Haute-Savoie was part of the Duchy of Savoy, annexed by France in 1860 as part of the agreements that led to the creation of modern Italy.
The department, which has international borders with Switzerland and Italy, is famous for having the summit of Mont Blanc, which at 4,806 metres – a figure most French people learned by heart at school – is the highest mountain in western Europe.
It is also known for the lakeside resorts of Annecy, nicknamed ‘Pearl of the French Alps’ and situated on Lake Annecy, and Thonon-les-Bains on Lake Geneva, in the north of the department.
The French town closest to Geneva, Annemasse, is popular with people who work in Switzerland but live in France.
For all its mountains, the department has reasonable road links: the A41 connects Annecy with Geneva, for example, while the A40 takes drivers to the Mont Blanc Tunnel and into Italy, from where they can continue on the A5 to Turin.
International air links are mainly through Geneva or the smaller Chambéry-Savoie Airport in neighbouring Savoie.
TER trains from Annecy provide links with the TGV network at Lyon or Mâcon, and also south to Chambéry, where it is possible to catch trains to Turin.
Haute-Savoie has seen its population double since the 1970s, with many newcomers lured by the beautiful settings.
However, the department’s snowy winters and the government’s tighter restrictions on properties with poor energy performance mean DPE ratings (diagnostic de performance énergétique) are likely to play an increasingly important role in determining prices in coming years.
For now, they continue their upward trend.
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In part this is due to the population pressure, in part due to more people seeking second homes after the Covid lockdowns. And then there is the not-insignificant fact that getting a builder halfway up a mountain costs more than if they simply have to pop along to the next village.
Under €50,000
Private plot with a view over Lake GenevaHauts Sommets Immobilier
Cheap houses are hard to find in Haute-Savoie – as is shown by this first and only listing for properties under €50,000 on a large web platform.
For some, a 36m² furnished mobile home on a 200m² private plot with a view over Lake Geneva in the commune of Lugrin will do nicely.
The space is divided into three bedrooms, and there is a 25m² wooden terrace outside the home, looking out over the water.
In need of complete renovationAravis International
Called ‘Le Tour’, this is an old, small, semi-detached property in the commune of Faverges-Seythenex.
It is in need of complete renovation, starting with the roof and extending down to the cellar, in spite of its €147,000 asking price.
However, the setting provides a lovely view of the mountains and there is enough distance before the modern housing estate on its boundary for the sellers to promise “absolute tranquility”.
There is even a small garden of 1,137m² – a luxury in mountain areas where flat ground is at a premium.
At present the 58m² living space is divided into two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen.
Has a small cinema, an office, a gym, a hamman and a saunaMountain-Base.com
This architect-designed chalet in the commune of Les Houches in the Chamonix Valley was built in 2015 and has 352m² of living space, four bedrooms and magnificent mountain views for an asking price of €4,490,000.
For that figure you can also enjoy a small cinema, an office, a gym, a hamman and a sauna to take away your aches and pains after a long day on the slopes.
There is a two-car garage – with storage for your skis as well. In addition, a paved turning circle is large enough to accommodate four cars.
The DPE rating is A thanks to geothermal heat pumps, supported when necessary with a stylish fireplace in the lounge, and triple-glazed windows to soak up those snow scenes without putting on a coat. Covered terraces also provide stunning views.
A landscape designer was brought in to perfect the small 1,577m² garden.
