| Sainte Foy Tarantaise is one of France’s smaller resorts and a hidden gem. A modern traditionally styled village with exceptional off-piste, full of charm, in picturesque surroundings and offering the warmest of welcomes. Sainte Foy opened its three lifts in 1990 and has been building its reputation as an off-piste Mecca ever since. New lifts were added in 2005 and 2006 and the ski area is now expansive and will suit beginners, intermediates and experts alike.
Powder hounds and boarders should find just what they are looking for in this resort. Highly-rated for luring people in the know in search of untouched powder, Sainte Foy offers great off-piste potential.
Despite what you might have encountered in other small resorts, lifts are in good condition and well maintained. Sainte Foy has plans to build a new lifts in the future to further expand the already extensive pisted ski areas.
If your idea of heaven after a full day skiing is to fall into bed after a pleasant meal and quiet drink in front of an open fire, looking out onto panoramic views in the comfort of your warm cosy chalet, this is the location for you.
Sainte Foy: What the papers say….
www.ft.com (Nov’06)
‘If you are crazy about off piste skiing, have a young family and are set on staying in a chalet in one of the prettiest modern ski villages in France then Sainte Foy is the place for you. Nestled among the trees at 1,550m in a sunny bowl above the Isère valley in the mountainous old kingdom of Savoie it lies just a short car ride from a host of better-known ski resorts such as Val d’Isère, Tignes, La Thuile, La Rosière and Villaroger and has stunning views of Mont Blanc (4,807m), Western Europe’s highest mountain. But once there you may find it hard to leave this jewel of the Tarentaise, close to the Vanoise national park. For small family ski resorts are coming back into fashion and Sainte Foy has almost everything you might need: the right skiing mix for experts and learners; good facilities for children; fine food and a high standard of accommodation. You can even buy your own apartment or chalet. For small children Sainte Foy is ideal: it is friendly, has a kids club, a ski school and its nursery runs are conveniently close to the middle of the village.’
Daily Mail Ski and Snowboard Magazine (Jan’07)
‘Sluff ripping behind me as I dropped off the ridge line. I’d never skied so much untouched powder. The hour and a half long decent included narrow couloirs, straight lines, open faces for powder carving, spins for short turns and cliffs to drop off. All this against a stunning unspoilt back drop with no sign of civilisation’
The Washington Post (Dec’06)
‘The reward in skiing at Sainte-Foy Station in the Tarentaise Valley comes in the form of shorter lift lines and longer-lasting powder -- not to mention the small-town vibe and Mont Blanc views. A newcomer to the Alps, the resort opened in 1990 a few miles uphill from the original village of Sainte-Foy Tarentaise. But there's no poured concrete here: The mountainside chalets are built from local timber, stone and slate, and much of the development has taken an enviro-friendly slant.’
The Telegraph (Nov’06)
‘It has only four lifts — one of them new this season — but don't be put off. The chairs give access to an extraordinary array of off-piste descents as well as demanding black and red runs. The resort has undergone massive development in recent years, but this is still where you will find Val/Tignes ski instructors on their days off. On misty mornings when the big Tarentaise resorts remain largely closed after a big snowfall, sheltered Sainte-Foy is always the first to open its slopes. Favourite playgrounds The 1,700m descent of the north face of Fogliettaz and a long powder run down to the farming village of Le Monal.’
Sunday Times Style ‘Going Up’ (Feb’08)
‘SKIING SMALL Val d’Isère, Courcheval and Zermatt are, like, overrrr. Go boutique in Ste-Foy Tarentaise, Grimentz and Vaujany. Yah?’
Sunday Times 'Straight to the Top' (Sept’06)
‘Don’t put up with second-rate skiing — go for the best. Launching this season’s coverage, Sean Newsom picks the 10 best spots in the world to get your winter high:
No.1 - STE-FOY TARENTAISE, France
‘Size doesn’t always matter — and Ste-Foy Tarentaise is a case in point. A tiny, four-lift resort, it has long been the preserve of off-piste guides, who bring their clients over when the powder in nearby Val d’Isère has been ground to crud. Now, however, thanks to some sensitively handled redevelopment, the place has been reborn — as a cute and quietly luxurious retreat for families (or anyone else who’s tired of the mega-resorts). Yes, the skiing is limited, but at all levels the quality is superb, and when you’ve had your fill, the larger lift systems at Les Arcs, Val d’Isère, Tignes and La Rosière are all within easy day-tripping distance.’
Fall Line Magazine (Oct’06)
'The beauty of Ste Foy is that there are few lifts and fewer queues, while the north-western mountain retains snow a little bit longer to make finding those powder lines more achievable. Locals whisper about Ste Foy about the 1,700m decent of the north facing Fogliettaz, about the wide open powder fields that make up the Col d'Aiguille and how they stay fresh for days after a dump. If uncrowned freeride experience is what you are after, join the minority and head for Sainte Foy.
Daily mail Ski and Snowboard Magazine (Oct’06)
'Off piste addicts have known about Sainte Foy for years- you'll find powder there days after it has been skied out in nearby Val d'Isere as well as some serious steeps. Now families are warming to its manageable size and easy going atmosphere. It is perfect to take refuge during the half term hubbub-when almost every resort in France is jam packed.'
Cooler Magazine (Nov’06)
'Sainte Foy is small but full of incredibly fun terrain. Even inside the main ski area you can find plenty of freeriding to keep you busy. If you are feeling adventurous and fully versed in backcountry safety techniques, try the 45- minute hike from the Col de l'Aiguille to le Fogliettaz. It is north facing so the snow stays good, and it's a 1,700m decent that leads to the village of La Mazure.'
Time Out Magazine (Jan’07)
'Sainte Foy is growing handsomely, retaining and intimate village feel. And for now at least the lift pass is still half the price of its concrete cousin up the road. With 1000m of vertical decent and a mere smattering of piste, the north west facing slope still feels like something of a secret, so go now before the rest of the pack turn left at La Thuile as well.' |
