Situated in the heart of the Three Valleys area, Les Menuires is an affordable and exhilarating ski resort. The resort is set at 1,850 km and features 180 lifts and links directly into the 600 km of piste, with the highest runs starting at 3,230 metres. It is a great spot for families looking to enjoy a memorable stay in the Alps, which, in turn, means it provides an attractive proposition for property investors.
Les Menuires can be described as the blossoming flower of all of the European ski resorts. When it was first founded in 1964, it was regarded as behind the rest of the ‘Les Trois Vallées’ resorts. It competed with the likes of Isola 2000, Flaine and La Plagne to take away the crown of the worst French architecture from the late 60s. Luckily, those days are long gone! Les Menuires has matured into one of the most popular ski spots in the Alps, acting as a mainstream player as a holiday base in Trois Vallées alongside Val Thorens, Meribel and Courchevel.
Living in Les Menuires and things to do
To say living in Les Menuires is enjoyable is an understatement. There is something for everyone to enjoy in this picturesque resort. The resort is located in the Belleville valley of Les Trois Vallées between Val Thorens and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, and the valley enjoys a population of around 3000 in the off-season, which increases to more than 50,000 during ski season. It is operated and owned by Compagnie des Alpes, which is a French company that operates a number of different ski resorts. The ski area at Les Menuires is surprisingly underrated. It actually plays host to some of the greatest intermediate runs, both off and on piste, in the entire Les Trois Vallées.
There are more things to do in Les Menuires than skiing, though. You will also find 62 trails and 48 restaurants in the area. The resort also played a crucial role in the 1992 Winter Olympics, as it hosted the men’s slalom alpine skiing event. There is a range of other winter and outdoor activities to get involved in as well.
You can enjoy skiing in Les Menuires in December, January, February, March, and even in April. If you take a look at the Les Menuires snow report for 2017, you will see that there were 32 snowfall days, and 293 cm of snowfall in total. The biggest snowfall was 50 cm. In terms of the weather report in Les Menuires, weather averages are as follows: lows of -10 to highs of 10 in the winter, and lows of 1 to highs of 20 in the summer. You can get the latest snow and weather reports for Les Menuires here.
Les Menuires and culture
There are many culture-filled activities and events to enjoy in the Les Menuires, and you will find a lot of fun in the surrounding areas too - such as Val Thorens and Saint Martin. Saint Martin, in particular, a very interesting history and heritage, which is certainly worth delving into deeper. One of the main attractions here is the Saint Martin parish church, which boasts outstanding Baroque décor. You can also learn about the story of two centuries of history in La Vallee de Belleville.
Investment potential in Les Menuires
While Les Menuires offers a lot to see and do, you will also be pleased to hear that property in the area is a sound investment. Firstly, you have the affordability of properties in the area. Compared with other ski resorts, Les Menuires offers exceptional value for money. What’s more, there was an intense period of development in Les Menuires in the 1980s, which completely transformed the area into the ski haven we know today. Although this is a number of decades ago, the ski resort has only been on the up ever since, with recent plans for investments currently being developed.
There are also several leaseback programmes available across France. When owners are not staying in their apartments, property managers take care of finding bookings and dealing with all aspects of the rental. With rental returns averaging between 3.6 per cent and 5.2 per cent, you can expect to make a steady return.
Transport to Les Menuires
Getting to Les Menuires is easy. It is situated 112 km from Chambery Airport, which equates to an hour and a half drive. Other airports you can fly into include Lyon St Exupery Airport, Grenoble-Isere Airport, and Geneva Airport, all of which should take you no longer than two and a half hours to reach your ski resort.
In terms of getting to your ski resort, you can hire a vehicle or pre-book with a specialist airport transfer business. Another option is to opt for a fixed fire shared transfer offered by AlpyBus.
A resort that is not only affordable but growing year-on-year, it’s not hard to see why this part of France makes an attractive investment opportunity.
Jan 02, 2024
