Written by Tim Stanley – TOP SPOT FOR NEW SUMMER HOLIDAY HOMES

Close to the highest town in Europe, fortified by France’s foremost military engineer in the seventeenth century, the Marquis de Vauban, new homes to meet the year-round needs of twenty-first century buyers are nearing completion.

Leading developer MGM is working on the final phase of Le Hameau du Rocher Blanc, a development of seven chalets together comprising a total of 78 apartments in the rustic village of Chantemerle, just eight minutes by road from the historic fortress town of Briancon.

Built at an altitude of 1,320 metres above sea level, and one of 300 towns and cities across France whose defences were upgraded by Vauban, Briancon is a year-round attraction with its drawbridges, cobbled steps, squares with fountains, and underground passages.

MGM’s new properties range in size from two-bedroom apartments of 50 sq m to four-bedroom, two-bathroom duplex homes with floor areas of up to 105 sq m. They have pine finishes with tiled and parquet floors, and MGM has exceeded the regulation standards for acoustic and thermal insulation.

Externally, in keeping with MGM’s policy of using local natural materials wherever possible, the chalet buildings are clad in timber and local stone.

Easily accessible from the international airports of Grenoble and Turin – both are less than two hours away by road – Le Hameau du Rocher Blanc appeals to purchasers seeking an Alpine home for summer holidays as well as winter skiing, reports Nathalie Turchet, MGM’s London-based sales manager.

She says: “The development is well-placed for those who enjoy hiking, mountain biking and horse-riding, and it is close to centres for paragliding, white water rafting and fishing.”

Summers in the French Alps frequently are warmer than many people expect, according to Nathalie who says temperatures in Chantemerle can go as high as 30°C in August.

In winter the village links with 12 others to create the ski resort of Serre-Chevalier offering 250 km of piste with slopes at altitudes of up to 2,800 m.

Says Nathalie: “Although Serre-Chevalier is not as well-known as many rival resorts further north, it is gaining in popularity and is set to become one of the biggest names in the French Alps.”

Although many of the new apartments have been sold off-plan, more than 20 remain available for sale under the leaseback scheme introduced by the French Government to make more properties available for tourists.

The properties form part of a residence de tourisme with facilities which will include a heated pool, Jacuzzi and sauna when the scheme is completed at the end of this year.

Current prices of the apartments, which include underground car parking as well as secure cellar storage, ski lockers, and access to a laundry and drying room, start at euros248,000 excluding VAT – which is waived under the leaseback scheme – for a two-bedroom home rising to euros526,000 excluding VAT for a four-bedroom property.

For more information :
MGM French properties
Kingsland House
122 – 124 Regent Street
London W1B 5SA
Telephone 0207 494 0706 in the UK,
01 529015 in the Republic of Ireland
www.mgm-constructeur.com

Media enquiries :
Tim Stanley of
Tim Stanley Public Relations

Tel:01179 625 658