About Première Neige

We have been providing quality catered and self-catered ski holidays in the beautiful resort of Sainte Foy, France, since 2001.

We have grown and developed with this special resort, having started the company with two ski chalets. We are now very proud to offer you a choice of over thirty properties in Sainte Foy. Despite our growth in recent years we still believe whole-heartedly in offering a personal service for every guest. It is a matter of pride for us that you enjoy your winter sports holiday to the full.

We strive to provide an excellent level of service in our catered ski chalets with all of the little luxuries included. For our self-catered guests we offer the freedom to choose and add as many or as few additional services from our concierge desk service. So even self-catering can be a luxury!

The Première Neige team live and work in Sainte Foy so we really do have an intimate knowledge of the resort, its amenities, the surrounding areas and, most importantly, the ski chalets and apartments we provide. We also have a passion for what we do and where we live and want to share this with you.

We hope you find this website informative and easy to use. If you have any questions at all about us, the resort, or what we offer, please email us at .

We hope to see you in Sainte Foy soon!

Why enforce this policy?

Environmentally and socially responsible tourism is perhaps at its most important within the ski and snowboard industry, where the livelihood of whole regions depends on predictable yearly snowfalls. Première Neige is strongly committed to doing everything possible to work with the local community to reduce climate change; without sacrificing the standards and service which our customers have come to expect.

The policy below cannot claim to be a fixed or final document. As our understanding of climate change grows, new technologies and ideas are introduced, and so our policy and procedures change to reflect this. As a result, we welcome all suggestions so please do e-mail us.

What do we do as a company?

Unless specifically requested, all of our communications with clients are paperless. We do not produce a printed brochure and all of our newsletters and booking forms are sent by e-mail.

All of our electricity is supplied by EDF, the company with the lowest CO2 emissions in Europe.

Public transport is often difficult and unreliable in the Alpes. Therefore we promote the use of minibus transfers over hire cars, enabling us to combine small groups. All of our minibuses are diesel powered and regularly maintained to reduce pollution.

Where possible we encourage guests to use the train to travel from the UK. Travel is swift and easy and transfers from the station to resort are only £20 per person.

Our staff are trained on environmental tourism and they are encouraged to put theory into practice. This can be as simple as shutting the windows before they leave, or picking up litter around resort.

Our offices are involved in responsible tourism too. We shut down computer monitors and other electrical equipment overnight and recycle as much as possible.

All of our chalets are built to incorporate the use of local building materials including wood, lauze and stone.

Sainte Foy is a mountain village and therefore facilities are limited, meaning that we do have to make trips to nearby towns. Wherever possible we combine these in order to save diesel.

We manage all of the guest properties year round. This enables us to ensure that hot water and electrical appliances are turned off when they are not in use and radiators only come on during cold periods.

How do we help the local community?

Where possible we source fresh, local products for our catered chalets. As an example, all of our bread is bought from the local bakery in Sainte Foy and our meat from a butchers in Aime.

We encourage our guests wherever possible to use local businesses. Pop into our concierge service to book a restaurant or a massage, for example.

Ski resorts are often unpopulated during the summer which can make a year-round life very difficult for local people. Première Neige have a year-round presence in Sainte Foy and bring in much needed summer business. During the summer, our centrally-located crèche also serves the local community.

Wherever possible, we are phasing energy saving lightbulbs into our properties.

In all of our catered chalets the friendly chalet hosts are trained to separate the recycling from the rubbish.

We take responsibility for many of the communal areas in Sainte Foy. During the winter you will see us out snow clearing, and during the summer we tidy and maintain large areas of the resort. This enables us to ensure that chemicals are not used on the snow, and that salt levels are kept to a minimum.

What does the resort of Sainte Foy do?

The three grooming machines’ hydraulics run on environmentally friendly vegetable oil and the engines meet the European anti-pollution norms.

To compensate for those areas that have been cleared of vegetation for ski runs, the local forests of Grand Bois and the Monal are listed as protected forests. Skiing is prohibited in these areas.

Sainte Foy organises two citizens’ days a year. Litter left by tourists is picked up and with the help of volunteers a major cleanup of the resort takes place. Première Neige take an active role in this.

A major reforestation campaign began in 2005, and at the rate of 200 to 800 saplings a year, there are now over 3800 new trees in and around the ski areas.

The restoration and preservation of local historic landmarks. Première Neige is heavily involved in this, and our maintenance manager helped to restore the chapel which you will see just next to the Marquise run.

Sainte Foy use only water and air in their snow making machines, opting out of the addition of unnecessary and potentially harmful chemicals. With careful management and modern equipment, the pistes remain smooth and well groomed.

Sainte Foy actively encourages the use of public transport and a free bus service runs from Sainte Foy village to the resort.

What can you do to help?

Turn out lights which you are not using, and turn down heating which is set too high rather than opening the windows. Turning down your thermostat by just 1℃ could cut our carbon dioxide emissions by over 5%.

Switch off unused appliances at the plug, and don’t leave mobile phone chargers plugged in for longer than they have to be.

Eat in local restaurants, use local shops, and support local businesses as much as possible during your stay.

If possible, travel by train. If you are flying, consider an airport transfer rather than hiring a car.

Due to popular demand we wash towels mid-week in our catered properties. If you don’t need your towels washed please tell your chalet hosts.

If you are staying in one of our self-catered properties please sort your recycling from your rubbish and ensure that you place it in the correct resort bins. If you are staying in a catered property this will be done by your chalet host or chef but please do your best to help them.

Please do not leave rubbish outside the chalets or beside the bins if they are full. This is eaten by animals which disrupts the fragile ecosystem of the area.

Do not use more water than you need. Report any dripping taps to your chalet hosts or to the concierge service as soon as possible.

If you are using the washing machines in your properties, consider washing at 30℃.

Due to popular demand, some of our properties have hot tubs installed. If you do use the hot tub during your stay, please ensure that the cover is correctly replaced to stop heat escaping.

If you are visiting in the summer, consider bringing a bike to get around instead of a car.

What can you do on the mountain?

Do not drop cigarette butts whilst skiing. Put them in a pocket and dispose of them once you get back to the chalet.

Take all litter back to the chalet with you, and dispose of it in an environmentally friendly manner.

Do not pick wild flowers or disturb wildlife unnecessarily.

Do not ski over young saplings, or in national park areas. Often the damage is only recognisable come the summer.

The company ethics at Première Neige are very simple; we believe in offering top quality ski holidays with top quality service. No matter what the request, we strive to help our clients whilst being friendly, informative and polite. Should a problem arise, we will do our utmost to try and solve it quickly and efficiently.

We uphold our ethics by recruiting mature, forthcoming, sincere team members. In fact, at the training stage we always re-iterate the importance of a smile! We pride ourselves on our team as they are so important in guaranteeing the satisfaction of both our clients and our local partners.

The company is also very much committed to ensuring that Sainte Foy maintains its traditional character and its welcoming feel. For this reason, we take a very active part in the local community, often helping or hosting local events. In doing so, we hope our staff and our clients alike integrate with the French community and leave Sainte Foy with fond memories and the desire to return in the future.