A real-estate agency for Megève, with an office in Geneva.
ARES is a real-estate agency — a régie, as one says in Geneva — specialised in exceptional properties in Megève and Demi-Quartier, and one of the only ones with an office in Geneva, at Rue du Rhône 8 (1204). Megève lies about 70 km from the end of the lake — one hour by road: the closest major prestige resort to Geneva. For a buyer or seller based in Switzerland, that changes everything — meetings by the lake, viewings arranged an hour away, and support that bridges the two countries: search, negotiation, completion before a French notaire, coordination with your Geneva advisers.
Geneva ↔ Megève: the practical facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| ARES Geneva office | Rue du Rhône 8, 1204 Geneva · +41 79 331 93 49 |
| ARES Megève office | 3527 Route Edmond de Rothschild, 74120 Megève · +33 6 16 33 08 06 |
| Geneva → Megève | about 70 km — around 1 hour via the A40 motorway |
| Geneva airport → Megève | around 1 hour by road |
| Applicable law for a Megève purchase | French law — completion before a French notaire, in euros |
| Lex Koller (Swiss restrictions) | Not applicable: the property is in France |
| Working languages | French, English, Russian |
Why an office in Geneva?
Because a significant share of buyers of exceptional Megève properties live or work around the lake. Geneva, Cologny, Nyon, Lausanne: this is the resort’s primary client base, one hour away by road. An office there means receiving this clientele where they are, qualifying a search in full discretion, and activating our network of Swiss co-brokerage partners — an essential channel for off-market sales, which complete through the network rather than through advertising.
It is also a question of culture: ARES speaks the language of both shores. A régie on the Swiss side, an agency on the French side — the same standards of rigour and confidentiality, and a team working in French, English and Russian.
Buying in Megève from Switzerland: how does it work?
More simply than one might think. As Megève is in France, the purchase falls entirely under French law: the Swiss Lex Koller restrictions do not apply, and a Swiss resident can buy without any authorisation. The sale completes before a French notaire, in euros. The specifics of a cross-border purchase — financing, currency, French property-wealth taxation, direct ownership or holding structure — are addressed upstream with your usual advisers, whom we coordinate.
ARES’s role is to be the bridge: define the search from Geneva, open access to the visible market as well as the off-market portfolio, arrange same-day viewings, negotiate, then follow the file through to completion — with distance never being an issue.
Frequently asked questions
- Does ARES really have an office in Geneva?
- Yes. ARES operates from two addresses: Megève (3527 Route Edmond de Rothschild) and Geneva (Rue du Rhône 8, 1204 Geneva, +41 79 331 93 49). The Geneva office serves our Swiss and international clientele — meetings, viewing arrangements and transaction follow-up can be handled from the shore of the lake, one hour from the resort.
- How far is Megève from Geneva?
- Megève is about 70 km from Geneva — roughly one hour by road via the A40 motorway, and about the same from Geneva airport. This proximity is precisely why many Geneva-based families choose Megève for a chalet: it is the closest major prestige resort to the lake.
- Can a Swiss resident buy a property in Megève?
- Yes, without restriction. Megève is in France, so a purchase there falls under French law: the Swiss Lex Koller rules on real estate do not apply, and there is no authorisation to obtain. The transaction is completed before a French notaire, in euros. ARES guides Swiss buyers through each step — from the search to the deed — in coordination with their advisers.
- What does the Geneva office change for a seller in Megève?
- A significant share of buyers for exceptional Megève properties live or work around Geneva and the Lake Geneva region. Having an office there means direct, discreet access to this clientele and to our network of Swiss co-brokerage partners — a decisive advantage for an off-market sale, where the right buyer is found through the network rather than through public advertising.