Despite the spectre of shrinking glaciers and unpredictable snowfall, a ski property in the French Alps remains a popular investment. Prices in these areas have climbed sharply in recent years – in the Haute-Savoie, they have increased by an average of 26pc over the past five years, according to Meilleurs Agents.
The number of Britons house-hunting in France has surged six-fold since a law granting second home owners from the UK an “automatic” right to remain in the country for six months was passed.