Off-piste Skiing in Sainte Foy

Sainte Foy is the resort that the ski guides go to on their day off. It is a true hidden gem with it's exceptional off-piste skiing.

What Makes Sainte Foy so Outstanding for Off-piste Skiing?

• Sainte Foy's lift system is small but goes straight up to a height of 2620 metres with a further 300 metres accessible via touring skins or bootlegging.
• From the top lift endless opportunities for off-piste lines fan out in a huge north-west facing bowl.
• Due to its extensive north-facing aspect, the snow stays deliciously chalky long after the powder is gone.
• As there is so much to ski, and because the lifts in Sainte Foy are uncrowded, the virgin powder remains for several days after all the bigger resorts are skied out.

Sainte Foy's Off-piste Runs

• The Marquise: The most recently built and very fast six man Marquise chairlift (top at 2425m) takes you up over lots of tree-filled areas that are interspersed by a few pistes. Sainte Foy is blessed with extensive coverage of pine, unlike its bigger resort brothers. Trees offer better visibility as they contrast against the snow so on bad weather days, skiing in the trees is safer. This run is suited for a wide range of ability groups; powder in the trees for the more advanced, wide blue and red pistes for those still gaining confidence. One can also choose to head left off the lift into the whole of the eastern side of the Sainte Foy bowl, the top of which is a huge expanse of open terrain before it hits the trees lower down.

• Shapers, Morion, Crystal Dark: Each of these three areas are accessed from the top Aiguille lift. Shapers runs right through the middle of the Sainte Foy bowl as it is not that steep it is a great place to start to enjoy the off-piste and get to grips with powder. Morion is the steep face directly underneath the top Aiguille chairlift which can be hazardous, so please take care and pay attention to the pisteurs' markers. Crystal Dark is a steep, black run which requires a fairly long traverse left of the Sainte Foy bowl, but the huge area of off-piste, that fans out from it, is certainly worth it! Watch out lower down as the trees become quite dense, it is better to traverse right after the top pitch unless you are prepared to do some serious tree dodging!

• Le Monal: This route is found on the southern Vallon du Clou side of the Sainte Foy bowl, accessed and viewed from the top Aiguille lift. This is a well known route leading to the hamlet of Le Monal (award winning, picturesque, quaint and now protected). It is a road in the summer, so is not difficult skiing. Once down in the hamlet of Le Monal there is a track (that does include some gentle uphill walking) that leads to the Plan Bois green run which runs back into the resort.
• Les Pigettes: Take a short hike up and over to the next valley from the track above Le Monal to find a huge number of off-piste lines that all eventually lead to Les Pigettes, a small hamlet higher up the Isère valley on the road up to Val d’Isère and Tignes. This is south facing so careful timing is needed for the conditions to be perfect. You can book a Première Neige local pick-up to get you back to the resort.

• Fogliettaz: Offering 1500m of vertical, this is the most renowned off-piste route. It is not for the faint hearted or the inexperienced as it involves a 50 to 60 minute walk to the top at a height of 2930m, either bootlegging up the ridge from the top Aiguille lift, or heading up on skins. There are several entrances to the north facing Fogliettaz bowl all of which can be very steep. The route will end up at the hamlet of Le Crot, from which there is a road (open to cars in the summer) that arrives at Le Miroir. Bus services are limited from Le Miroir back to the resort, so it is well worth booking a Première Neige local pick-up, which you can organise with the Concierge Team.

• Col du Granier: This route, for those in the know or who have a guide, is accessed straight off the top of the Marquise lift. It runs on the eastern side of the bowl and into the next valley, arriving at the same spot as the Fogliettaz route. It may have less of a descent but it means no bootlegging or skinning and provides a great half day adventure. A transfer back to the resort will be required.
• Sainte Foy village (Chief Lieu): January is generally the month for the best snowfalls, at this time it is often possible to ski right down into the main village of Sainte Foy (vertical descent of almost 1600m from the top chairlift). The best way down is off the bottom of the Marquise lift (from here, it's a vertical descent of 1365 metres) but go with a guide or a trusted experienced local as it is easy to get lost.