"Life begins at 40" or so the saying goes, a maxim that surely applies to the Flaine ski resort in the heart of the French Alps in Haute-Savoie.

In the early 1960‘s, Eric Boissonnas realised his poetic vision of an avant-garde ski resort in the Bauhaus style, creating a very modern dialogue between man and nature. But all things age. The question was would Flaine crumble in the Alps?

There is no danger of that since Canadian developers Intrawest stepped in with their ambitious plans to inject a new lease of life into the resort. Encouraged by their success with the sold-out project "Arc 1950 Le Village", completed and inaugurated in December 2007, the company is well-advanced in its plans to establish "Flaine Montsoleil", an exclusive village of around 500 apartments only 1 hour away from Geneva International Airport. The first residence “Les Terrasses d’Eos”, consisting of 161 apartments (1 to 5 bedrooms), will be completed by December 2008. February 2008 will see the final phase of the launch, making available the last units of Les Terrasses d’Eos for sale.

Flaine is recognised as boasting a range and quality that make its ski area one of the best in France. The resort is renowned for its exceptional snowfall as well as its snow quality and the site is located on the sunniest flank of the valley, offering a panoramic 180° view - with the entire Mont Blanc Massif, no less, as backdrop. The ski forums sing the praises of the venue - "I went to Flaine a few years ago and I had one of the best weeks skiing ever! I was literally skiing in powder up to my chest for most of the week - unforgettable! " (www.j2ski.com)

This year there was an exceptionally early snowfall. Intrawest’s Stephanie Schenk said, "The early snowfall has started people thinking about ski real estate early this year and is a very good thing for us. It will certainly help sell our last remaining properties in Les Terrasses d’Eos in February".

Intrawest’s architects have put the company’s signature on the resort while retaining its historical heritage connection. They have designed housing and commercial properties that blend into nature. The resort continues to host exhibitions and summer residencies for some of Europe’s leading music schools, retaining the important echoes of its artistic past. Stephanie pointed out that this is part of Intrawest’s strategy. "We go to great lengths to incorporate the cultural heritage and transpose the original vision into a resort. For instance, the interior design theme for Les Terrasses d’Eos was painting" .

Flaine Montsoleil will have a more modern architectural language, unifying it with the listed buildings from the 1960s. Entirely pedestrian, low stone walls will punctuate the streets.  Flaine Montsoleil will have its own club that will be responsible for activities and events in the resort. "It’s vital that that there is always a feeling of life and action in the village".

Flaine Montsoleil stands out from the other resorts, not just because it is blessed with such excellent snow for skiing. "It is a ski-in, ski-out pedestrian resort which is exceptional in the Alps," Stephanie explained. "It is entirely self-sufficient, which means people can leave the car parked underground. And no traffic means cleaner snow".

And so Flaine enters another chapter in her illustrious history. The old dear clearly has plenty of ski miles left in her yet.


Timeline:

February 2008 - launch of last units in “Les Terrasses d’Eos”, consisting of 1 to 5 bedroom apartments. Intrawest offers various rental revenue options to accommodate investment buyers as well as lifestyle buyers.

December 2008: delivery of completed 1st building “Les Terrasses d’Eos”.

Some facts and figures:

This latest development offers ski-in, ski-out access to the 265km of slopes of the Grand Massif and panoramic views from the 18-hole golf course nearby.

Due to its altitude, 1,700 meters, and its proximity to the Mont Blanc Massif, Flaine boasts exceptionally high annual snow fall.

Ideally located 1 hour from Geneva, this new pedestrian resort will offer restaurants, bars, shops, and a wellness & fitness centre. The 4* services and amenities will be managed by Intrawest Hotel & Residences.

The first residence, “Les Terrasses d’Eos”, consisting of 161 apartments (1 to 5 bedrooms), will be delivered in December 2008. Opening prices start at Ð 250,000 with a rental management agreement and weeks of occupancy.

The architecture is contemporary, using mainly wood and stone. The large bay windows and balconies welcome in the sunlight and the surrounding landscape. The residence will enjoy an inside Jacuzzi and an outside heated pool.

Key differentiators:
- 1 hour from Geneva International Airport
- Ski-in, ski-out access to 265km of slopes in the Grand Massif
- Proximity to 18-hole panoramic golf course
- 4* services and amenities provided by Intrawest Hotel & Residences