 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
We're off to Ste Foy for the first time, first week of April, and would appreciate any general advice about the resort (places to eat, runs not to be missed etc) and some specific questions re lessons and guiding.
We are a family of 4. Myself reasonable skier fine on blacks and reds and some off -piste experience, have touring bindings and skins and keen to try a bit of slack-country! My wife happy on blues and reds but not particularly fussed to go further afield, happy to be in the mountains. Son 13, fairly strong for age and likes the normal stuff, off-piste in the trees, jumps, going fast. Daughter 10, again fairly good for her age, wants to get her 'top' ESF and ESI badges.
So we're wondering about lessons. I see the ESF have some good reports and wonder about putting daughter in the kids group and son in the 'teenage motion' group, I'd be interested if anyone has any experience of these, they've mostly done ESI in the past so not much experience of ESF. I'd be interested in joining a group to explore the off-piste possibilities (is it possible to hire transceivers, probes in the resort?), I see the ESF do these also but imagine there must also be other instructors/guides in Ste Foy. It would be great if son could come along also.
We will probably try and do one or two trips to neighbouring resorts, I'm guessing Villaroger and Tignes would be the closest?
I've heard good things about Ste Foy and am really looking forward to it. We'll be driving down and spending the following week in Risoul
Finally, I obviously need to know the weather conditions and precise snow depths for that week!
Many thanks in advance
l.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's been a few years since I was there, so I'm guessing that things may have changed a bit. Here are a couple of local restaurants worth trying: Le Maison a Colonnes (at the bottom of the lifts in Ste Foy) and Chez Merie in Le Miroir (reservations required). I highly recommend the local guides: http://www.guides-montagne-saintefoy.com/. We skied with Franck Grand and he was terrific. He'll take to places that you'd never find on your own. Villaroger offers access into Les Arcs. La Rosiere which connects over to La Thuile in Italy is worth a day.
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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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The closest resort from Ste Foy should be La Risiere with its lowest chairlift Ecudets at 1176m level a couple of miles from Seez.
The road beyond Tignes/Val D is closed for winter so it may be a long drive to Risoul/Vars via Albertville, Chambery and Grenoble.
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La coeur is supposed to be excellent, but I had a poor meal in la pitchouli, service was shocking, food coming out at various times........but they do good take out pizzas. La grange at ste foy village also v good.
Re your other queries contact stevo at whiteroomchalet......I think he is the veritable bible on all things ste foy......although I m not sure his talents extend to knowing the weather and snow depths for April in February..........
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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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philipb, ESF is your only option for group lessons but they're pretty decent in Sainte Foy. Check the pre-requirements for the "pole-ado" group, I think they might insist on having one of the higher level ESF badges before signing-up (sure ESI equivalent would be fine).
Very easy to hire off-piste kit, I'd recommend ZigZags but any of the shops should be able to sort you out.
Joining an off-piste group isn't particularly easy, although Evolution2 are now also offering this service. For a local independent guide/instructor, I'd recommend Alex Rippe (www.alextrem.org). Book a guide and go do the Fogliettaz. Be warned though that you're getting into late season and off-piste options may be limited. I've seen everything from waist-deep powder to mud, via closed-out everywhere due to gnarly wet-snow avalanches at that time of year. The spring avalanche cycle this year is going to be apocalyptic with the amount of snow we have!
Villaroger is the closest resort for a day trip, with Tignes (les Brevieres) a close second. La Ros is actually the furthest drive of the "local" resorts, even if you go by the back road, but the trip over to Italy is a nice day out in a cruisy-pistey kind of way.
On the mountain, eat at Les Brevettes. Not particularly cheap and service can be a bit variable, but the food is really good (especially the Ravioli). Otherwise, go see Nadine at the top of the second lift for snacks. In the resort, Maison a Colonnes and L'a Coeur both do good food, Bergerie is decent as well. La Pitch is fine for pizzas. Iceberg does pretty cheap snacks at lunch-time (crepes, chips, etc.).
The weather will be both gloriously sunny and puking with cold, light snow. At the same time. 
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Ste Foy is a good base to ski the Val d'Isere/Tignes, Les Arcs/ La Plagne, La Rosiere. A lift goes up to Les Arcs from Bourg St Maurice which is only 15mins away by bus, or much closer via the chairlift from the hamlet of Villaroger, just the other side of the valley from Ste Foy.
A nice, uncrowded area itself, though small. However some very good off piste off the back (particularly by climbing up the ridge to the peak by turning left from the top of the top lift).
I've only visited for the day in the past but we will be there from the 10th March for 8 days skiing, mostly with Chris Harrop.
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Thanks for all the advice, really helpful.stevomcd, thanks for the tip re Evolution2, looking at their site it seems they do some group off-piste sessions and provide the equipment so they could be just right,. I've heard elsewhere that Les Brevettes is worth a visit.
Really looking forward to the trip.
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+1 for
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Les Brevettes especially the Ravioli
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snowball, will just miss you we are heading to La Tania 15th March then over to St Foy the week after
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