Selected by Roddy Aris, Associate Partner at Knight Frank International, as one of the best French ski resorts still offering good value-for-money, the resort of Les Houches sits just below Chamonix. Far from being its ancillary neighbour, Les Houches has its own ski area with over 55km of slopes including the famous Kandahar run, ski school, cross-country trails, ice-rink, hotels, restaurants, bars, supermarkets, shops, school, cinema, spa and is only 10 minutes to Chamonix and an hour from Geneva airport. With the abundance of snow, Les Houches just had its best winter season in years and being lower and more sheltered than its Chamonix counterparts – it is the resort that quite often remains open when other valley resorts are forced to close due to bad weather.
The Mont Blanc Unlimited Pass allows winter sports enthusiasts access to all the Chamonix resorts, Les Houches and the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area as well as to 3 other internationally famous ski resorts. There has been talk of a future collaboration between Les Houches and St Gervais which would open up almost 300km of slopes but as of yet this is unconfirmed.
Les Houches also features as a summer resort and offers a host of activities including hiking and biking trails, tennis courts, climbing, horse-riding and children’s summer camps. We are not the only ones to see the attraction of this pretty village – The Rockypop Hotel, an antidote to the traditional Alpine hideaway, opened in December 2016 and is not only a successful hotel but also the social hub for Les Houches’ locals. As is Le Solerey Brewpub, a recently opened brewhouse serving its own beer and home-smoked food.
At the moment, property in Les Houches is significantly cheaper than in Chamonix and offers a wide range of accommodation from slope-side chalets, renovation projects, apartments and new-builds such as the recent Les Trabets development and MGM apartments.
From a local’s perspective, Les Houches is the perfect base for family life. Charlie Dale, a professional photographer and owner of Chalet 1802, has lived in Les Houches with her family for over 15 years and wouldn’t be anywhere else. ”It’s the perfect blend of community, adventure and fun. Both my children are schooled here and my favourite time is the summer where we get the sun in the garden from sunrise to sunset.”
For more information and for all our properties in Les Houches, visit our website
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