Verbier - The Winter retreat for Mary & Frederik

[Muhler]

Since the house in Verbier is owned by M&F and has been owned by them for ten years or so by now and they go there every winter, perhaps in the summer as well, I think we can safely label it a residence.
Not least since the family will use it as their home for a good deal of early 2020.

What do we know about the house?
It's located on a slope and it consists of several stories or layers if you prefer. Seemingly located on a quiet road.

Here are two photos of the house:
https://app.box.com/s/z9968eutnvehzc0hjy1stgx0hczwt96k
https://app.box.com/s/wn37m9f9beswqerv9ufkn0hhz3kwmcn1

We also know the house is located 7 minutes walk from the school M&F's children attends. That's roughly 700 meters or so.
So to me that suggests the house is located within the area I have marked on this map: https://app.box.com/s/6c7xud0f8nkn3efcnv4plrqmpoklnner

It's on a slope.
Surrounded by trees.
And in an area with byroads.

It was bought right after the Financial Crisis started and presumably at a bargain price. It was in somewhat poor condition.
(There are a number of Danes living in Verbier, or who have houses too in Verbier, so IMO it's likely they kept an eye out for a good deal and are quietly looking after and maintaining the house on behalf of M&F.)

Verbier, even though it's crawling with celebs and royals is known to be a very discreet place to stay. In line with the Swizz (and Austrian for that matter) mindset of deep respect for other people's privacy.

 

[Muhler]

As this house is going to be mentioned further, in particular in certain segments of the DK press, I have decided to move all further posts, pics and articles to this thread.

Here is something about the economy, dug up be the magazine Her & Nu and kindly brought to my attention be a fellow member.
https://realityportalen.dk/rcarticle/her-er-hemmeligheden-bag-frederiks-formue/

First a little bit about Frederik's personal economy
Apart from his apanage, he inherited an amount from Queen Ingrid that is estimated to be more than 10 million DKK. How much more is not known.

Queen Ingrid's fortune at her death amounted to more than 100 million DKK in cash and stocks, shares, bonds and so on. Not to mention jewellery (and presumably various pieces of art as well.)
One item was the invaluable ruby parue, Mary is wearing so often.

Her fortune was primarily divided between her three daughters. But at Least Frederik received something as well. (*)

In 2009 Frederik bought the house in Verbier for at least 10 million DKK, according to the previous owner, Karl Karlsson.
The house was renovated for an X amount and according to local estate agents the house now has a value of some 17.4 million DKK.
There is a mortgage in the house.
And it has preciously been rented out for 65.400 DKK a week. (**)

Prior to buying the house in Verbier, Frederik sold a large penthouse apartment in Paris for 15 million DKK.

In 1998 Frederik worked at the French embassy and it was at that time he moved into (and presumably bought) the apartment, at the Hôtel Amelot-de-Bisseuil mansion located in Rue Vieille du Temple in the Marais neighborhood.
I will leave it to French members to tell us about that neighborhood.
It is not confirmed whether it really was that apartment that was sold in 2009, but it is more than hinted that it was in the article.

- So Frederik invests a good deal of his money in real estate and considering how the prices have sky-rocketed in recent years, it's a good investment.

The big question I ask now is: Will M&F sell their house in Verbier, when there is less attention about the place? Say in a couple of years.

(*) A rough guess by me would be 30 million DKK to each of Queen Ingrid's daughters plus various personal items.
The rest was divided among others, Frederik being one.
So a guess by me says that Queen Ingrid's fortune amounted to at least 120 million DKK, since Frederik alone inherited more than 10 million DKK.

(**) So I guess that Frederik has earned some 5 million DKK over ten years, despite the Financial Crisis, on this house.

 

[Muhler]

A Daily Mail article about the house in Verbier.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ivate-Swiss-ski-lodge-AirBnB-14-000-week.html

Nothing new though, but there are a few photos of interest to this thread.

 

[carlota]

Thanks Mulher - I assume the Airbnb advert has been taken out? Sounds like they’ve made a good investment renovating it and renting it out.

 

[Muhler]

You are welcome. ?

Well, it's no longer for rent by the bureau, but there are still external links to the house.
Whether M&F will decide to rent it out privately is another matter. Don't think so though.

I wonder how often it was rented out though. A few weeks a year should cover maintenance, taxes, cleaning, heating and so on.
And the interest on the mortgage should be covered by the increased value of the property.
That it was owned by royals for ten years, may not decrease the value at least. That is, if M&F should decide to sell now.

 

[Bosana]

With four children and their love of skiing, I wonder why M&F would be inclined to sell their place in Verbier even when they come home from the school term. Haven't they been using the place all along in the last ten years, without people knowing that the actually owned it? Real estate is an area that the Crown Prince uses for investment purposes quite successfully but they seem to use and enjoy this property a lot.

 

[Blog Real]

An article that includes photos of the house in Verbier:

https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifest...s-mary-s-secret-swiss-chalet-listed-on-airbnb

 

[Sun Lion]

Since the house in Verbier is owned by M&F and has been owned by them for ten years or so by now and they go there every winter, perhaps in the summer as well, I think we can safely label it a residence.
Not least since the family will use it as their home for a good deal of early 2020.

What do we know about the house?
It's located on a slope and it consists of several stories or layers if you prefer. Seemingly located on a quiet road.

Here are two photos of the house:
M&F's house in Verbier-A.jpg | Powered by Box
M&F's house in Verbier-B.jpg | Powered by Box

We also know the house is located 7 minutes walk from the school M&F's children attends. That's roughly 700 meters or so.
So to me that suggests the house is located within the area I have marked on this map: M&F's house in verbier - likely location.jpg | Powered by Box

It's on a slope.
Surrounded by trees.
And in an area with byroads.

It was bought right after the Financial Crisis started and presumably at a bargain price. It was in somewhat poor condition.
(There are a number of Danes living in Verbier, or who have houses too in Verbier, so IMO it's likely they kept an eye out for a good deal and are quietly looking after and maintaining the house on behalf of M&F.)

Verbier, even though it's crawling with celebs and royals is known to be a very discreet place to stay. In line with the Swizz (and Austrian for that matter) mindset of deep respect for other people's privacy.

Muhler … do Mary and Frederik still own this Verbier chalet?

You were quite close with your estimate of it’s location which is easy to compare on Google Earth to one of your photos.

The address … in the local way of writing addresses … is Chem.de Darbonne 27.

Google Earth does not have “Street View” in this actual street, but you can see the property … and the building in front of it, the one with the yellow shutters, number 25 … from Chem.de Clambin just below. It is the same angle as your photo.

I ask if the property is still in Mary and Frederik’s hands as it is on the internet as being for rent. Not Airbnb as before, but with another letting agency.

Perhaps this is an old listing and hasn’t been removed?

In any case, it has the address and a map, and a very detailed description of the property.

There are five interior photos in the listing.

A couple of these photos were used in an article in February this year by Lecturas magazine.

Another photo in this listing is of the main sitting-room with the fire-place and painting over the mantle, the same as the Daily Mail article, though from a different angle.

Known as “Darbon” and “Chalet le Darbon”.

There are a few different spellings of Chemin de Darbonne, the street it is in. On the street sign it is Ch. de Darbone.

The company with this listing is run by two sisters who have built up their business of letting ski accommodation over thirty years.

Some interesting details about the property include that it is over one hundred and fifty years old and has been renovated inside and out.

There is parking for three cars, two outside and one inside, but that is a walk of thirty metres away.

The terrace is wrap-around and south facing, so it gets the sun.

Interesting that it is noted to be above the Medran chairlift. I have seen YouTube’s of Verbier and a least one of the chairlifts … this one I guess … goes over the roofs of many chalets.

Probably not a problem for holiday-makers, but must be a nuisance for year-round residents. Maybe not many of those though, as it seems most properties in Verbier are rentals.

Here is a link to the letting website with more details about the chalet.

Darbon | Mountain Beds

Chalet Le Darbon a 5 star self catered chalet sleeping 10 people in Verbier close to the Medran lift with parking, sauna and fireplace.

www.mountainbeds.com

 

[Toledo]

An article that includes photos of the house in Verbier:

Inside Princess Mary’s secret Swiss chalet listed on Airbnb | OverSixty

And that line from a complainer on the article

“We are the ones who pay the money so we must know about the house,” she added."​

Is like this lady is the landlord of the King and Queen and their private properties. Imagine if the reporter asked this lady 'can we see if you paid the taxes and if they were used for this home privately owned by the royal couple? Is your name on the deed also?"

 

[Muhler]

I have not heard anything about them selling the property, so I guess they still own it.