''This is the last bastion of unexploited French skiing' - The Daily Telegraph.
Ste Foy is a highly-respected but lesser-known ski area surprisingly near several French mega-resorts in the snow-favoured Tarentaise Valley. Small in lift number, it is huge on character, peace and powder. Best of all the base station and main lift is a mere 100m from the chalet! Three chairlifts rise from 1550m to 2620m and there are two 'magic carpet' lifts on the nursery slopes which end just opposite the chalet. A new high level lift is promised for the 2007 season which will nearly double the ski area in Ste Foy's vast sunny bowl, with new graded blue runs from one of the highest points in the resort. Both lifts and slopes are uncrowded and the snow usually stays in excellent condition on the pistes because of the small number of visitors and the excellent snow enjoyed by the sheltered north-west facing bowl.
The skiing and snowboarding can keep all standards happy. Those who love the pistes will find 27km (23% black, 54% red, 15% blue, 8% green) at their disposal, accessed by the quad chairs. There are gentle, tree-lined greens and blues (some additional blues new for 2006), wide and fast reds and challenging blacks. It is a great place to learn to ski as all the quiet pistes funnel back to one point at the base so no-one can get lost. There are two lovely rustic mountain restaurants at the top of the first lift or of course you can ski back to the chalet for lunch! If you want to venture further afield, with a 6 day pass you are entitled to half price skiing in Val d'Isère, Tignes, and Les Arcs/La Plagne and La Rosiere - all for 105 Euros (£73) for a 6 day pass! But you will always find yourself drawn back to Ste Foy's wonderful ski area which has converted many sceptics!
Off-piste
'It's an uncrowded gem with some wonderful off-piste slopes for experts and intermediates' ('Where to Ski and Snowboard 2006').
The pistes are only the start of the Ste Foy experience. There is nowhere better for intermediates to start experiencing off piste, off the sides of the runs. The terrain will delight experts with everything from steeps to the wide open bowls and superb tree runs, and because of the small number of visitors the powder stays far longer than in the bigger resorts. The whole resort is a freeriders natural funpark. Here the snow stays pristine and scenery unspoilt long after the fresh snow in Val d'Isère has been cut to shreds. You'll soon understand why so many guides bring groups from neighbouring resorts to ski in Ste Foy! From the top lift at a height of 2620m you have access to an area which has the potential to be larger than that of Ste Foy's more famous neighbouring resorts, Taking a guide you can undertake several classic itineraries which can be tailored to suit different levels of ability. With only a short hike you can access amazing routes such as the north facing Fogliettaz with its challenging slopes and couloirs, the Monal, or the 20 km descent from the top of the Ruitor Glacier to Ste Foy village. Book a guide with the ESF and they organise a bus back to the resort and so to the door of the chalet. Heliskiing (30 minutes away) up to 3,400m and overnight stays in various refuges are also available.
Follow this link for more skiing
Follow this link to view the ski-map
