 Poster: A snowHead
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So having missed out on Chamrousse last year and Avoriaz not happening next month, thoughts drift to 2022.
It's highly likely that it may be just me and my 16 year old daughter next year, and as it'll be her first time in the mountains, she thinks she would like somewhere small, so she won't get lost!! Small suits me too, and I'm happy to cruise around on blues and reds, and don't mind repeating the same runs. It's totally for her benefit, so what she says, goes.
Ste Foy looks very good, but is it too small? How long from top to bottom?
It's like to say late March, but college could scupper that, so 1st week of April may be needed.
Good choice, or other, better suggestions please....
Ta
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Perfect fit in my view.
The bit about getting lost often comes up as concern, and here you can wander around all day without a piste map or any worry about it. Literally everything leads back to the village one way or another as long as your are on marked piste. And very much appreciated by those with this concern.
Much more to ski than the kms raw numbers indicate, a fair elevation to ski from top to base and all on red as most severe that makes it accessible for differing skills.
Very friendly and relaxed to make for a great week introduction, we've been with groups having children learning from 5yrs, complete beginner adults, plus much more advanced that enjoy the off piste.
Thoroughly recommended for your brief.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I ski fairly big resorts, such as the Three Vallies in France, and Saalbach in Austria etc. One year, some friends were going to Ste Foy towards the end of the season, and I joined them for the company, and (I thought wrongly) not for the skiing, as Ste Foy seemed such a small resort.
But I had one of the best skiing holidays ever, as the runs were just so good (and it was sunny with fantastic snow). And as others have said, you can't get lost, as all the runs end up at the same place in the village. It was also supper friendly.
So it's a good choice in my book!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Definitely a good choice. We went to Ste Foy about 5 years ago end of March / April and really enjoyed it. It's quite small but offers a lot of potential for proper off-piste and alternative routes.
If you're thinking of driving there, it's only a short ride to Tignes (20 mins) and Villaroger / Paradiski (15 mins).
I can't remember how long it took from top to bottom but this didn't disturb us.
I'd definitely recommend it and would go back again.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks guys, certainly sounds like I'm on the right track.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sainte Foy has over 1000m of vertical from top to bottom. There aren't many resorts where you can realistically / consistently continuously ride more than that. e.g. Tignes may have a vertical drop of 1900m from the top of the Motte down to Les Brevieres, but realistically the max drop is about 1000m from the glacier to Val Claret.
As above, there might not be a lot of pistes but they're all great quality and, above all, quiet. Consistently quiet pistes is a luxury that, once experience, will put you off ever going back to a busy resort.
Done 14 seasons now in the Foy and still doesn't feel "too small".
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| Poogle wrote: |
... It was also supper friendly.
So it's a good choice in my book! |
Being supper friendly is an underrated attribute.
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good choice in my book........great little resort, lovely restaurants
holds the snow well too
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Poogle wrote: |
It was also supper friendly.
So it's a good choice in my book! |
Bon appetit! 
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| stevomcd wrote: |
| Sainte Foy has over 1000m of vertical from top to bottom. There aren't many resorts where you can realistically / consistently continuously ride more than that. e.g. Tignes may have a vertical drop of 1900m from the top of the Motte down to Les Brevieres, but realistically the max drop is about 1000m from the glacier to Val Claret. |
 More like 1346m off the Motte to Val Claret.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| stevomcd wrote: |
Sainte Foy has over 1000m of vertical from top to bottom.
Done 14 seasons now in the Foy and still doesn't feel "too small". |
That has to to be quite a long run then? Any idea, ball park, how long it is?
Clearly no one is 100% on anything for this year or next, travel wise, but I want to get something booked, and Ste Foy is the favorite.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
stevomcd wrote:
Sainte Foy has over 1000m of vertical from top to bottom. There aren't many resorts where you can realistically / consistently continuously ride more than that. e.g. Tignes may have a vertical drop of 1900m from the top of the Motte down to Les Brevieres, but realistically the max drop is about 1000m from the glacier to Val Claret.
Puzzled More like 1346m off the Motte to Val Claret.
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Or the 2000m drop from the top of the Aiguille Rouge to Villaroger in Les Arcs. or even the modest 1000m drop from the Grand Col to Pre St Espirit which I cruise down to get lunch some days. Though I cannot be bothered to check I think most of the Tarrentaise resorts heve 1000+metre verticals that "you can realistically / consistently continuously ride"
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Only because I ski it and enjoy it rather than try to quantify it, if that makes sense?
I'm unsure even to guess it with any accuracy. But after the initial phase from top lift over the ridge line (you arrive just the other side of the ridge from main area) as you cross back into village facing side, you can split any of 3 ways to continue on all red graded piste through very different piste arrangements toward the village. They are all wide with really great "features" and nil cruising. Simply some of the best rolling turning interesting piste you'd imagine.
A quick recreational skier would take something approaching 30 mins from top to lower lift, and unless fully fit, would get into leg burn in upper third section.
It's not daunting but what you make of it. You can run in more straight and fast with exciting rolling crests, or tight slalom it, or just cruise through working the gradient to keep pace down as there's plenty of room to do so.
And then you've got all the other side from the 6pax chair with one of the best blue piste in the Alps  plus the recent addition of a significant red piste that runs across the top to feed alot of interpiste area for free ride.
Plus another whole layer of off piste over and above all this, including itinerary routes.
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You know it makes sense.
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| ski3 wrote: |
Only because I ski it and enjoy it rather than try to quantify it, if that makes sense?
I'm unsure even to guess it with any accuracy. But after the initial phase from top lift over the ridge line (you arrive just the other side of the ridge from main area) as you cross back into village facing side, you can split any of 3 ways to continue on all red graded piste through very different piste arrangements toward the village. They are all wide with really great "features" and nil cruising. Simply some of the best rolling turning interesting piste you'd imagine.
A quick recreational skier would take something approaching 30 mins from top to lower lift, and unless fully fit, would get into leg burn in upper third section.
It's not daunting but what you make of it. You can run in more straight and fast with exciting rolling crests, or tight slalom it, or just cruise through working the gradient to keep pace down as there's plenty of room to do so.
And then you've got all the other side from the 6pax chair with one of the best blue piste in the Alps plus the recent addition of a significant red piste that runs across the top to feed alot of interpiste area for free ride.
Plus another whole layer of off piste over and above all this, including itinerary routes. |
Yep, pretty much has me sold. Cheers for this.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Kenzie, @johnE, you guys must be loads of fun at parties.
The point is simply that the vertical at Sainte Foy is pretty comparable to the realistic vertical at most places. Not to start getting measuring tapes out. Lighten up. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@stevomcd, What are "parties"? We were just pointing out that most of the ski areas in the region have verticals of 1000m. It is more or less the standard.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@stevomcd, looks like the couple of hours was well worth it. Great pic.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We're spent 3-4 weeks at St Foy over 5 or 6 years. It is a small resort with limited runs, but you don't get bored in a week. We've spent a lot of time in the Espace Killy and the 3 valleys, so St Foy is minute by comparison, but makes up for it with some very interesting and enjoyable runs and the fact that you can ski all the areas between the pistes with the comfort of knowing you're not far from a piste if you start to struggle.
No lift queues, interesting runs, quiet slopes, loads of easily accessible off piste, good restaurants. Its a great and under rated resort and good for beginners who don't need to worry about getting lost.
As others have said, if you feel like venturing further, its a short taxi ride to the Villaroger lift which gives you access to Les Arcs and the Paradiski. However, in the 3 weeks i've spent in St Foy, i've only ever ventured out for one day.
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