with a less dense habitat and larger surfaces

The first opening up of the mountain was favored by the arrival of the tracks from the second half of the 19th century and by summer tourism prized by the bourgeoisie, who came in the stations of average altitude where there were sometimes baths. At the end of that century, winter tourism often begins as hotel accommodation or a cottage built and inhabited by a wealthy family. And the practice of skiing, to stick to the cross-country skiing or ice. In 1924, at the first Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix, tests are not yet considering Alpine skiing. The first lifts appear in the 1930s, chairlifts in the years 1945-1950, as the development and maintenance of ski areas with the damage to tracks, triggering avalanche...

At the same time, the stations are starting to emerge. There is firstly those born around an already crowded village summer, Megève, Morzine, Font-Romeu... so-called first generation, then those of the second generation, as Les Deux-Alpes, Alpe-d'Huez, without real urban organization. It is then the turn of the stations of the third generation, in the image of Courchevel. Often, they are created, with the assistance of the Department, according to a modern plan where accommodation and businesses gather around the tracks. And, from this design, the development in the years 1960-1970 of the stations of the fourth generation so-called integrated, is underway with La Plagne, Arcs, Tignes, les Menuires, Val-Thorens, Avoriaz, Flaine, Superdévoluy, Superbesse... "A decade of high-altitude stations have focused and attracted the enthusiasm of local elected representatives and the administration," says architect Michel Besançon, who participated to the adventure of La Plagne, among others.

Initially, some were very valued by a wealthy clientele who lived in the city in a former habitat, and who have a secondary residence in a building of contemporary architecture was a real change of scenery. Then these stations are densified to meet a popular tourism and economic logic. Among these stations is Avoriaz figure of exception with an architecture that wife the nature on the plateau of Avorea, "the plateau worth nothing", perched at 1,800 metres: "Instinctively need root morphology of site architecture and therefore enter it in the spirit of this huge cliff", said Jacques Labro, one of the three architects of the station. Pari was also taken to dress the buildings with wood and prohibit any traffic. Sustainable development before the hour.

It is also on Avoriaz that was invented and tested the formula of the "new property" as explained Gérard Brémond, Chairman of the Group Pierre and Vacances and promoter of the station: "to achieve a fiscal balance, we needed fresh capital and we have worked on a formula which could live the station throughout the winter and not only during school holidays." At the same time, we have transposed the formula on other sites and the funds required were re-injected in Avoriaz.

After the time of integrated stations, returned the era of the stations-villages Valmorel, of Val Fréjus, seizures, and resort Carroz... with a less dense habitat and larger surfaces.

True luxury, a spa to itself

More surface and more comfort in a chalet building size human and well located to tracks or the centre of the resort, such are the leitmotifs of the purchasers, with requirements similar to a small announcement. Developers not to is wrong, that break for years with the bars or other tricks to build wood-clad cottages offering from 10 to 50 apartments, ground floor, swimming pool, hammam, sauna in classified buildings residence of tourism. "This is a new generation of residences that draws a few years and which corresponds to a desire to live in units on a human scale, livable without each other surfaces, bathrooms or propagated water and ancillary services such as reception, swimming pool..." ", recognizes Line Baudu, Director General of the Lagrange group, commercialisateur.

Present as MGM promoters in a fortnight of Savoy stations go further on some programs offering as services to the map of spas where it comes to be massaged in the bark of orange or wrap in chocolate. More traditional massage with hot stones or reflexology.

After large surfaces, the noble materials and services advocated for some time by this group, what expectations getting ahead In fact, recognizes David Giraud, President of the MGM group, must now "all the parameters of a good buy be met, namely the quality of the apartments and the services offered, but also the infrastructure road or rail or air to arrive in the station, the high-throughput lifts". A true package so that the purchaser succeed his stay, as tenants if he opted for a tourism residence. Some proponents claiming the grand, as Paul one of Vanipaul in Chamonix later: "it does not propose an"a"mountain, broder American true luxury.". It passes by a hammam or sauna in the apartment, a jacuzzi on the terrace, stamped kitchen, suites with bathroom where the stone is tailored, a fireplace, Wi - Fi...

Property to renovate and expand

In the old or of recent purchasers have also their requirements. Not necessarily on services or a design valves but on a good general condition, as summarised in Manuel Garcia, 4-6 of les Menuires Agency, present on all the Belleville Valley: "neighbourhoods in stations prices tend to be smooth." It is the General State of the apartment with. "Trend confirmed in Courchevel by Caroline channel-Mugnier noting that,"in the former, only property in good condition is licensee. "

To return to the circuit some considered modules too tight or uncomfortable, some communities such as les Menuires or Tignes implement financial aid to help the owners to their studio of 1970s standards or are trying to enlarge these surfaces by combining a studio and a two-piece. Not however easy to find on a same level two co-owners ready to cooperate. Some buildings, belonging to institutional and resold somewhat to cutting, are easier to renovate. The Group Pierre and Vacances is committed on this niche, leveraging for the purchasers the two terms to deliver goods to the standards and the taste of the day: buying with work led by the customer and giving rise to deficits in land or the possibility, in residences of Tourism completed before January 1, 1989 and the moment where the amount of work must represent at least 20 of the purchase priceto benefit from a tax reduction of 20 in the limit of 100,000 euros for a couple and 50,000 euros for a single person, divided over six years.