French property in Savoie - Stylish 5 bedroom ski chalet with incredible views in the pretty ski resort of St Martin de Belleville.

From your private drive and parking area you enter into a hall with hanging space, then continue into the spacious open plan main living area where light floods in through the oak framed windows, which have been designed to make the most of the magnificent views.

As your glance sweeps around the living and dining area the central fireplace with wood burning stove takes centre stage, before your eye is caught by the luxurious walnut flooring.

The ultra sleek kitchen is by Poggen Pohl with built in appliances by Miele and Liebherr, including a wine fridge and steam oven. From the breakfast bar you can look out through large floor to ceiling windows which open directly onto the enormous, south facing sunny deck of 35m2 and also the stone terrace at 25m2 with glorious views to le Cochet and la Vallée des Encombres.

The modern conveniences on this floor include underfloor heating, controllable lighting, plugs for satellite TV and fantastic storage space. Also on this floor, is a shower room and a laundry room with space for both a washer and a dryer.

Moving up on to the second floor there are three bedrooms; the large main bedroom at the front has its own balcony with the same superb views and is a lovely light room with beams. There are two further double bedrooms, both a decent size, and one large beautifully finished family bathroom with Jacuzzi bath complete this part of the chalet.

Next you move through to a large (approximately 50m2 ) extension which was originally going to be a separate apartment as it has its own entrance and is currently used as 2 bedrooms but the owners were considering developing it into a large cinema room and a separate office. Or you can simply use it to create more bedrooms and bathroom space – there are plenty of options depending on your requirements. It is in good condition so it is only interior work required.

As the chalet is south west facing it enjoys a lot of sunshine, behind the chalet there are a couple of grazing fields that stretch up the hill and belong to the property, in fact the chalet sits on just over 5,000m2 of its own land, which is unusual for a property so close to the ski lifts. It also has a private drive and garage for 2 cars.

For me this chalet has everything as it provides an equally stunning location in both the summer and winter, so whilst being a superb ski base is also much more than that – a family home, a holiday home and perhaps a rental property also.

SAINT MARTIN DE BELLEVILLE
Picturesque, unspoiled and with endless skiing on tap, St Martin de Belleville is the perfect ski resort if you are looking for a taste of authentic France combined with state of the art skiing.

Clusters of traditional chalets and original Savoyard farmhouses are dominated by the close mountains with chamois and wild boars roaming free in the surrounding forests. St Martin was voted a “Top Ten Picture Postcard resort” by Peter Hardy in the Daily Mail for its pretty, traditional architecture and stunning Alpine scenery, it’s interesting to note that the commune have had the foresight to bury all the electric and phone cabling which means that not only does it have a clean uncluttered look, but you are unlikely to lose power when the snow hits!
Based at 1400m and directly linked into the vast Three Valleys network by an 8 person gondola, it offers unlimited, world-class skiing. As an added bonus Val Thorens, officially the highest resort in Europe is situated at the top of the valley offering great skiing from November to mid-May. St Martin also has some of the best and clearest runs in the Three Valleys; red run Jerusalem is a favourite with many, and the off-piste powder fields have to be experienced to be believed.

In the height of summer during July and August the valley is host to walkers, nature lovers and adventure seekers who arrive to enjoy the traditional and less traditional mountain activities along with the colourful mountain meadows and beauty of the contrasting vibrant green against snow capped mountains. It is also a near neighbour to the Vanoise Park, a protected area of outstanding natural beauty.

The Belleville valley has a lower key nightlife than its glitzy neighbours. Having said that, it boasts two Michelin starred restaurants, one being situated three minutes from St Martin, the other in Val Thorens (boasting the youngest ever chef to be awarded a star). St Martin itself has several friendly bars and restaurants which retain a mountain village atmosphere with prices to match. It seems ideal for ski and mountain lovers looking for an authentic atmosphere a little apart from the crowds, and out of season it still has life and enough year round residents to stop it feeling like a ghost town.

The neighbouring valleys of Meribel and Courchevel have enjoyed considerable growth on property prices over the last decade and the Belleville valley is now experiencing the same kind of impact as skier awareness grows. In particular the popularity of the valley as a place to buy is growing due to the highest resort in the Alps, Val Thorens, being situated at the top of the valley offering some security in these uncertain times as we wait to discover the actual results of global warming.

Type

• Holiday Home
• House
• Ski Chalet

Location

• Village
• Mountains
• Ski resort

Features

• Mains Drainage
• Walking distance to shops
• Garage
• private parking
• detached
• Close to ski resort

Conditions

• Habitable