The ski lifts close in late April. The pisteurs roll up the safety netting. And then, almost immediately, the French Alps reveal a second life that most property buyers overlook. Golf in the French Alps is not a novelty act — it is a serious sporting circuit that stretches from Megève in the north to Serre Chevalier in the south, covering resorts at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,900 metres, with season windows that, across the region, run from mid-May through to October.
For buyers weighing up the financial case for a ski property, this matters. A chalet or apartment that earns its keep for 16 ski weeks is attractive. One that attracts guests — or its owners — for another 12–16 weeks of summer is a different proposition altogether. Mountain resort summer occupancy across the Alps hit 50% in 2024, with peaks above 60% in the first two weeks of August, according to data from Atout France. That figure has been climbing year on year as continental Europeans, and an increasing number of British and international buyers, rediscover the Alps as a warm-weather destination.
Golf is one of the primary drivers of that summer footfall — and it is pulling a demographic that overlaps almost exactly with the typical ski property buyer: affluent, active, 40–65, with a preference for quality over volume. Understanding the golf offer across the main French Alps resorts is, increasingly, a due diligence step for serious buyers.
Megève: Where Alpine Golf Began
The Golf du Mont d'Arbois in Megève is one of the oldest mountain golf courses in existence. The course traces its origins to the 1920s, when the Rothschild family — who transformed Megève from a farming village into a winter resort — created the estate as a year-round leisure destination. The course was later redesigned by the British professional golfer Henry Cotton and sits at 1,320 metres altitude on the Mont d'Arbois plateau, above the village and directly beneath the Rochebrune and Jaillet massifs.
Today, the course is managed by Edmond de Rothschild Heritage and carries a reputation well beyond regional golf circles. The 2026 season opens on 16 May — earlier than most Alpine courses — and runs through to November, giving it one of the longest windows in the French Alps. The course is complemented by the Four Seasons Resort Megève directly on the estate, which means the infrastructure — pro shop, restaurant, practice facilities — is at a level that competes with lowland courses in the Loire or Normandy.
For property buyers, Megève's 12-month usability is unmatched in the French Alps. The golf season overlaps with the wellness and spa calendar — Megève is now a year-round spa destination in its own right — which means that for a property owner, the question is not whether to come in summer, but when.
Chamonix: The Most Dramatic 18 Holes in Europe
The Chamonix Golf Club has been operating since 1934 — one of the earliest mountain courses in France. Perched at 1,000 metres above sea level, directly beneath the Mont Blanc massif, it offers an 18-hole course of 6,188 metres (par 72). The course was redesigned by architect Robert Trent Jones Sr, who unveiled the current layout in 1982. Natural obstacles — streams, pine stands, rocky outcrops — replace the artificial bunker systems of lowland courses, and every tee shot is framed by the Drus, the Aiguilles Rouges, or the Mont Blanc massif itself.
According to Chamonix.net, the club is considered one of the most scenically distinctive mountain courses in the world. The Chamonix valley attracts significant year-round tourism, and the golf club draws players who might not otherwise visit the resort outside ski season. For Chamonix property owners, the summer rental season is among the strongest in the Alps — the combination of trail running, glacier activities, the UTMB, and golf creates a demand curve that extends the viable letting season well beyond the school holiday window.
Flaine: The Highest Fairways in France
For altitude records, the Golf de Pierre Carrée, spanning the pass between Flaine and Les Carroz, is the course to reference. Created in 1981 and designed by Robert Berthet, it sits between 1,833 and 1,953 metres altitude — making it one of the highest golf courses in Europe. The 18-hole course runs to 3,555 metres (par 63) and its elevation means it is accessible only from mid-July, when snow has cleared the higher holes.
The Pierre Carrée course is not a test for scratch players. It is a par 63, designed for accessibility, and electric carts are available throughout. What it offers instead is an experience that cannot be replicated at sea level: hole 7 plays from a tee positioned on a promontory looking across the Arve Valley; hole 16 is a 188-metre par 3 that drops 70 metres to a green backed by the Grand Massif. The course offers 360° panoramic views encompassing Mont Blanc, the Jura, and the Aravis range.
The Grand Massif area — which includes Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoëns, and Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval — is increasingly discussed as one of the better-value ski domains in the northern Alps. A property in Les Carroz that carries golf access within a 10-minute drive sits in a different rental category to one that does not.
Les Gets and Morzine: Golf on the Chavannes Ridge
The Portes du Soleil is better known for mountain biking than for golf — the summer bike park here is world-class — but the golf offer is more substantial than most buyers realise. The Les Gets Golf Club occupies the Chavannes ridge at between 1,300 and 1,600 metres, running an 18-hole par 70 course through a wooded setting with each hole named after one of the surrounding peaks. Mont Blanc dominates the southern horizon throughout.
The course climbs steadily from Les Gets to its upper boundary, and electric buggies are available for hire. Facilities include a restaurant, a pro shop, and lesson programmes for beginners. The season runs from 1 July to 31 August — shorter than Megève or Chamonix, reflecting the more northerly aspect of the Chavannes. In addition, the Morzine-Avoriaz 9-hole course at the foot of the Proclous ski piste provides a second, more accessible option for guests staying in the valley.
For buyers considering Morzine or Les Gets, the golf calendar reinforces what those resorts are building across summer: a dual-season identity that reduces investment risk and broadens the pool of summer renters. Morzine's four-season positioning is now one of the most coherent in the French Alps.
Courchevel: Mountain Golf at Altitude
Courchevel's 9-hole course is the most compact on this list, but its setting more than compensates. According to Courchevel.com, the course covers terrain above 1,200 metres with alpine fauna and flora as natural hazards throughout. It is open to players up to index 26.5 (slope 113), recommended between July and September when all regional clubs are simultaneously open. Courchevel's summer calendar — which includes hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, and the summer sledge runs at 1650 — positions the golf course as one element of a broader activity offer rather than the centrepiece.
For investors in the Trois Vallées, Courchevel remains the highest-value resort by square metre in the French Alps. The summer programme here is an add-on to a property thesis that is primarily driven by ski-season demand and capital growth — but the activity infrastructure does support year-round rental positioning for the right property.
Why This Matters for the Ownership Calculation
The standard analysis of French Alps ski property focuses on the ski season: snowfall reliability, lift infrastructure, ski-in/ski-out access, rental occupancy in January and February. All of that is necessary. But it is increasingly insufficient as a complete picture of value.
French Alps mountain resorts recorded a 2% increase in summer attendance in 2024 compared with the previous year, with the main visitor season now extending to three months from mid-June to mid-September. Rising average temperatures across continental Europe are pushing demand towards altitude destinations — a structural shift, not a cyclical fluctuation. Golf, alongside trail running, mountain biking, and wellness, is one of the activity categories generating that demand.
A property in a resort with a viable golf course — Megève, Chamonix, Flaine, Les Gets, Courchevel — occupies a different position in summer rental marketing to one that does not. The ability to offer guests access to championship-calibre mountain golf within a 15-minute drive extends the viable letting season and the type of guest the property can attract: typically older, longer-staying, and with a higher daily spend than a standard ski week group.
For owner-occupiers, the arithmetic is simpler still. A property used for 12 weeks of skiing and then unavailable until the following December represents six months of standing costs against limited use. One that draws its owners back for golf in May, hiking in July, and again for autumn golf in September is a different lifestyle — and a different financial proposition. Domosno's co-ownership guidance helps buyers size their usage precisely, matching ownership to actual use rather than paying for weeks that remain empty.
Choosing a Resort with Golf in Mind
Not every French Alps resort has a golf course, and the quality and length of season vary significantly. As a practical guide:
- Megève offers the longest season (May–November), the most prestigious course, and the broadest year-round activity platform. It is the strongest choice for buyers who want maximum owner flexibility.
- Chamonix combines the most dramatic course setting with the valley's exceptional year-round tourism infrastructure. Strong summer rental demand here is well-established.
- Flaine / Les Carroz provides the altitude record and an accessible, unusual course. Best suited for buyers interested in the Grand Massif domain and good-value northern Alps property.
- Les Gets / Morzine balances golf with the world-leading mountain bike park. Best for buyers targeting summer renters who prioritise activity breadth.
- Courchevel is primarily a ski-season investment story; the golf is a supplementary summer draw rather than a standalone reason to buy.
The practical step is to visit in summer as well as winter before committing to a purchase. The resort you admire in January on powder may feel different in July — and vice versa. Buyers who have done both tend to make better decisions. Speak to the Domosno team for current availability across resorts with strong year-round programmes and a golf course within range.
