Where the stars go to hide

Estate agents in the French-speaking Canton Valais, in the southern part of Switzerland, pride themselves on being different. If selling houses is still their ultimate, cherished goal, protecting the privacy of their well-heeled clients – especially royals, millionaires and billionaires – is top of the list of their professional values.

Trying to find out who these special guests are is nearly impossible. Unless, of course, the famous VIP comes out publicly such as musician James Blunt, who recently took up residence in Verbier, the Duchess of York, a regular visitor in summer, or film star Roger Moore, who has been living in Crans-Montana for 20 years. The agents have started actively searching out less well-known mountain villages that would allow the extremely rich and famous to escape from the gaze of publicity. These are some of Switzerland’s best-kept secrets.

“Royals, millionaires and billionaires know that in these mountain resorts they can truly relax and be paparazzi-free, especially in summer time,” says well travelled and well connected former diplomat Claude Huguenin, who has established a company selling off-plan projects and bespoke chalets. “They aren’t bothered by curious eyes, they feel safe and, most importantly, they can enjoy the pleasures of a normal life, which they can’t have back home,” he says.

But owning a summer retreat in a less-renowned mountain village in the Canton Valais is not just about being out of the limelight or having the opportunity to lead the kind of a “ordinary life” that is pretty much the norm to most of us.

“People are getting fed up with the Verbier or Crans-Montana type of holiday with their Ferrari cars, designer shops and overrated restaurants. They are looking for a more genuine Switzerland,” says Phillippe Landelle, a 28-year-old French property consultant based in Canton Valais. “Not to mention that buying a chalet in Verbier or Gstaad is nearly impossible unless you have a millionaire budget. “Restrictions on buying for foreign citizens have pushed the cost of land and construction through the roof. A two-bedroom chalet in Verbier will set you back SFr7m-SFr8m (£3m-£4m), while the same thing in a neighbouring resort will cost SFr1.5m. The quality is the same, if not superior at times.”

Rarely featured in the marketing brochures of the largest tour operators, these retreats retain the feel of authentic Swiss villages but also have more than just nature to offer. During the ski season, easy access to the Four Valleys, the largest ski area in Europe, attracts tourists and buyers alike. In summer there is a wealth of sports activities available – such as biking, hiking, horse riding, lake swimming and golf – and, surprisingly for some, a vibrant cultural life.

“The idea that Switzerland only exists as a winter property market or tourist destination is a misconception. There is the scope for an all-year-round, buy-to-let rental market,” says Landelle.

Overlooking the Rhône Valley, which extends from the lake of Geneva to the town of Sion, there is Bluche, a charming village just a few minutes away by cable car from Crans-Montana. Patrick Henchoz, 49, a UK-based Austrian owner of a British gym chain, has bought a four-bedroom chalet at the La Domain De La Forêt residence, where he is planning to spend at least three months a year with his wife, Debbie, and three children. “We just love it here. There are so many sporting activities to choose from. It is much quieter than Crans-Montana and, of course, property prices are more affordable,” he says. The international college of Rochelle, which specialises in training catering staff and chefs, also gives the village a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

“Bluche is the only mountain village in the Swiss Alps to offer Asian cuisine, with a choice of Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese,” says Landelle.

La Domain De La Forêt is a newly built resort located at the heart of Bluche, with bespoke chalets that blend traditional finishing and modern interiors. Prices start at SFr2.2m for a four-bedroom chalet.

Surrounded by woodland and perched 1,300 metres above the Rhône valley is the tiny village of Maysen de Syon, which boasts spectacular views of the entire region and easy access to Versonnaz, the second largest ski area in Switzerland. “Maysen de Syon is very popular with wealthy French and Swiss people. It is perfect for those who aspire to a very natural and peaceful life.” says Huguenin. Chesterton sells bespoke four-bedroom chalets starting at SFr1.7m.

On the other side of the valley lies the little town of Ovrannaz, 1,350 metres above sea level. Its popularity is the result of its south-facing position and natural thermal spa, which makes it an attractive all-year-round, buy-to-let option. Prices here start from SFr400,000 for a one-bedroom apartment at the residence Chalets de Marie.

For ski enthusiasts Leukerbad is the answer. A small town located to the east of Lake Geneva and just two hours away from Geneva airport, it is enclosed on three sides by a spectacular sheer rock wall and offers summer skiing with an accessible glacier close by. Visitors can also indulge in all sorts of beauty treatments at the local thermal baths – the largest in the Alps.

“Leukerbad is a real family resort, with something for everyone: indoor and outdoor sport facilities, heated thermal baths and an international chess and literary festival in summer,” says property consultant Steven Parisot at Overseas Homesearch. Right in the heart of the town and close to ski slopes there is the Residenz Palace Therme, featuring apartments that each have their own whirlpool-style bathtub with specially pumped natural Alpine thermal waters. Prices start at SFr1m.

July and August are the best months to savour the cultural life of Canton Valais. Landelle sees the Swiss as “staunchly conservative but also very intrigued by cultural influences. Events such as the jazz festival of Montreux, the classical music festival of Verbier, the pop festival of Crans-Montana and the Serreyer theatre festival show that mountains and snow are not the only thing here.”

“Not to mention the Swiss love affair with wine,” he adds. Canton Valais has 5,000 hectares of vineyards that produce – albeit on a very small scale – more than 1,000 wines a year. “They can all be tested at the local restaurants with a selection of fondues.”

Property buyers looking for a typical Swiss-town feel but who still want to enjoy a quite stroll in the woods or a day by the lake might head for Sion and Martigny. Set down on the broad valley floor, Martigny has one of the country’s most prestigious art galleries, the Foundation Pierre Gianadda, which hosts exhibitions from the Hermitage and the Guggenheim museums. The town also offers summer classical music concerts, a permanent exhibition of antique cars and Roman ruins. For family entertainment, the biggest aqua park in the region and one of the biggest salt mines in Europe, which can be explored by an underground train, are a short jaunt away.

The historical town of Sion, capital of the Canton Valais, is noted for its beautiful castle, old houses, rich selection of restaurants and small-scale museums.

“Martigny and Sion, which are no more than 40 minutes’ drive away from Verbier, have so far attracted mainly local buyers but there is now a growing interest from Europeans, especially retirees, who prefer to live in a small town but still want easy access to the mountains,” says Huguenin. “Sion is also a university town creating the scope for an all-year-round rental market.”

Prices both in Sion and Martigny start at SFr293,000 and owners can demand a monthly rent of about SFr 1,200. Until recently only Swiss residents were allowed to buy in these towns. “But a new law has eased the process for European Union citizens to apply for a ‘permit B’, which gives them all-year-round residence status and the opportunity to buy properties bigger than 200 sq metres,” says Huguenin. Which makes a piece of Swiss exclusivity a little more accessible to the rest of us.

Local Agents

Chesterton, tel: +44 (0)20-7262 5060; www.chesterton.co.uk

Overseas Homesearch, tel: +44 0800-652 0769; www.overseashomesearch.co.uk