David Prétot, child of the country, founder of the Barnes Mont Blanc real estate group, with the strength of his three agencies and his teams of experts, today offers a completely enlarged mountain offer "between lake and mountain".
Ever since you started your first agency, Évasion Immobilier in 2004, you have demonstrated energy and professionalism. Did your experience as a world-class skier, as we can see from the numbers hanging in your office, help you learn how to anticipate and adapt? I grew up on skis in Rochebrune. I trained with the Club des Sports, then was a member of the French National Downhill Team from 1987 to 2000, along with Luc Alphand, Adrien Duvillard junior, Antoine Deneriaz and many others. At the same time, I was studying Sports in Albertville, then I enrolled in the INSEEC Alps Savoie campus in Chambéry, through the CESNI (National and International Sports Studies Center). I graduated in 2001 and founded Évasion Immobilier in 2004. 2011 was a pivotal year. You set up your offices at 96 Route Edmond de Rothschild, a strategic location between the village and Mont d’Arbois. At the same time, you worked on merging with the Barnes Group, a luxury brand. An international marketing strategy that has paid off? In seven years, Barnes Megève made some of the best sales in the region, positioning itself as a leader on the luxury market. We secured this position when we opened Barnes Chamonix and Barnes Annecy. Today, the Barnes Mont-Blanc Group covers Chamonix, Saint-Gervais, Megève and the Aravis Range in the mountains and the Annecy and Bourget basins. Sales and Rentals are the core of real estate. What position do they hold in your agencies? We currently have a database of more than 85,000 sales contacts. We sell properties of confirmed value. You can easily buy an apartment for €500,000 with us if it meets our criteria. We began renting in 2007, and now have more than 150 chalets available in Chamonix and Megève. As service is a key requirement for us, we have our own 5-star Concierge. This service is available every day and takes care of everything for our clients: transportation, ski instructors, cleaning, cooking and more. Finally, what is your impression of the current market environment and expectations of our resort’s clients? There are many reasons to be optimistic for the years to come. With heavy snowfall, exciting ski areas on Mont-Blanc, Unlimited passes in Chamonix Valley, Italy and Switzerland, we have already seen the return of athletic clients. The newfound political stability in France has also created a reassuring environment for investors. Since the Four Seasons opened, other hotel groups have been taking an interest in our resort. Not to mention that Megève is a unique village, with fine dining and top chefs, luxury boutiques and exclusive events. I am proud of my village and the premium position it has attained on the international market with a unique and exceptional quality of life.
