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Properties for sale Lake Annecy

THE SUNDAY TIMES
January 6, 2008
Savoie fair
Helena Frith Powell


New transport links should turn this quiet corner of the French Alps into a property hub - so get in while you can.

Most of the places in France discovered by the British in the 19th century have long since been overrun by their modern-day compatriots - just look at the Riviera. But the Savoie, once a favourite of Queen Victoria's, has remained largely undiscovered. This is set to change, however, because of new transport links that will mean easy access to the region from all over Europe.

Chambéry, the area's capital, has historically been the crossroads of Alpine traffic between France, Italy and Switzerland. The town has good high-speed rail services, which will improve in the next few years, as it will be the mid-point of the Lyon-Turin rail link, due to be completed by 2015 and cutting journey times from four hours to 90 minutes. In December, Annecy, the capital of Haute-Savoie, the neighbouring département, will be linked to Geneva by the new A41 motorway, cutting the drive between the two cities from 45 to 30 minutes. The low-cost carriers Flybe and Jet2 fly to Chambéry, and many more airlines fly to Geneva.

Savoie and Haute-Savoie are in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France, between Burgundy and Provence. They are a relatively recent French acquisition: the country absorbed the territory of Savoy in 1860 as part of the European political manoeuvring that led to the unification of Italy.

Living in the area is a little like living in Switzerland, but with none of the problems Swiss property purchases present to foreign buyers. It is clean, with mountains, more clear lakes than you can shake a stick at, and an incredibly civilised air. Unlike much of France, cars actually stop at zebra crossings.

All this comes at a price, however. Annecy, on the shores of the lake of the same name, has property prices on a par with Paris. The advantages of life there are obvious. Known as the Venice of France, it is a bit like Geneva, but smaller, prettier and more romantic - swans glide around on the canals. [...]

To live out your lakeside dream in a house, you will need even deeper pockets: Agence Clerc, another estate agent, has a beautiful, contemporary 300-square-metre house with 2,200 square metres of gardens on the east side of the lake, with superb mountain and lake views, for sale for £1.5m.

Drive six miles along the shore and you arrive in Talloires, described in several guidebooks as "the most romantic village in France". Prices here are on a par with, if not higher than, Annecy, and lakeside properties rarely come up for sale. [...]