Is there anyone out there thinking about running a ski chalet business?

With everything going on in the UK at the moment Leggett is experiencing a rush of people looking for those potential businesses that will provide an income but allow for a slightly slower pace of life, and often people are also looking for a better place for their children to grow up whilst still having the ability to earn a living.

They are getting a lot of demand for properties and businesses for sale in the Dordogne and Charente but what about running a B&B or possible a ski chalet business in the Alps?

The Rhone Alps is in fact, after Paris, the busiest area in France for tourists ...... makes you think doesn’t it! The reason is two-fold, well three-fold actually. Mountain activities, ski resorts and lakes. OK well skiing is obvious but hold on..... the summer trade is building nicely in the mountain resorts as more and more people discover the incredible climate here.

Very hot and yet with cool mountain breezes. Perfect. In addition when you poor things are suffering grey skies, rain and cold winds back in the UK lots of happy skiers are sitting on terraces drinking rosé wine and catching a few rays. No really ... it is that good! And down by the vast lakes in the region you can bask in the heat before taking a dip in fresh glacial waters - and all that right next door to a superb little fish restaurant!

So back to business - we’ll put the rosé and fresh fish on hold for a moment - running a ski chalet business is hard work, you can’t get away from that, but if you do it right then it can be loads of fun and, if you think about it, you can have all summer off. So if you love skiing and the mountains it is a good option to consider.

What does it take to run a chalet business and what things do you need to consider?

Well first of all you need a property. Ahh ha ..... you knew I’d get that in didn’t you......

If you’re looking to run a ski chalet business chances are that you’ll need to generate enough money to support you for a whole year in just 5 or 6 months, although many chalets also generate summer business in the peak months of July and August by concentrating on mountain biking and other similar activities.

The perceived wisdom is that you need a minimum of 6 guest beds and preferably 8 to be able to turn a profit. This means that you’ll either need a 4 bedroom or 5 bedroom ski chalet so there is a room for you, or you get cheap accommodation nearby either rent or buy alongside the purchase of a 3 bedroom (although the one linked could easily have additional staff accomodation added) or 4 bedroom chalet. If you have the budget then a chalet with a separate apartment included is even better. Of course if you have the budget then, up to a point, the bigger the better!

Once you have your property you’ll need to market it. Web sites are the best but do try to be a bit different from everyone else, you’ll need a name of course, again try to be different but at the same time people will need to get the connection with skiing and remember it easily. Registering with the local tourist office will bring you a lot of enquires with a bias toward the French who, by the way, make excellent guests. Places like the Ski Club of Great Britain are great starting places to find British Skiers and of course you can also advertise on other information web sites.

The nearer to the slopes then the easier the job. If you are not within walking distance or on a good bus route you will need a mini bus to run your clients up and down. Depending on the type of service you provide this may be once up and once down and you join them for skiing, or perhaps you’ll have a driver who is on standby all day.

You’ll need to research how to get your clients to and from the airports, whether it’s part of a package or whether they do it themselves. Either way you’ll need to know a good airport transfer company and web site for timetables for the trains and coaches. Of course if you're looking to run a luxury chalet company like The Alpine Club then apart from the luxury chalet you might want them to arrive by helicoptor!

OK, you’ve got your chalet, your mini bus, your name and you’ve started marketing. You know how to get your clients to the chalet. What next?

Are you going to run the chalet yourself, or will you get staff? If you are looking for staff then a good recruitment site is Natives, we are currently advertising for agents there and it’s going well. Advertise early and be clear what you’re after and what your rules and requirements are. Don’t be shy. You’re going to be working and probably living together so get it right and set the standards you require well in advance.

Nearly there. You will I’m sure be looking to personalise the chalet and to make it look pretty for your guests which means sourcing local Savoyard products and curtains and crockery and so on. There are places nearby. Whilst you will be considering what type of cuisine to provide there is no doubt that a few of the British staples are a “must have” such as ...... PG Tips and marmite ..... never fear, there are suppliers for all the essentials nearby.

Get yourself a good accountant. They can save you a fortune and don’t be afraid to take proper advice. A good notaire is also essential. Of course if you buy via Leggett-Immobilier then, as a matter of course, I’d introduce you to appropriate parties – we are also on hand to help you as well. One point to check; should you buy as a company or as a private individual? ..... this is an interesting subject and one that preoccupies many of my clients. Inheritance laws can be an issue in France especially if you’re running the chalet with other family members or friends. Take advice; get it right before you buy.

My final thought; once you’ve moved in always have a bottle of wine open for your neighbours, if you are going to have people in and out and cars coming and going at all hours then you need to have them on side. A glass of wine and a few minutes in the sunshine will work well. Put a bench outside your door so you’ll have somewhere to sit with them. If you can’t speak much French, don’t worry do your best and smile a lot. I grow herbs and vegetables so give them away liberally.... in return I’ve had fresh trout, a haunch of cerf (stag), half a leg of sanglier (wild boar) and a lot of return lettuces! The people around here are very welcoming. Cheers.

Le Cochet Derby. We did it!

Le Cochet Derby; A time trial from Le Chatelard to le col de la Fenêtre; go as fast as you can up 977 vertical metres in 9.5kms on a rough, lose track in blazing sunshine. Why would anyone do that?

Why indeed. It was a slog; other than the odd glimpse of the glorious views when I managed to raise my line of vision above the endless dusty, rocky trail there was really no joy at all in any pedal or pace until I saw the finish line when a huge grin spread across my face – I’d done it.

We, Team (H)ug – that’s Rob, Alison, Chris, Helen, my husband and I, arrived in Le Chatelard at 09hr15 for the 09hr30 start only to be told that it was going to start at 10hr30. This is very French. Gather together 20 odd slightly anxious cyclists (with no bathroom facilities) and leave them to bake in the sun for an hour just to give the ambulance crew something to do, and the cyclists something to think about ..... hats and ice in this case! Of course in reality there were no ambulances because this is France and if you collapse then it is your own misadventure and you must deal with it, although if anyone thinks it’s really serious they’ll call the helicopters which, if they aren’t moving building materials about or ferrying the rich and famous between Michelin starred restaurants such as La Bouitte, will come and rescue you.

After we, half of Team (H)ug – myself, Chris and Helen of Alpine Club fame – not only failed to finish last year but also caused the race monitor to miss several glasses of wine at the top due to the enormously long amount of time we took to admit defeat and collapse into the rescuing 4x4, they decided that, this year, there would be no monitors and so we were left to our own devises. Quite right too.

And yes, they do really drive vast quantities of wine and food up to the top to hand out to the overheated contestants at the finish line, no water obviously, just wine ....... I like that about France.

The lack of monitors to my mind was a good thing because we were last again, and not having the pressure of a monitor checking his watch every 5 seconds by way of encouragement was truly a huge relief.

So we slogged on, walking and pushing the bikes when it got too steep to keep traction, riding when the pitch was more manageable. The first rider reached the top in 57mins. My husband was the first of our group at 1hr36, Rob next at 1hr44, then Alison, who also came in third of the women, at 1hr 55, then me at 2hr14 followed by Chris and Helen who came in at 2hr29 although they would have been faster if they hadn’t stopped to chat to the odd walkers we came across. What we all had in common at the top was a sense of relief, the need for alcohol and very bad backs from all the pushing; we’d trained for the cycling bit but not the pushing!

But there is a serious purpose to this event, it is to raise awareness on how climate change is affecting the mountains and so, once sufficient wine had been consumed and no one had keeled over from exhaustion (although there were a few slightly lopsided people who had to be propped up on rucsacks to prevent them rolling back down the mountain), writer and ecologist Yves Paccalet talked to us about what was happening in the mountains and what we can all do to help. From small things like not using our air con and vehicle share, to larger issues like how hotels and restaurants can recycle and contribute positively to halting the increasing temperatures across the globe. The essential message was that we can all do something....... I guess the question is ...... will we? With the mountain people reliant on the huge tourist influx, which drives and flies in from all round the globe then uses huge amounts of energy enjoying the skiing, is there really a will to change? Am I prepared to change? Am I just too selfish and set in my ways to be able to make a difference - am I prepared to walk up a mountain rather than take a chairlift...... it feels like a big ask! I am going to give ski de fond a go this year but then ..... the ski lifts are running anyway .......

Fully hydrated, fed and lectured it was time to go down, a mad dash back the way we came letting gravity do the work. Phew. That was 2 weeks ago. On the day I SWORE I would never, ever do it again, EVER. Now the pain, stiffness and exhaustion has passed and I’m about to head off out for an evening ride I’m feeling less sure about that and am already thinking about how to adapt my training for next year.

But the question – why DO we do these things to ourselves? - remains!

Nearby properties; New build for sale in Le Chatelard , Converted farm for sale with amazing view, Ski chalet for sale at the foot of the Cochet Derby course.