© Mark Junak
The small French ski resort of Sainte Foy is known by a select few for the quality and relative quantity of its off-piste that are serviced by three end-to-end chair lifts. Don’t let the technological simplicity of the resort fool you though; from the summit there are countless backcountry routes that begin just off the sides of the pistes at multiple points on the way down.
Thanks to its north-west facing slopes, snow hangs around for longer here than in other places in Europe. If you are lucky to catch the snow when it properly settled below the tree line, the resort transforms into one of the best tree skiing resorts in the French Alps. What’s more, Sainte Foy is cheaper than most of the big ski resorts in France, eagerly retaining a rustic charm that others have lost. Although the ski-lifts are slower than those at bigger resorts, the ski areas aren’t busy so you’ll have plenty of space to visit some outstanding European backcountry.
Download the off-piste winter map and get planning your routes. As you’ll see on the map, three lifts get you to the Col de l’Aiguille (2620m) from where you can find untracked powder to the left and right. From the Rocher de Pierre d’Arbine (2647m) there are three more routes, one of which leads down the the Refuge le Monal where you can spend the night. Also grin and bear a moderate climb along the to the left of the top chair lift to the Pointe de la Foglietta (2930m) for 1700 metres of top class off piste vertical descent.
Guides and Tuition
Tarentaise Tours is a slick adventure company operating in Sainte Foy for the first time this season. Check out their Winter Activities to find a bunch of off-piste combinations that are bound to get you looking forward to the season.
The ESF Sainte-Foy has a group of instructors that specialise in off-piste guiding. Find out how to book an ESF off-piste guide.
Waking up in Sainte Foy, © Mark Junak
Accommodation
Le Refuge du Ruitor is open during the winter so base yourself here for a serious adventure holiday.
Chalet Merlo and Chalet Pecchio are two fully-catered, luxury chalets in Sainte Foy, offering outstanding cuisine, daily transfers to the slopes and free pick up/drop off at Bourg St-Maurice train station. The chalets have been built with reclaimed would from the area so enjoy alpine pleasures the old way at these two chalets.
Getting there by train
Eurostar has a direct service to Bourg-Saint-Maurice from London leaving on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings during the ski season (19 December to 16 April 2011, final inbound service). During the Christmas and New Year periods there are trains on Sundays too.
- Direct trains return to London from the French Alps on Saturday mornings and Saturday afternoons during the ski season and again on Sunday during the Christmas and New Year periods.
- Direct tickets start from £69 and can be purchased from Eurostar.
- Taxis from Bourg Saint-Maurice cost from 55 euros.
Alternatively, check the Bus Timetable from Bourg Saint-Maurice.
Our route
Used to ski here a few years back.. Amazing off piste. If you go during holidays the lifts line can still get a little cramped, but it doesn't reflect on the amount of people on the slopes, and on off piste routes. Foglietta is about an hours trek, but it faces ideally away from the sun so snow is nearly always good off the top. Unreal run!