Buying a studio

I want to live permanently in Rhone-Alpes (I have already lived in the Pyrenees for several years). I am looking for a studio in a traditional village - I hate the modern, purpose-built ski resorts, which remind me of the concrete apartment blocks in Russia.
I don't ski (too old at 69 to start, with arthritis), but I love the mountains and want to be within a couple of hours driving of them. I will be living there all year round, so I need a village that does not shut down completely in Winter, and remains accessible. I will need a South-facing balcony and ADSL. My maximum asking price is €65000.
French estate agents don't seem to have a clue about how to present a place to make the most of it - the photos are taken with the curtains drawn, in bad light, showing just a settee against a wall. I want to have an idea of the outside of the building and the surrounding area.
Does anyone know a suitable village, not too noisy, and within a couple of hours of Geneva airport, where my large family can fly in from Leeds/Bradford? I don't need employment, night life, schools, cinemas, etc. just a supermarket, doctor and pharmacy within a 30-minute drive.

I'm thinking that your budget might be a little low for a village. You could prove me wrong. There might be opportunities in Cluses or Taninges over towards Flaine/Morrillon/Samoens.
I agree that agencies don't seem to present properties well, and I think you may have to spend some time looking around to get the feel of places. Don't forget to employ a good Solicitor of YOUR choice to do the background checks.

Thank you, I will have a look at those village. There are very many studios for sale in ski resorts or town centres, some as cheap as €30,000. Leboncoin is a good site.
I will indeed employ my own solicitor, although the first time I bought in France I just used a notaire and there were no problems. I learned how to check the cadastre and also the village plan and the mairie. I used to be a conveyancer many years ago, and whilst of course the procedure is different in France, it does mean that I know how to read the small print!
MY French is pretty good but I would always have a legal document professionaly translated.

Hi,

You could try looking on the Century21 estate agency website , or C.I.S Immobilliere , Lamy or Socogest Immobilliere sites which are all pretty good.

All the best

jon.

Thanks, Jon, I hadn't come across those sites before.

Hi Again,

You could try the following site also

http://www.frenchpropertylinks.com/buying.asp?rr=RA

Just click on where it says Region / Town etc ( in pale blue ) and then change the prices ,type of property etc to filter your choices and away you go.

All the best

jon.