« The white-knuckle ride of La Face is imprinted on the memory of any skier who chose it as their end-of-day run to the French resort of Val d'Isère; the legendary piste was created for the 1992 Winter Olympics, and will feature in the upcoming 2030 Games. But housing there comes at a premium. "Prices of the very best homes have increased every year for 40 years," says buying agent (and ski guide) Tessera Swallow, who sells on- and off-market property priced from €4mn to more than €20mn. New Yorkers "are coming in large numbers, and starting to buy", she says. "Well-chosen ski properties are a brilliant place to store wealth and hedge against inflation."»