Skiing and local resorts
La Tillette is perfectly placed for all the world-class resorts of the Haute Tarentaise. Sainte Foy, Val d’Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs and La Rosière are all within minutes. Whatever the weather, or whatever you feel like, there is a resort close by to suit everyone.
Sainte Foy
6 km from the chalet. Surrounded by the world-famous mega-resorts of Val d’Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs and La Rosière, Sainte Foy is your hosts’ favourite resort.
With its friendly atmosphere, cheap lift pass (around 40% cheaper than Val d’Isère and Les Arcs) and excellent, affordable restaurants, Sainte Foy remains quiet and unspoilt. It must be one of the least busy resorts you will ever visit. Once you are there, after a short car or bus ride, snow time is 100% snow time.
With lifts running from 1550m up to 2620m, the sheltered, north-west facing slopes enjoy excellent snow throughout the winter. Pistes are beautifully prepared, and the small number of visitors means they stay in top condition all day long. The lower slopes offer wonderful sweeping runs through the trees, while the upper slopes provide truly breathtaking descents.
Don’t be put off by the seemingly small number of lifts. They are all under-utilised and give quick, easy access to an area that would carry at least three times as many lifts in a busier resort. Incidentally, the future developable ski area here would rival that of Val d’Isère.
When you fancy a rest from the slopes, stop off at one of the superb and very reasonable mountain restaurants, some converted from original Savoyard shepherds’ lodgings.
“We have all had just the most fabulous holiday in the mountains of Sainte Foy” — Adrian and Sarah
“We have loved the resort. Great family skiing” — Emma and Andy
“The chalet is super and we were so impressed with the whole area. Ste Foy is a little gem” — David and Jules
Val d’Isère
About 20 km from the chalet, an easy drive up the valley. Val d’Isère should need no introduction to the seasoned skier or snowboarder.
“Val” is one of the longest-established ski resorts and a snow-sure favourite with British visitors for decades. Linked to neighbouring Tignes, the Espace Killy is a vast, high-quality area with some 300km of pistes served by 90 lifts.
There is something for every skier and snowboarder: challenging off-piste routes, world-class snowparks, high-speed pistes (some used for World Cup racing) and gentler slopes higher up for the more cautious. Beyond the skiing, Val d’Isère has a multitude of shops, restaurants and a very lively nightlife.
Tignes
Tignes les Brévières is 12 km from the chalet. Tignes is one of the world’s most snow-sure resorts, offering glacier skiing through the summer as well as the vast Espace Killy area in winter.
It comprises five separate villages linked by the slopes, which in turn link to Val d’Isère. The lowest village, Tignes les Brévières, is the most convenient entry point to the Espace Killy from La Tillette.
Tignes offers wide, sweeping pistes, plentiful off-piste and a world-class snowpark that has hosted the European Winter X Games on multiple occasions. There is also a very generously sized beginners’ slope with a chairlift in central Tignes le Lac, which is entirely free.
Les Arcs and Paradiski
Le Pré de Villaroger is 3 km from the chalet. One of the original French mega-resorts, Les Arcs offers extensive terrain, and since its link to La Plagne and Les Coches in 2003 the combined area is known as Paradiski.
The village of Le Pré de Villaroger links into the Les Arcs lift network and is a very quick way onto the slopes. The pistes on the Villaroger side are clearly visible from the chalet.
Another convenient access point is the funicular railway at nearby Bourg-Saint-Maurice. There is plentiful free parking, and use of the funicular is included in the price of the Les Arcs pass.
La Rosière and La Thuile
11 km from the chalet, about 15 minutes. La Rosière is a very popular choice with guests on good-weather days.
The slopes are wide and quite gentle and the panoramic views are stunning. It is a great choice for a group or family day out, with the option of heading over to the Italian side and the resort of La Thuile for slightly more challenging runs, thick hot chocolate and genuine Italian pizza and pasta. The whole area is known as the Espace San Bernardo.
La Rosière is a friendly, family resort and the slopes never get over-crowded.
Ski and snowboard hire
Two shops cover Sainte Foy, and both take bookings online before you travel.
Ski Doc is the convenient one: they deliver to the chalet, fit your equipment there as part of the hire price, and will change your gear during the week, even on the slopes. Skiset has three shops in the resort — choose Sainte Foy Sports 1 — with a wide range for every level, repairs, and clothing and accessories to buy. They will drop equipment at the chalet, though fitting is done in the shop.
Ski schools
Sainte Foy has a good choice of schools, and they fill up. Book early to be sure of a place.
- ESF, with plenty of instructors and guides for all types of skiing and snowboarding
- Snocool — ask for Patrick if you can get him, as he is very popular, and great fun with children and adults alike
- Evolution 2
- PDS Snowsport
