Yes. Buyers living abroad can finance an existing chalet or apartment in Chamonix with a French mortgage, commonly at 70–80% for strong files from the UK, Ireland, the EU or Switzerland and 50–70% for others. Since 2025, almost all new homes built in Chamonix must be main residences, and a second home needs an authorisation before it can be let to tourists. Banks therefore lend on your own income and on a resale market made up of existing property.
What a mortgage in Chamonix finances
Second-home buyers in Chamonix look at apartments in town and in resort buildings, and at chalets in the hamlets along the valley, from Les Praz to Argentière. Knight Frank's Alpine Property Report 2026 put prime prices in Chamonix at €13,500–14,900 per m² in June 2025. Second homes make up about 70% of the town's housing, according to figures reported by AFP in May 2025.
Chamonix has a year-round market, with climbers and walkers in summer as well as skiers in winter, which supports resale. A chalet reached by a steep private track, or a flat in an older block facing large works, is valued with more care.
New homes reserved for main residences
The local plan adopted in March 2025 placed almost all of Chamonix's building land under a main-residence requirement (servitude de résidence principale), a tool created by the Le Meur law. New homes in those zones must be lived in as a main residence, for at least eight months a year.
For a buyer from abroad, a second home in Chamonix therefore means an existing property. A new flat bought off-plan is open to you only if you will live in it, and a bank will want to see how: a move, a job or a pension paid where you will live.
A three-year authorisation for tourist lets
Since 1 May 2025, a second home in Chamonix needs a temporary change-of-use authorisation before its first night let to tourists. It is granted for three years, a renewal needs a new application, and the flat must have an energy rating between A and E and co-ownership rules that allow the activity. A main residence can be let for up to 120 days a year without one. The rules were adopted by the Communauté de communes of the Chamonix valley, and neighbouring communes such as Servoz have their own regulation, so check the commune of the exact address.
Banks count rent they can verify, often at around 70%, and treat ski-season income as seasonal and variable. An authorisation that has to be applied for again every three years gives them one more reason to plan the loan on your own income.
Leaseback apartments in tourist residences
Some apartments in the valley sit within a résidence de tourisme (serviced tourist residence), let under a commercial lease to an operator who pays the owner rent. Your own use is limited to the weeks the lease allows. The first buyer of a new unit usually recovers the VAT on the price in exchange for keeping it in the scheme for 20 years, so on a resale ask the notaire how any VAT the seller recovered is handled.
Fewer banks lend on these units, and those that do often ask for a larger deposit, because resale depends on the operator and the remaining term of the lease. Read the lease, the operator's accounts and the rent history before you offer.
Avalanche paths and the état des risques
Chamonix has had a natural risk prevention plan since 2010, mapping avalanche paths and other mountain hazards. The state-of-risks report (état des risques) attached to every sale shows whether the property lies in a mapped zone. Read it before the compromis: building rules, insurance and the bank's valuation can all depend on it.
Next steps for a Chamonix purchase
The eligibility check puts you in touch with one English-speaking broker used to Alpine files, at no cost to you. Say whether the property is a chalet, a flat or a leaseback unit, and whether you will live there. French Notaires in Chamonix can connect you with an English-speaking notaire. For other resorts, read our French Alps guide.
Your purchase deed is signed before a notaire. French Notaires matches English speakers with a bilingual notaire nearby, free of charge: Notaires in Chamonix.
Questions
Can I buy a new-build apartment in Chamonix as a second home?
In most cases no. Since 2025 almost all of Chamonix's building land is reserved for main residences, so new homes there must be lived in for at least eight months a year.
Can I rent my Chamonix chalet to skiers?
A second home needs a temporary change-of-use authorisation before its first tourist let, granted for three years. A main residence can be let for up to 120 days a year without one.
Can I get a mortgage on a leaseback apartment in Chamonix?
From a smaller group of lenders, usually with a larger deposit, because your own use is limited and resale depends on the operator and the lease.
Can a UK resident get a mortgage for a chalet in Chamonix?
Yes. UK residents with strong files are commonly financed at 70–80% of the price, with purchase costs of 7–8.5% from their own funds and repayments within 35% of net income.