Sainte Foy Overview

Don’t be put off by the modest statistics; Sainte Foy is in fact the best kept secret in the Tarentaise valley. What the resort lacks in piste it more than makes up for in off-piste potential. If the conditions are good, acres of virgin powder make the place a unique backcountry paradise. And its location, in the centre of a web of illustrious resorts, means it is ideal for day tripping.

Getting To Sainte Foy

Fly to Chambery with Snowjet and you’ll find yourself just 124km from Sainte Foy; itself a snowball’s throw from its larger more famous neighbours; Val d’Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Plagne and La Rosière. Consider taking a transfer to resort, as you won’t need a car to get around the compact village, where you’ll find all the amenities and more importantly the slopes right on your door step. During your stay you may want to spread your wings and travel to one of the other ski areas, but if you’re staying in a chalet then it’s possible that the transport is laid on, so you might not need a car.

For the moment the developers have stayed away from Sainte Foy and the village has retained its traditional Savoyard character, unlike its purpose-built neighbours. And the resort’s relatively low profile means you won’t have to fight to make fresh tracks. The pristine mountain, like the village, has also resisted overdevelopment and has been dubbed “the biggest little ski resort in the world” because the four-lift network gives access to a deceptively large and varied ski area.

The Mountain

A glance at the piste map might suggest that the skiing in St Foy is rather limited, but the handful of lifts actually open up a remarkably vast off-piste playground, where the snow stays in excellent condition for days after it has been eaten up in other resorts. The marked itineraries are easily accessed but it is well worth hiring a guide to take you way out into the wilderness. In the safe hands of a local professional, freeride down to the deserted Le Monal hamlet, a route that offers stunning glacial views, or tackle the 1700m vertical descent on the north face of Foglietta. If you’re a real backcountry enthusiast, there’s massive ski-touring potential in the area. Skin up to summits in access of 3000m, take in the awe-inspiring scenery and you’ll feel like the mountains are yours alone.

But St Foy is not the exclusive domain of expert skiers. It is ideal for skiing novices too, who will quickly feel at home on the wide, well groomed blue runs, and intermediates will find a challenge in the reds and blacks. Once everyone has found their feet on the sunny, predominantly west facing slopes, why not make the short trip to one of the more expansive neighbouring ski areas, like L’Espace Killy (Tignes/Val d’Isere) or Paradiski (Les Arcs/La Plagne)? If the weather is poor, however, it’s best to stay local where the lifts are not usually affected by high winds and there are trees to navigate by in bad visibility.

The variety of skiing on offer and the accessibility of other resorts make St Foy an ideal choice for families and mixed ability groups. And in St Foy everyone can ski at their own pace, since lift stations and restaurants can often be reached by a choice of pistes of varying degrees of difficulty. So you can chat with your snowploughing friend on the ride up, without resenting the ski down, and be in the same place come lunchtime.

Restaurants and Bars in Sainte Foy

For lunch, try the well-situated La Maison à Colonnes, a characterful 16th building with creaky uneven flooring and wood burning stoves. The restaurant, which is right at the foot of the slopes, serves hearty skiers’ food and is also a good place to hole up if the weather really closes in. For the full Savoyard lunch experience (cheese, cheese and more cheese), reserve a table at popular mountain restaurant Chez Léon. Les Brevettes, also on the slopes, has a nice sun terrace and interesting menu. Or eat fast and ski farther with a snack from La Foglietta, a hut with bench seating outside. When you’re skied out, try lively après venue, La Pitchouli or choose L’Iceberg for a good selection of beers and cocktails and occasionally live music. There are a several good eateries for your evening meal, Le Bec de l’Ane does a good pizza, Chez Allison has a simple no frills menu while La Bergerie is a good place for foodies. La Maison à Colonnes also serves food in the evening.

Sainte Foy Après Ski

If you haven’t seen enough of the mountain on skis, alternatively, try snowshoeing, dog sledding or ski biking, this involves careering downhill on a kind of non-motorised snow scooter. Or take in the vast mountain scape from above with helicopter ride over the Alps. If you find that just about every muscle in your body is protesting from being worked so hard on the hill, head to either Les Balcons de Sainte Foy or Les Fermes de Sainte Foy for some well-earned body pampering.

Something for the Kids

St Foy is great for kids too. The ESF will have your little ones up and skiing at 4 years old and once they have graduated from Le Jardin de Neige, they’ll find the close-knit pistes easy to navigate. When they aren’t skiing but you are, pack them off to Les P’tits Trappeurs kids club, which has great indoor and outdoor facilities for kids from 3 to 11 years old, or to private nursery, Cub Club Premiere Neige, which takes children from 7 months to 7 years. Dog sledding and ski biking are activities that little and big kids alike will get a kick out of. 

Sainte Foy Accommodation Links