While the population increases in the departments of Haute-Savoie, Savoie and Isère, that of their ski resort supporting municipalities is decreasing in the vast majority of cases, according to INSEE. Since 2010, nearly 330 residents have left Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, 248 from Morzine, 173 from La Clusaz. The trend is the same in Montricher-Albanne (− 184), Beaufort (− 175), Fontcouverte-La Toussuire (− 112), Courchevel (− 97) or Huez (− 87). Sometimes, it is even clearer, as in Megève, which lost 744 inhabitants over the same period.
“The observation is simple: it is only the fact of land pressure and the cost of land which means that our local population cannot stay and invest”observes the mayor of Megève, Catherine Jullien-Brèches (LR). In the 1970s and 1980s, the village had more than 5,000 inhabitants, but today, for 2,961 inhabitants, we must count on more than 80% second homes. “and a real estate price trading at 10,000 euros per square meter”.
For the Haut-Savoyard councilor, the change in prices was “quite impressive” at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. “At the start of the mandate, in 2014, we managed to pre-empt properties at 4,000 euros per square meter. Today I hardly see any passing by. And when there are, they are very degraded. »
To try to counter this flight of residents, the new local urban plan provides for 150 new permanent housing units, including “42 which will be released at the end of 2025”, specifies the elected official. And if she has decided, with her council, not to apply the new surcharge on second homes in 2024, she plans to do so next year. “I want to be able to target the revenue from this surcharge towards a permanent housing construction project. »
Projects launched
However, this will not be enough, she admits, calling for additional regulatory tools. Because today seasonal rental is, for an owner, more interesting than long-term rental. “We have secondary residents who declare their main residence in Megève, but they do not live there and, in addition, they rent their property through Airbnb”regrets Mme Jullien-Brèches, who admits to renting an apartment in the resort during the season. “If I were entitled to a 71% reduction for a long-term rental like that provided for rentals of furnished tourist accommodation in resorts, I think I would take the plunge. But, for the moment, I have no fiscal interest in it and I also avoid the constraints of a long-term rental. »
You have 40% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.