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Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise |
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Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise
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| Administration | |
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| Country | France |
| Region | Rhône-Alpes |
| Department | Savoie |
| Arrondissement | Albertville |
| Canton | Bourg-Saint-Maurice |
| Intercommunality | Haute Tarentaise |
| Mayor | Raymond Bimet (2008–2014) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 871–3,747 m (2,858–12,293 ft) |
| Land area1 | 100.15 km2 (38.67 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 856 (2006) |
| - Density | 9 /km2 (23 /sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 73232/ 73640 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise is a village in the Tarentaise Valley in Savoie, France. The old village itself lies on the main road between Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Val-d'Isère. About 4 km above the village (turning left at La Thuile) is the ski resort of Sainte Foy (referred as Sainte Foy Station). This is a small resort with 4 chairlifts, 15 slopes and accommodation for around 2,500 people. Sainte Foy has a good choice of well-groomed pistes which are often very quiet, but it is more famous for the off-piste skiing and snowboarding.
Sainte-Foy village is a Savoie style village, built from stone and wood. It has remained very unspoiled compared to many mountain villages and ski areas in France. The village centre is based around a cluster of bars and restaurants including Le Monal and La Grange. There is a good choice of accommodation in the main village including hotels and a number of chalets. There are further chalets offering accommodation in the satellite villages of La Masure and Le Miroir.
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The ski resort sits high above the village at 1550m above sea level. There is a free shuttle bus during the summer and winter tourist seasons. The resort is based around an old farming hamlet, some of which survives as chalet accommodation. Most of the village has been built relatively recently, but in a sympathetic style using wood and stone. There is a wide choice of luxury apartments and chalets. There are two spas in the resort, both with swimming pools, jacuzzis, saunas etc. as well as a range of massage and beauty treatments. There are also 4 ski shops, 2 bars, 3 restaurants and a small supermarket.
The mountain has four chairlifts and two magic carpets for beginners. There is a vertical drop of just over 1000 m from the highest point at the Col de l'Aiguille (2620 m). There are around 20 pistes, with a good choice for all ability levels. A green trail snakes through the trees back down to the resort while the new Grande Soliet run down from the Marquise chairlift offers a superb long, wide, swooping blue-grade trail. Red runs vary from the fun roller-coaster of Les Creux de Formeian to tight, steep challenges. There is only one groomed black run but also another 3 marked off-piste areas, also graded black.
While the on-piste skiing is excellent for beginners and confirmed skiers, the resort is also famous for the off-piste terrain on offer. This varies from short runs between the trails to legendary descents such as the easy tour to the village of Le Monal or the fearsome north face of La Fogliettaz. The best thing about the off-piste in Sainte Foy is that the quiet nature of the resort means that there are always fresh tracks to be found somewhere, long after the bigger resorts in the valley are tracked-out.
