Blogspot
Mountain smiles, alpine air, living the quiet life.
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We all remember Bladerunner and its depiction of urban city life in a distant and barely fathomable 2019 (at least there was no covid), alien looking, dark and incomprehensibly wet with these bioengineered, organic creations who battle to find a permanent place whilst hiding amongst the ‘gen-pop’ of us humans. Harrison Ford might not get…
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The alpine property market is rewriting the rules of luxury real estate and while many global prime markets slowed in the years since the pandemic, smart investors meanwhile took their seasonal escapes and transformed them into a permanent lifestyle. Topping those charts, the Alps is by far France’s best performing region. A momentum fuelled by…
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When you have decided to buy a property in France as a rental investment, it is essential to take into account the taxation regimes applicable to rental properties. Among those available to the buyer, the para-hotel regime allows value added tax (VAT, or TVA in French) to be reclaimed upon completion of the acquisition. Whilst…
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As Chamonix led the way in imposing a ban on new build for second home use under Local Urban Planning Laws (PLU) and with their focus on 90% of new development being for primary year-round residences by 2035, what does this mean for the Rhone-Alpes region in general? New development arrives every spring in Val…
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The snow returned just before Halloween (26/10) here in the Alps. So while pumpkins were still being carved and scary outfits being created, what was left of the greens, browns and yellows that thrilled the senses for a month or so, having now been instantly and silently expunged. By contrast the new canvas is monotonal,…
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Geographically, Val d’Isere provides a nest from which to easily navigate the wider area of Rhone Alpes, Switzerland, Italy and the Cote d’Azur. Some local neighbourhood highlights include Annecy, Milan, Turin and Monaco. Road connections put these within a half day drive, or for those whose time is at a premium, there are good heli…











