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Choose between a gentle trek up to the high mountain
pastures to admire the pretty Tarine cows or, for more
challenging walking, there are over 70km of footpaths
close to the Vanoise
national park as well as new projects like the
“Glacier Haute Route”. Many of the
area’s waymarked
paths pass through unspoilt traditional Alpine
villages and peaceful mountain lakes like the Lac
Noir in the Clou valley.
Some offer stunning views of Mont Blanc, the Lord of
the Alps.
Sainte-Foy is at the centre of some of the largest
resorts in the Tarentaise
which makes it wonderful mountain biking
territory. Near the Vanoise national park, there
are some exhilarating freeride descents in a wild
untamed setting where routes of more than 1000
vertical metres take in goat tracks and shady forest
paths.
The commune of Sainte-Foy is actually made up of 100
hamlets in total including Le Miroir, a protected site which
is known for its eye-catching Italian-style
colonnaded chalets and important religious
architectural heritage. The listed farming
village of Le Monal has a
breathtaking panorama of the Mont Pouri glaciers. There are
several excellent eateries in the area offering
Savoyard specialities in charmingly rustic
surroundings. Within easy driving distance of
Sainte-Foy are the resorts of Tignes, where it’s
possible to practice summer skiing, and Les Arcs and
Val d’Isère
which both offer a wide range of additional
activities for the whole family. Day trips to
Italy are also a possibility from here.
Places of interest in Sainte-Foy
·
Vanoise national park
– located between the Tarentaise and the Maurienne, the Parc de la Vanoise is one of
Europe’s oldest and largest protected areas and
the home of a 2000-strong herd of ibex. One of the
country’s loveliest villages, Bonneval-sur-Arc, is also to be
found there. With summer glaciers, raging
rivers and stunning scenery, the park is a taste of
paradise for hikers.
·
Villaroger – the
tourist office can organise a three-hour guided visit
of the baroque church at Villaroger, as well as the
rural, religious and architectural heritage of La
Masure and Le Miroir. At the end of the
visit, there’s the opportunity to taste a local
sweet speciality known as “farçon ".
Children
·
"Les P'tits
Santaférains" -
summer activities for children aged seven and over:
mountain walks, cycling, outdoor games, badminton,
camping, orienteering, cultural activities (museum,
cinema), climbing, table tennis, fencing, acrobatics,
golf…
Contact
Olivier Empereur: +33 671
85 99 46.
Summer
activities for children aged 7 and over: mountain
walks,
cycling, outdoor games, badminton, camping,
orienteering, cultural
activities, climbing, table
tennis, fencing, acrobatics, golf…
·
Cani
RandoFor information and
bookings, contact Stéphane and Véronique
Lépine: +33 479 06 18
68.
An
alternative way to discover summer activities in
Sainte-Foy with
husky dogs – husky-walk,
husky-run, husky-bike…
Amenities in Sainte-Foy
Cashpoint, delicatessen,
fitness centre, newsagents, sports shops, beauty
salon, antique and bric-a-brac shop, doctors,
dentist, post office.
Guided tours of Villaroger with its Baroque
church and of Le Monal, a
renowned listed village. Visit the
village’s cooperative dairy.
Eating Out and Entertainment in Sainte-Foy
Try the charmingly rustic Chez Mérie (Tel: +33 479 06
90 16) in the hamlet of Le Miroir or Chez Léon (Tel: +33 479 06 90
83) at the top of the first chairlift which
specialises in Savoyard cuisine. Advance
booking is recommended for both. La Maison
à Colonnes (Tel : +33 479 06 94 80) is a traditional-style restaurant
serving
meals in a typical 16th century Savoyard chalet.
Contacts for activities in Sainte-Foy
Bureau des Guides – tel: +33 614 62 90 24,
www.guide-montagne-tarentaise.com (hiking,
mountaineering, rock climbing, canyoning, via ferrata, mountain biking)
Climbing – guides’ office, tel: +33 614 629 024. Le
Pré climbing wall
(from La Mazure, follow
the road to Le Crot, and
then take the bridge which gives access to the
wall). South-facing. 34 routes from 15 to
40 metres. Also mountaineering, Via Ferrata, canyoning, hiking
Mountain biking - Michel Demortier, tel: +33 479 06 93 82.
Michel Demortier, known
locally as Mitch, who's been in this area for over 10
years, can be relied upon to advise on the best mountain
biking in the area. The Mountain Bike centre,
and its team of instructors, will offer you all the
help and advice you need to make the most of your
stay in Sainte Foy. Services include: 4WD
vehicle with a trailer for mountain bikes, bike
rental, workshop, repairs, cleaning, support and
advice.
White water activities – Mountain River
High, tel: +33 627 273
275,
www.mountainriverhigh.fr
Rafting, wild water swimming,
canoeing and canyoning.
Coureurs de Rivières, tel : +33 479 041
122,
www.coureurs-rivieres.com
White water sports in the Tarentaise and the Aosta valleys.
Paragliding - Alérion Paragliding
School, tel: +33 4 79 04
18 90,
www.alerion.fr Courses for all
levels, paragliding school, tandem flights, mountain
sports, rafting, canyoning.
Laurent Ottobon, +33 608
896 546. Paragliding instructor, tandem
flights.
Church tour – free guided visits every
Wednesday 5-7pm
Guide publisher Cicerone is worth a look at for
books on Walking in the Tarentaise and Beaufortain Alps visit
www.cicerone.co.uk
All the above information is for information only.
For the most up-to-date information please visit the
resort tourist office website
Sainte-Foy Tarentaise Tourist
Office
Tel: +33 4 79 06 95 19
www.saintefoy.net
Access to Sainte-Foy
By Road: Driving distance from Calais to
Sainte-Foy 610 miles (approx 9hrs15)
Motorway A 43 Lyon/Albertville
Main road N 90 Bourg-Saint-Maurice
By Rail: Eurostar
runs direct services from London to
Bourg-Saint-Maurice on Friday night and Saturday. Or
take the Eurostar service
to Paris or Lille and
change to regular SNCF services to
Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
Airports: The nearest airports are Chambery (+33 479 544 954),
Grenoble, Lyon (+33 826
800 826) or Geneva (+41 227 177 111).
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