Sainte Foy Tarentaise Ski Resort in the French Alps
A hidden gem of authentic Alpine charm
The picture-perfect resort of Sainte Foy; home to a relaxed friendly vibe, uncrowded slopes and unforgettable skiing. It’s a true hidden gem and our guests beg us to keep it a secret!
Welcome to your winter paradise
Have you wondered why Première Neige only operates in Sainte Foy?
Sainte Foy is located at an altitude of 1550 m (with ski lifts to 2660 m) in the heart of the Haute Tarentaise. It enjoys an excellent natural snow cover. It’s charming traditional architecture of stone and wooden chalets delights the more discerning ski enthusiasts and lovers of wide open spaces and nature. The ski area is deceptively large, so don’t be misled by the number of lifts. The perfectly maintained pistes weave their way through the larches and pines forests and offer an exciting choice of runs for all with a vertical drop of more than 1000m serviced by the new fast lifts.
It also enjoys a special microclimate created by easterly air currents arriving from the Italian Alps, creating heavy snowfall and when storms force the neighbouring resorts to close their high-altitude, wind-exposed slopes, Sainte Foy offers the perfect alternative and to ensure good quality snow coverage early on in the season the resort has invested heavily in over 100 snow cannons giving all slopes below 2100m great coverage. This micro-climate is also why Sainte Foy is known for it’s great off-piste skiing to be practiced in the company of our expert local mountain guides- ski towards Le Monal, a beautiful listed village or the north face of Fogliettaz for the more advanced skier… There are also marked trails for snowshoes or on foot starting from the resort centre with Igloos and fox trails & torchlit descents to delight all the younger members.
And if you want to explore further? Sainte Foy’s unique location means that Val D’Isere, Tignes, Les Arcs & La Rosiere are only a short drive away earning Sainte Foy the title of “The Jewel in the crown of the Tarentaise.”.
Location of Sainte Foy Tarentaise
(Click on the map to see an enlargement)
Click here for the co-ordinates of the Première Neige Concierge office in the centre of Sainte Foy
Sainte Foy resort is very close to the French / Italian border and benefits from snowfalls coming in from either side of the Alps.
It is one of the few French resorts that can take advantage of the heliskiing in Italy (banned in France) due to it’s close proximity borders and terrain.
It is surrounded by 4 much larger ‘mega resorts’ of Val d’Isere, Tignes, Les Arcs & La Rosiere, giving maximum flexibility for choice of ski area. Visit our Ski Safari page for more information.
Sainte Foy is within good reach of nearby airports, train stations (including the Snowtrain) and decent road systems, offering flexibility of travel options. For further advice on this please visit our travel pages.
Top 10 Reasons to Choose Sainte Foy
The Jewel in the Crown
Sainte Foy has something to offer everyone that’s lucky enough to visit. The skiing and boarding appeals to all abilities; quiet, uncrowded pistes; but also a vast area of untracked powder slopes for the off-piste enthusiasts. Ideal for beginners, experts and skiers and snowboarders alike who enjoy everything from piste to powder. Is it any wonder it’s known as the jewel in the crown.
With 2 green, 7 blue, 11 red and 4 black runs in Sainte Foy, not to mention the vast expanse of off-piste and secret forest trails, there really is something for everyone in snowy Sainte Foy – In fact, it’s where ski instructors from other resorts love to visit on their days off!
Family Friendly
It’s good to know that things that come in small packages can deliver so much. Sainte Foy is great for families and groups as there’s something for everyone.
The little ones can enjoy starting out on the nursery slopes which come complete with magic carpets. The older teenagers can head off by themselves as the lift system is simple and easy to navigate. The powder hounds in the family will find plenty of off-piste terrain close to lifts and pistes. Finally the non-skiers can join in the fun by accessing mountain restaurants using the lift system or by walking up via easy pistes.
Groups & Corporate
Is there enough on offer we hear you ask? Small resort, must be limited, etc, etc. In truth this is the appeal. Everything is local which makes logistics a lot easier. Add to this the great activities available such as evenings up the mountain at a restaurant, with torchlight descents. Easy off-piste trips over the back (from intermediate level) through to heli-skiing. There’s short sightseeing flights to see Mont Blanc – and if you want to spice up the day, heli-transfers to the bigger surrounding resorts.
Sainte Foy offers all this at a fraction of the accommodation costs of the big surrounding meccas, whilst retaining the local atmosphere and charm.
It’s not just about the Skiing
This is a fantastic winter resort; not just to ski, but to relax with family and friends. The pistes run right back to the heart of the village where bars and restaurants meet the slopes, making this an ideal location for family ski holidays.
With it’s beautiful tree lined lower slopes there are plenty of activities for non-skiers. The snowshoe trails are exceptional and it’s also easy to walk up to the top of the first lift along the less steep green runs which are wide and meandering.
There are quaint mountain restaurants where you can relax, soak up the atmosphere and re-energise in the afternoon. Whether the sun is setting, or the snow is falling you’ll struggle not to get caught up in Sainte Foy’s beauty, feeling delightfully detached from the outside world!
Centrally located amongst world class resorts
Did we mention that Sainte Foy is perfectly located in the middle of its big brother neighbours; Tignes, Val d’Isere, Les Arcs & La Rosiere. This allows both skiers and non-skiers great days out in the big smoke – with the pleasurable thought that you’ll be able to return to the haven of Sainte Foy at the end of the day.
Where else in the world can you enjoy a mixture of quiet authenticity, epic off piste and family friendly atmosphere whilst also having the opportunity to sample other world class resorts – all within 20 minutes drive away!
