that average prices in Gstaad didn’t drop in the last 40 years. For this reason, the village joined the world’s top five prime ski resorts.

As of October 2021, Gstaad ranked behind Colorado’s Aspen and Vail ski markets, and Courchevel 1850 and Val d’Isère in France.

Fresh air and open spaces are often cited among the top priorities for ski property investors.

The Top Ski Resorts In France

The country’s most climate-change-resilient ski resorts comprised 13 locations led by Tignes, Val Thorens, and Val d’Isère.

Tignes ranked on top because of its high snowfall level from 2019 to 2020 and “low average temperature,” according to the index.

The Courchevel 1850 area, though, commands the most expensive prices per square meter in France. As of October 2021, the top-end price of ultra-prime ski resorts in Courchevel 1850 cost EUR 32,700 per square meter.

Many ski properties in Courchevel cost over EUR 6 million (US $6.8 million). For example, a 400-square-meter chalet in Courchevel Le Praz costs approximately EUR 6.4 million (US $7.4 million).

cable car moving in the swiss alps with snow-covered mountains in background

In Europe, pent-up demand for ski resorts has outpaced the level of construction activity.

In terms of price growth, the 2021-2022 outlook for Chamonix outshines other ski resorts in France.

Prime ski property prices in Chamonix cost EUR 11,000 per square meter as of October 2021, but prices may surge due to a “very undersupplied” market.

Pent-up demand for ski resorts already outpaced the level of construction activity. Still, scarce developable land scarcity and planning restrictions are issues many resort areas still face.

snow covered mountain vistas of the rocky mountains in colorado

In the U.S., Aspen and Vail are two of the most popular mountain resort markets for luxury buyers.

Colorado Dominates The “Ultra-Prime” Ski Market

The U.S. only had two ski resorts among the top ultra-prime markets in the world for 2021-2022.

Those two locations, however, rank as the top two ski resorts and they’re both in Colorado. Aspen and Vail emerged on top once again primarily because of consistent demand among Americans, despite rising prices.

Ultra-prime ski properties in Aspen cost up to $61,500 (about EUR 54,400) per square meter as of October 2021. Prime ski properties’ per-square-meter price amounted to $33,360 (about EUR 29,500) per square meter.

vail luxury home with mountains in background

While most ski resorts in Colorado don’t have extended seasons, some places with short queues for ski lifts effectively manage vacation crowds.

In Vail, ultra-prime and prime properties cost up to $46,700 (EUR 41,300) per square meter and $28,500 (EUR 25,200) per square meter, respectively.

While most ski resorts in Colorado don’t have extended seasons, some places with short queues for ski lifts effectively manage vacation crowds.

Property experts at Slifer, Smith & Frampton Real Estate note that, when it comes to Colorado’s resort markets, location is still king: buyers are more likely to buy a property if it’s a short walk from ski lifts.

Are you more interested in European and U.S. ski resorts? Visit FGP Swiss & Alps and Slifer, Smith & Frampton Real Estate to learn more about the best ski properties in France and Switzerland.

Author

Randolf Santos has covered different segments of the real estate industry since 2014. He worked at S&P Global Market Intelligence before joining Forbes Global Properties as a contributor.

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