Beyond the Chalet: How Local Zoning (PLU) Is changing the French Alps

The Plan Local d’Urbanisme (PLU) acts as the “master key” for property development in France, but in the Alps, it is much more than a zoning document.¹ It is a strategic tool used by mayors to fight the “ghost town” phenomenon and ensure the long-term economic survival of ski resorts.

Because the PLU is decided at the commune (village) level rather than the national level, rules vary drastically from one valley to the next. However, they all generally aim to solve the same problem: balancing the lucrative second-home market with the need for a living, breathing local community.

The following breakdown explains how these regulations vary, shape development, and drive sustainable price growth.

How the Rules Vary: The “Cold Bed” Crisis

The central variation in PLU rules across the Alps depends on how aggressively a resort is fighting “Lits Froids” (Cold Beds)—properties owned by second-home owners that are empty for 48–50 weeks a year.

• The “Compensatory” Model (e.g., Chamonix): This is one of the strictest variations. In areas like Chamonix, the PLU has effectively placed a moratorium on new pure second homes.² If you want to build a new property, you may be required to prove it will be a primary residence or a “warm bed” (managed rental).

  • Rule variation: Some zones now enforce a “one-in, one-out” policy or require that for every square meter of private luxury built, a percentage must be dedicated to resident housing

• The “Managed Rental” Incentive (e.g., The Three Valleys – Courchevel/Meribel): Here, the PLU often favors developments classified as Residences de Tourisme.

  • Rule variation: Developers get higher density allowances (can build bigger/higher) if the building is commercially managed for tourism (ensuring the beds are “warm” and generating lift-pass revenue). A private chalet might be restricted to a smaller footprint than a managed lodge on the same plot.

• Heritage & Visual Consistency (e.g., Megève vs. Avoriaz):

  • Megève: The PLU is hyper-focused on aesthetic preservation.⁴ Rules might dictate the exact pitch of the roof (often 30-45%), the ratio of wood to stone on the façade (e.g., 60/40), and even the specific type of timber (larch vs. pine).

  • Avoriaz: As a purpose-built resort, the PLU protects a specific 1960s modernist-organic architecture (cedar wood cladding), which would be illegal in a traditional village like Morzine just down the road.

Impact on Development and Renovation

The PLU has shifted the market from “sprawling new builds” to “strategic renovation.”

For New Developments: The End of “Greenfield” Construction

In many resorts, the PLU has rezoned agricultural or natural land to “Zone N” (Natural) or “Zone A” (Agricultural), making it unbuildable.

• Consequence: Developers can no longer buy empty fields on the edge of town. They must buy existing, inefficient hotels or old barns in the centre and replace them.

• The “Warm Bed” Requirement: New permits are increasingly tied to a commercial lease obligation. You can build a luxury apartment complex, but the PLU may stipulate it must have a front desk, concierge, and be available for rent 20 weeks a year.

For Renovations: The “Energy” Loophole

Renovating existing chalets is now the primary way to bypass strict density limits, often aided by environmental incentives in the PLU.

• The Energy Bonus: Many PLUs allow you to exceed the maximum floor area (CES – Coefficient d’Emprise au Sol) by 5–10% if you drastically improve the energy rating (e.g., exterior insulation, geothermal heating).

• Alpine Paradox: You might be allowed to turn a 150m² barn into a 200m² chalet, but the PLU may restrict you from changing the size of the windows (to preserve the “agricultural look”), leading to dark interiors unless you use creative architectural solutions like glass floors or skylights that don’t break the façade rules.

How Strict PLUs Support “Sustainable Price Growth”

Strict PLU regulations are arguably the single biggest driver of price resilience in the French Alps. They support sustainable growth through three mechanisms:

A. Artificial Scarcity (The Supply Cap)

By strictly limiting where and what can be built, the PLU turns alpine property into a finite asset.

• Unlike a city where suburbs can expand endlessly, an Alpine valley with a strict PLU has a “hard cap” on inventory.

• Economic Result: When demand rises (which it has globally), and supply is legally capped by the PLU, prices rise naturally rather than through a speculative bubble of over-construction.

B. Ensuring Resort Viability (The “Warm Bed” Effect)

A ski resort dies if it has 20,000 beds but only 2,000 skiers on the slopes because the other 18,000 beds are empty second homes.

• By forcing new developments to be “warm beds” (rented out), the PLU ensures a steady flow of tourists.

• Economic Result: Tourists buy lift passes, eat in restaurants, and hire instructors. This keeps the resort’s infrastructure (lifts, pools, shops) profitable. A profitable resort with modern lifts attracts more buyers, sustaining property values.

Preservation of the “Product”

The “product” in the Alps is not just the chalet; it is the view and the village charm.

• If a PLU was loose and allowed high-rise concrete blocks in a historic village (like Chamonix), the village would lose its appeal, and property values would crash (a phenomenon seen in some Spanish coastal towns).

• Economic Result: By enforcing strict aesthetic and density rules, the PLU protects the “scarcity of beauty,” ensuring the resort remains a premium destination for wealthy investors long-term.

Summary Table: PLU Impact by Stakeholder

Recommendation

If you are looking to invest, ask to see the zoning map (Plan de Zonage) for the specific plot.

• Look for “Zone UA” or “UB”: These are usually town centers with higher density allowances.

• Check for “Emplacement Réservé”: This indicates the commune may have the right to claim part of the land for public use (roads, social housing), which can kill a project’s value.