Robbie Williams

It seems that Robbie Williams isn't the only Brit looking for lazier days somewhere other than the UK.

News that the ex Take that star has tried America and now may go off to Australia, well, You win some you lose some. Hmm... Burger King in exchange for the Barby.

None of that for me, but maybe some fromage and some vin blanc .

Robbie, come to France - my local warbling hole is looking for a new lead man to front their recently formed boy band, they are thinking of calling it.

Prend ça.

You'll have No regrets if you come to France!

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Rainbow but no bungle

It just gets better and better,

this is what I woke up to this morning.

Couldn't find my camera so all three of my last shots have been shot on my 2meg iphone.

Don't think they are too bad

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Snow - gets you thinking about ski passes

Forget meerkats compare my Moles!

I took this one this morning.

I took this one on the 31/10

While we are on the subject of price comparisons here is a useful little guide to ski areas around here.

Based on daily passes and comparing €/km it might help you decide where to head this winter - if price is your driver of course!

Chamonix 0.36
Les Houches 0.60
Domaine Evasion 0.08
Les Contamines 0.26
Grand Massif 0.15

So that makes Les Houches the most expensive and Domaine Evasion the best value!

But the trouble with meerkats is they only look at the numbers, the only way to compare it really is on skis!!

For linked kilometres it has to be the Grand Massif.

Simplesssh


Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Mer de nouage and a bit of autumn colour

See more images like this one above at http://www.chaletdoctors.com/detailedwebcam.php?id=2

Not bad to wake up to this morning.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

The colours of autumn in the French alps

Every year I ask myself why go to New England or for that matter Canada to see this, not that I a humble and hardworking estate agent would or could have the time to do so.

I am not talking about a junket or even a conference but of course to take in the stunning leaf colours of autumn.

Every hyperbole known to man could be used to describe the different hues now apparent, but my descriptive abilities would never do justice to the nuances of reds, yellows, mauves and purples here in the French alps.

Something to do with the exceptionally dry summer? Don't know, don't mind.

A feast for the eyes - this a part of the Criou, Samoens.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Knee trembler

My colleague Danielle rang me last night to say that the earth had moved for her. My riposte was that I wasn't sure that I should be privy to that sort of information, her husband, being as he is in blighty working away at whatever he does.

All made clear, the earth really had moved.

One of those regular tremors typical of the French alps and the Haute Savoie. A 2.8 or 3.5 richter earthquake depending on who you believe. See map.

The Haute Savoie is a seismic zone as you will know if you have bought property here, it always comes up in one of the sales pack surveys (obligatory under French law) the beautifully named etat des risques naturelle et technologique.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Alpine farm for renovation

As far as half alpine farms goes this one ticks the following boxes.

Week end retreat

Great views

Cheap

Good so far?

Looks OK from this angle too.

Even has air conditioning!

OK so you can't have everything.

But 25,000€ gets you this property plus 10,000m² of land in various parcels.

Estimate 50,000€ of work to make a basic alpine property.

One of those posh japanese style wooden outdoor baths from Megeve for a bit alfresco ho ho ho.

A bottle of bubbly or three.

Lovely.

OK you don't have to do the middle bit, but the renovation is achievable at that price and you get a great bit of mountain for under 100,000€.

Beat that.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

First frost of the year in Mont Saxonnex

I had to break the ice for the animals this morning.

-1 °c according to the temperature thingy.

Stove and central heating system fully stocked up with wood and burning away merrily.

I am off to see a chalet d'alpage in Solaison in a mo'.

Thermals on!

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Twitter and Facebook

www.chaletdoctors.blogspot is now feeding Twitter and Facebook.

Yippee.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Geneva - an easy commute

Well if you work in Geneva but want to LIVE in the French alps then you couldn't go too far wrong with this beautiful farm dating from 1850. I think it is the biggest farm I have seen so far. 600m² possible sitting on over - 6,000m² of constructible land. A small amount of work is needed to finish off this renovation - but already tastefully completed is a lovely 150m² property with a new heating and electrical system, lovely kitchen with Lacanche range, large sitting room with open fire. Lots of old beams, exposed stone and original features. There are 3 existing bedrooms but plans for two more plus en suite and a there is still a ruin to be converted plus the 450m² left in the house.

With land values at 130€/m² grab yourself a bargain.

Price is 795,000€ but that is the value of the land! Worth every penny.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Camping cars

For most motorists only slightly less annoying than a slow moving tractor or an even more slowly moving caravan, more and more people are turning to them as an alternative to hotels and the French are opening their arms wider to the phenomena.



The latest ski resort to throw down the welcome mat is Praz des Lys, in the Haute Savoie - they have just announced a new revamped camping car aire. It comes complete with a slight camber, not too many puddles, a poubelle and a man in a yellow jacket.


If you would like to know the truth about places to park your bus in the Haute Savoie or the rest of France then have a look at this site, you might even let the grey landrover passed next time you are crawling up the hill.



Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Chalet d'alpage

Originally used as a base in the summer for families looking after their cattle in the verdant pastures of the high alps, these alpage properties are set high in the mountains all over the French alps. They exemplify what is known as transhumance i.e. the mass movement of people and animals in earlier times toing and froing to summer pastures and back to lower climes before winter sets in.

Nowadays they serve as weekend retreats, a bit of a 'get away from it all' type property. They can be remote and are often quite basic with an outside toilet, solar panels for electricity if you are lucky, a wood burning cooker and spring water. 4X4 access in summer and snow shoe/touring ski access in winter.

No nipping off to the shops every 5 minutes when you have forgotten your teabags.

This one is bonzer, at 1200m, with views of Mont Blanc. 115,000€ will buy you this small piece of your own mountain.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Hotel de Ville

UK tourist trapped in French hall

Dannemarie's hotel de ville is one of the town's most impressive buildings

A British tourist has spent a night trapped in a French town hall after mistakenly thinking she could book a room at the "hotel de ville".

The hapless female visitor arrived in the Alsace town of Dannemarie on Friday and tried to find a bed for the night.

Spotting the impressive-looking "hotel de ville", the tourist popped in to use the toilet before trying to check in.

But as she was in the convenience, officials finished a meeting, left the town hall and locked its door.

The solitary traveller, said to be in her 30s, ended up with the inconvenience of spending the night on chairs in the building's lobby.

'Je suis fermer ici'

The woman tried calling for help and switching the town hall lights on and off to attract attention, Dannemarie's mayor, Paul Mumbach, told the BBC.

But her plight went unnoticed until Saturday morning when a passer-by noticed a message she posted on the inside of one of the building's glass doors.

"The note said 'Je suis fermer ici. Est ce possible moi la porte ouvrir?' (I am to close here. Is it possible me the door to open?)" said Mr Mumbach.

"The woman did not speak very much French, but she did make it clear that the next night she would find a proper hotel to sleep in," he said.

Dannemarie is a small town of some 2,500 people near the Swiss and German borders, but the nearest open hotel is in the neighbouring town, said the mayor.

Thanks to the BBC for this one it doesn't need me to add anything at all, except to question how she could have spent so long in the convenience!!

Miles Jefferson

www.chaletdoctors.com

For all your property needs in the French alps

Le Chinaillon

If you are looking for another nice place to eat then you can't go too wrong with the Restaurant La Bouillotte. Taking the wrong way round from Mont Saxonnexe to Annecy we went via the Col de la Colombiere and emerging from the clouds we stopped in Le Chinaillon and were made very welcome.

I had the Diots a local sausage done with pine needles (ecorce de sapin) which although unusual was really good. Nice fresh carrots and mash too.

A splash of red and we were back on our way to Annecy.

5 adults and two kids (adult appetites) with soft drinks and a pichet came to 90€ which I don't think is too bad.

Try it!

Restaurant La Bouillotte
Immeuble l'Aguille Verte
74450
Le Chinaillon
04 50 27 04 22

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Views of the Aguille de Midi and down to Chamonix

We drove up to Bionnassay today along apparently an old route into Italy. The steep and winding road (as the warning signs say) brings you into this delightful hamlet which nestles within spitting distance of the Bionnassay glacier and Mont Blanc itself.

However we were here to have a bit of exercise and, wanting to avoid the extortionate fares on the tramway du mont blanc, were en route to the col de voza. Just above bionnassay there is a carpark, where you can leave your car and a donkey rental station (more on that later). The route is clearly signposted and you won't get lost, but you need strong legs and lungs as it is a steep pull of 25 minutes.

On the way you may pass several people attached to donkeys (or was it the other way around?) as you can apparently hire them for the afternoon or even longer. my observation was though that they all seemed very good at not wanting to move.

This one especially seemed to be one to steer well clear of. Roxanne she is called and we heard her name being called increasingly loudly.

A great example of French donkey mime here at the air courant a nice little drinkery at the col.

See pic below.




The altitude here is 1653 metres but the sun is strong so bring plenty of water. You could even hire a donkey to carry it for you.



Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Tour de France

The valley has been abuzz with excitement as the Tour de france is here today, the col de la Colombiére is the piece de resistance, the icing on the cake. Of the 5 mountain climbs today it is perhaps the best known.

Half the day is given over to the Tour, you may think that within an hour its gone through but all the sponsors rush by throwing trinkets to the kids, all the back up vehicles hare through at breakneck speed, then hospitality vehicles, police, then more police and then, like the calm before the storm, a period of expectation is observed and finally the Tour is heralded by the whop whop of helicopter blades and soon the riders appear.

Many nationalities line the roads and verges, emotions run high, all bike nuts to a man or woman or kid.

Questions and chit chat flow
- Is Bradley Wiggins his real name?
- Will Contador maintain the lead in the mountain stages?
- Is it Lance's dad who made it to the moon?

The Tour is mayhem, madness and mountains today. Long may it continue, no controversy please and no pellets.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Le Lavancher

Le Lavancher is a little hamlet in an elevated position which, if you head to Argentiere from Chamonix, you access by a turn off to the right just before the avalanche protection on the main road. 6 Km from Chamonix and 3 Km from Argentière it is situated at an altitude of 1250 m. Located in a sunny little valley at the foot of the Aiguilles of Chamonix and facing the Argentière valley, Le Lavancher is 60 or so houses packed into this typical hamlet of the Haute-Savoie region.

Being sandwiched between Chamonix and the definitive off piste resort of Argentiere (Grand Montets); it is pricey, but worth it; as it is a quiet location away from the hustle and bustle of those two places In effect situated in a cul de sac, the road peters out into mountain trails and it is an equally popular summer walking and mountaineering location with a core of year round inhabitants.

We have a semi - detached farm, in need of complete renovation for sale here. Although it currently has no planning permission, we know that it can be renovated; semi detached as lots of properties are in Le Lavancher . It is centrally located, huge, with consequent - enormous potential.

Note that parking is an issue in the hamlet but the mairie has created public parking spaces just opposite the farm on the road - and there is the possibility to create a garage on the farm property itself.

As a guide to prices in the area, the farm next door, is on the market for just under 2,000,000€, although it is detached it has only been partly renovated so that gives you an idea of the values there.

Grab yourself a bit of mountain structure!

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Plateau de Solaison

Between the Pointe d'Andey(1877m) and the Roschers des Leschaux (1986m)
lies the Plateau de Solaison. At around 1500 metres it is a popular spot with the French and Swiss judging by the number of cars parked outside the several Savoyarde restaurants located there.

Having said that it is still a peaceful and quiet spot, we picnicked there yesterday and we saw three plants of interest and heard not a thing.





Dactylorhiza Majalis or the Marsh Orchid (above) and Gentiana Verna or the Spring Gentian (right)



Also this plant taxidermy Chemise try as he might he couldn't take off and eventually gave up.





















Just before lunch I hiked up to the Serreau to the west of the Pointe d'Andey, it is a precipitous cliff and not for the vertiginous but a relatively easy walk up. Great views of the Arve valley and down towards Geneva, you can see the Jura mountains and the Saléve from there.

Max enjoyed the day out too (you can see the Pointe d'Andey in the back ground)

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Chamonix farmhouse for sale

Dating from 1828 and tastefully renovated, this beautiful savoyarde farmhouse has 5 bedrooms, 4 bath/shower rooms, wine cellar, sauna and 1,500m² of land.

Situated in the village of Servoz there is also an annexe of 160m² to renovate.

Price €1.8million and worth every penny.

For more details contact
Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French

Cascade de l'Arpenaz

This spectacular waterfall in the French alps will have been seen by many of you from the A40 just after Cluses or Sallanches depending on your direction.

Close to the proposed new lift* from the bottom of the Arve valley to Flaine in the Grand Massif, it is worth a close up. There are picnic tables and many a barbecue has been had there, the water has a cooling effect and on a hot day it is a fab spot to escape the heat of the sun.

* This new link if it happens will be helped if Annecy gets the 2018 winter olympics, so we at chaletdoctors say go Annecy.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Kenton Cool makes it to the summit of Everest for the Seventh time

Kenton Cool our neighbour and friend has made it seven summits, having made it to the top of the world for the seventh time.

Oh and he dragged some old geezer called Sir Ranuph Fiennes up there too.

Awesome Kenton, well done - safe return.

By the way your grass needs cutting!

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Cluses, Haute Savoie

Cluses has changed somewhat from the description given by Thomas Cook in his Traveller's handbook of Switzerland and Savoy dated 1922 which I acquired recently.

Describing it then as being on the right bank of the Arve river and chiefly inhabited by watchmakers and overshadowed by the Brezon precipices. Cluses is characterised by the booming of cannon "to awaken the echoes".

I am not sure if you could hear the echoes let alone wake them these days as the autoroute takes no prisoners, but the watch making history is still evident in the watchmakers museum still open to the public.

Certainly the expertise in watchmaking, albeit translated into light engineering now is testament to what Cook saw back at the turn of the century.

Now, Cluses is one of the main towns in the Arve Valley, situated at the foot of the northern French Alps and beneftiting from its great location less than 45mins from Geneva, Italy, Chamonix and Annecy. It is also the centre of the Faucigny region which is renowned for its fantastic ski resorts many just a short drive from the centre of Cluses.

Some people might recognise the name if they had taken note of the odd road sign on their way up to Chamonix or Megeve and particularly if they were heading off to the Grand Massif or Portes du Soleil ski resorts as you would have to turn off the A40 autoroute at Cluses to get to the latter two.

A bit of a thoroughfare as a consequenceof this proximity to one of the main arterial routes in France, it is characterised the Arve river rushing through it and by a decent enough square. But it is a sad fact that you can never really get away from the traffic, however if you are on the way through and do feel peckish then there are two reasons to stop.

The Chiangmai, 8 Rue Joseph-Nicollet, 0450891200 is a decent Thai restaurant with a friendly owner and he also does his food more to the British not French taste (i.e.spicier). I had the Tom Yam soup 8.50€ and the Nouille Sauté (Pad Thai) at 6€. It is just along from the square.

The 8th May in the road of the same name is also run by a friendly husband and wife team and its decent simple food and rapid friendly service is worth noting. With daily specials and its steak and chips it is a good excuse like the Chiangmai to break your journey. But don't go there on the 8th May- it is closed!

What's more you can nip off the A40 at junction 18 and back on at 19.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Spring animal fair in Arenthon

Arenthon is a sleepy little village between Bonneville and Geneva in the French alps. But each year it comes out of its skin, a bit like this whole cow which had volunteered itself for roasting.

Each year it has a fair and today was the day when Savoyardes celebrated being Savoyarde, but also invited the rest of France to the party too.

Beasts, beer and bonhomie with Savoyardes doing what they do naturally.

Here making eau de vie, in this case from plum wine.

From winning a piglet by guessing its weight to admiring the Massey Ferguson tractors; to sampling Corsican sausage and ham, Breton oysters, Champagne and locally produced feuillete d'escargot. Something for all.

130 stalls of French produce await you plus the lines of working horses and beef cattle made the village of Arenthon a far from sleepy place on this spring sunday.

Animals galore - goslings, ducklings or rabbit for the smallholding, poney rides. Plenty for kids big or small.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Spring - a new take on coq au vin

A few weeks ago it was the primroses and cowslips lower down the mountains, now the turn of the crocus. White, purple and violet carpets stretch across great swathes of newly uncovered mountain pasture.
The first swatch of colour to appear just after the snow has gone, even before the vivid greens of new grass, these flowers signal the end of winter and appear as the last dirty avalanches tumble off the mountains.

New life is everywhere and spring is in the air!

And this is the time for chicks too, this one is a day old and one of ten I hatched over the weekend.

A cross between a Sussex and a French Blanche (meat bird) soon it will be swimming in the wine!

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

www.chaletdoctors.com

Well we did it, our new site is live. Not the murmuring heartbeat that was the old chaletdoctors but the tub thumping be all and end all Brian Blessed deep basso profundo version - we hope.

If you see differently please, please let us know.

Hopefully you'll like it, if you don't you'll tell us about it!

Thanks to Jill in particular for all her efforts in pointing out all the silly errors we made.

If you spot any more - I am hiding the wine!

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

A plethora of primroses 'partout'

Alitteration I know but this is littering of a natural kind, the French alps are awash with primroses this year. I don't know if the severe season has had anything to do with it but I have never seen so many before.

Like a gradual creep of herbivorial custard they are rising up the mountains and so we get to enjoy them in degrees of altitude.

Now in the valley they will soon be with us in plenty.

One can't have too many ps and you can't have too many primroses either.

Miles Jefferson
http://www.chaletdoctors.com/
For all your property needs in the French alps

Husky Bar/Restaurant Les Contamines

Les Contamines, is a sleepy ski town at the end of the season, although the resort is still open until the 24th it is beginning to slow down.

Still has great skiing though as it has stayed cold.

When you're in town and if you need something good and simple for lunch then try the Husky bar and restaurant. Don't be put off by the workers in there it's a good sign. We had the daily special of Roast pork in a rich mushroom sauce with a paté to start and a creme caramel to finish. 13.50€ pp

Not bad and nice views too.

Give it a go.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

And a little bit later..........

must be the vin rouge!!!

Kate Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Before and after

Blue skies in Brevent

Shut eyes in Mont Saxonnex

A warm, but great day in the valley of chamonix is clearly too much for Grant.

Or was it the Vin rouge?

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Le Ty Mad

Haute cuisine it isn't but it is in the Haute Savoie.

Saint Gervais les Bains to be precise.

If you want a quick bite, something non Savoyarde on your French ski break or holiday in the French alps then try a Ty Mad cheese burger.



They are tasty, filling, reasonably priced and come with optional home made chips.

€6 for the burger and €2.50 for the chips. I think that is pretty good.
Simple fare, served simply; quick, unpretentious food.

And, if you can get a smile out of the proprietor then you are a better man than me.

Don't let that put you off though, he doesn't bite.

The Ty Mad is 200 metres from the Bettex cable car in Saint Gervais at 873 Avenue Mont d'Arbois.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Water, water everywhere...

To steal a few lines from the ancient mariner....

Had the old salt avoided albatrosses and stuck to water when he was knocking around on his boat he might have been struck, had he been a linguist, by the similarities in Europe of the names of certain types of strong drink.

Apart from Britain which distilled a strong flavoured alchohol (Gin) because the water was poisonous, drinking it as a preference to the H²O variety, to stay alive . The Irish, Scots, French, Scandinavians and Slavic nations all brewed up something called water but which in fact was alchohol.

Did you know that whisky in old Irish means water of life as does the French "eau de vie." Aquavit to the Danes is the very same thing and the peoples of Poland, Russia etc. when they knock back too much Vodka, might be forgiven for being unable to recall where the K came from and why they are getting so blathered on the clear stuff, as Voda means water in Slav.

And does this explain why the Brits all get pissed so much as we were brought up on Gin?

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Knee deep powder to knee deep poo

It started so well. This is Chris with lots of powder to burn.






This is me knee deep in the white stuff, little did I know that my sunday afternoon would be spent unblocking my fosse septique.
Still, musn't grumble - much.

Sorry about the twig, I don't have any video editing software.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Does this say it all?

a picture is worth a thousand words

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

France Uselesscom

It had to happen, France Telecom. Step forward you have risen above EDF in inefficiency.

Anyone would think this chap was in charge.


French utilities................ Couldn't care less monopolies.

How often do you have a coronary when dealing with them - answer - everytime.

How many times do you need to make an appointment to get a phone line - 3

How many hours do you waste getting the appointment - 9

How satisfied do you feel - 0

Would you do it again if you could avoid it - 0

3900 give it a try - your path to frustration, raised blood pressure and a very quick way to waste your time.

Try it, you may even speak to someone before they cut you off.

Given a choice I would rather not but we do this so you don't have to.


Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Snowing in the Alps

at least it is near me, 850metres in altitude and we are blessed by the isotherm.

I think I will do an early tour in the morning and grab first tracks.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Bear spotted in the mountains

Or was it a bare?
It is a real shame that this wasn't a boarder
or bare der - OK that's enough Miles.

Ooh the indignity. Bet his crotch was around the knees when he was the right way up. Serves him right for going for the rubbish, too baggy look.

Sympathitically, never happened to me - yet.

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps

Le Chantier

Or in English the building site, but I reckon it sounds better in French.

Le Chantier is a small bistro bar in Mont Saxonnex in the Haute Savoie at the foot of the pistes on the route du front de niege. Recently taken over by the Periers from the south of France, it has good wholesome food, quick efficient service and a warm welcome.

We are fortunate that Le Chantier has been taken over by Max and his wife.

Good luck and thanks to you both.

Give it a try - you know it makes sense.

Le Chantier, route du front de neige, 74130, Mont Saxonnex

+33 450 965 779

Miles Jefferson
www.chaletdoctors.com
For all your property needs in the French alps