Ski Sainte Foy With Premiere Neige

13th November 2023

Last modified on November 17th, 2023

In 2002, Premiere Neige made its debut in Sainte Foy starting with just two chalets. Today it owns a collection of 30 catered and self-catered properties.

Twenty-one years ago the specialist ski company, Premiere Neige, discovered perhaps one of the best kept secrets in the Alps at the time: Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise.

Its secret is long-since out, but it remains unspoilt and a wholly different experience from some of the French mega-resorts.

It has all the facilities and offerings of the big resorts – but in miniature.

And, lets mention its snow record.

Ste Foy, France. Image © Premiere-Neige

The village is on the road up towards the more well-known ski areas of Tignes and Val d’Isere.

Sitting in the Tarentaise valley and located at 1,550m, with slopes that go up to 2,660m.

Ste Foy Map

Sainte Foy has avoided large-scale tour operators mainly because the on piste ski area is small, but what it may lack in size it more than makes up for in character and variety.

Sainte Foy has great opportunities for advanced and expert skiers & snowboarders when the conditions are good.

It began as a cult off piste resort favoured by locals and those in the know.

In particular, the ‘Natur’ routes off the L’Aiguille chairlift are the place to head after fresh snowfall.

Ste Foy piste map

If you have a car and want to bash pistes then Val d’Isere, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Plagne & La Rosiere (to name a few) are within easy reach for a day.

“Ste Foy is one of those resorts I have wanted to visit for many, many years but never quite have,” said PlanetSKI editor, James Cove.

“A few decades ago when I was doing BASI courses in nearby Tignes to qualify as a ski instructor it was talked about by the locals in revered tones.

“I kept meaning to head over on my days off, but never quite did.

“I have skied more times than I care to remember in both Tignes and Val d’Isere and when heading past the sign-post pointing to Ste Foy I always tell myself that I must visit.

“This coming season I’m determined to.”

It is 15-minutes from Bourg St. Maurice, it is possible to catch a train from the UK or fly to Chambery, which is 90-minutes from Sainte Foy.

Bourg St Maurice, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Sainte Foy village is accessible from the slopes, making it a great destination for skiers and non-skiers alike, with activities including igloo building, husky rides and snowshoeing all on offer.

Sainte Foy also has a reputation for families:

Children under the age of 8 stay free
Ski schools have a maximum of 6 children in each group

Premiere Neige is the main accommodation provider, and has been awarded Best Ski Tour Operator in the Telegraph Travel Awards.

Here are some of its offerings:

A concierge service to take the hassle out of a logistical family ski holiday.
There’s a hot tub, a dedicated trained chef and chalet host as standard.
Catered guests receive a full cooked breakfast, afternoon tea, pre-dinner drinks and five 3-course evening dinners during their stay.
Premiere Neige’s flagship chalet “The Peak” sleeps up to 15 across 8 suites, with an in-house gym, sauna, hammam and roof terrace Jacuzzi, offering panoramic views across the valley.
The team can arrange transfers, childcare, ski lessons, massages and even groceries to the chalet door.

Ste Foy, France. Image © Premiere-Neige

Now we have no idea what the snow will be like this winter, but things have got off to an excellent start.

Here are some images from the recent November snowfalls in Sainte Foy:

Sainte Foy, France. Image c/o Premiere-Neige.

Sainte Foy, France. Image © Premiere-Neige.

We reported on the recent fresh snow in our main report on PlanetSKI:

More resorts open as further snow falls

Sainte Foy lifts open Saturday 9th Dec 2023 – Sunday 14th Apr 2024.

Meanwhile, here are a few more images from mid-season in Ste Foy:

See here for full details on Premiere-Neige.

And if you want some other reasons to consider a visit we asked Premiere-Neigh to list some, in their own words:

Sainte Foy has a great snow record. The resort benefits from a microclimate favourable to great snow conditions thanks to its northwest orientation and frequent snowfalls that come in over the Italian Alps.
The resort has invested in a huge system of snow cannons that extend from the resort level at 1550m up to 2600m.
Children under 8 and adults over 75 ski for FREE. Also the Sainte Foy lift pass is great value for money compared to surrounding local resorts. We also offer additional discounts on lift passes.
There are plenty of UK regional flights into local airports: Geneva, Lyon Grenoble or Chambery. Visit our flight advice page or ask our team for up to date info.
Our Catered chalets are all ensuite, and come with log fires, hot-tubs and friendly professional staff as standard.
We have good English speaking ski schools plus many private instructors and guides and we can help you through the booking process. So if it’s your first time you will be zooming down those slopes after only a few days.
We have some great childcare options from private nannies to Creche and babysitting.
Sainte Foy’s picturesque chalet style architecture and village setting is the perfect back drop for those family or group snapshots.
Ski Set has the latest skis and boards to hire or buy plus a state of the art boot fitting machine to ensure you get that perfect fit.
Friendly Sainte Foy is the perfect resort for skiers & boarders, it’s easy to find your way around the pistes and slopes and create meeting points for all your loved ones.
There’s something for everyone in the family from Grandparents to toddlers in Sainte Foy – it’s not just about the skiing.

There are currently a few special offers from Premiere-Neige in a so-called WHITE FRIDAY 20% SALE: see here for more.

Fingers crossed that PlanetSKI will be swinging through Ste Foy at some stage this coming winter.

James needs to tick it off his list after all.

Watch this space…