There was a time when Albertville in the Haute-Savoie was a modest French Alpine town enjoying little more than a close proximity to Mont Blanc - just 30km away as the crow flies - and not far from Annecy and its lake.
Then, in 1992, the Winter Olympics arrived in town and it took on a whole new and vibrant existence. New hotels, trendy shops, classy restaurants plus a myriad of winter sports facilities sprung from Albertville’s rocky crust. Consequently, it became one of France’s leading ski resorts where, 25 years on, more and more people are clamouring to invest in its continuing success.
It’s a far cry, too, from those heady days when the winter sports industry was first established there in the 1920s by English and Scottish entrepreneurial skiers.
Founded by the Sardinian monarch, King Charles-Albert of Savoy, Albertville is an absolutely splendid base from which to explore, for example, the Trois Vallées district, claimed to be one of the world’s foremost skiing arenas. Also the posh resorts of Val-d’Isere and Tignes are just a drive away.
No matter what time of year you arrive in Albertville there’s an abundance of good, healthy things to do, which is why many regard it as an exceptional property investment opportunity providing a guaranteed rental income.
From Albertville you can ski and snowboard all-year round on really challenging runs or you can cross-country ski on the extensive, valley plateaus. And when summer arrives and the snows slip away from the lower slopes there is an even wider selection of activities!
There’s walking, hiking, parachuting, karting, golf, climbing, bowling, horse riding, tennis, ice hockey, swimming and many more besides. The town also offers a comprehensive choice of “circuits cyclostouristic” marked out to various levels of difficulty from “flat and undulating” to “sporting or athletic” that will all take you through some pretty stunning surroundings. Then there’s the “lively” confluence nearby of the two rivers Arly and Isère adding a white water dimension to local water sports potential.
But if you just want to stand, stare and explore, as well as the staggering Alpine scenery there on a bluff above the old town are the remains of the11th century Conflans ramparts with its renowned Sarracine Tower plus, close by, the handsome 16th century castle of Manuel de Locatel.
The icing on Albertville’s cake has to be its accessibility! Geneva airport is only 70km away, Chambery is 53km away (35 minutes), Turin is around 105km and Lyon 160km. Or you can board a TGV in Lyon at breakfast time and easily be in Paris for lunch. Alternatively fast, multi-carriageway roads can quickly zip you to your destination.
So it’s small wonder that people flock to Albertville year after year for peace-of-mind, recreation and to embrace that very special sense of fulfilment, which is so much a part of this town’s ambiance.
