Vars

Location

Hautes-Alpes
France
44° 34' 24.6" N, 6° 40' 54.48" E
FR
General info: 

At 1850 metres altitude in the heart of the Hautes Alpes, the Vars ski resort has become one of the most desirable resorts in the Southern Alps. The resort is right on the edge of some of the biggest mountain chains in the French Alps and is nestled amidst splendid larch forests which are tremendously well preserved. The surrounding mountains (Massif des Ecrins, the Queyras and Ubaye) are stunning and the ski runs top out at close to 3000 m in altitude. Made up of 4 small hamlets which span the length of the Route des Grandes Alpes, Vars has successfully combined authenticity and charm of a traditional village mountain village with the comfort of a large winter sports resort. Its natural history and good climate make Vars a very desirable place to spend your holiday. Vars - La Forêt Blanche (The White Forest) is the union between the Vars and the Risoul ski areas. The ski area is vast offering 185 km of marked ski runs. There is a huge diversity to the skiing; the ski area is a huge recreation area enabling skiers and snowboarders to learn what great skiing really is. With its network of artificial snow covering all the main ski slopes, La Forêt Blanche (The White Forest), ensures quality snow from mid-December to late April. There are also 2 very famous snow parks in Vars: - The freestyle area, at 2400 metres in altitude, spans 8 acres right at the heart of the ski area. - The Jib Zone welcomes all amateur lovers of the new urban style skiing, right at the bottom of the slopes. Finally, it's worth a note that Vars was the destination for many of the world's most famous speed skiing records (the legendary Chabrières slope is the home of numerous speed records and other KL World Cups). For freeriders, the Eyssina and Chabrières mountain chains overlook the ski area and have a veritable choice of skiable couloirs. There are nearly a hundred available, 20 of them directly accessible from the lifts. The private://Yprivate://, the private://Entonnoir (Funnel)private://, the “Virgule (comma)private://, private://Petit Colprivate://, or private://Le Caché” and “La Bananeprivate:// boast descents between 30 and 50% accessible in less than an hour walk from the lifts. Here you will find dreamy powder and some amazing skiing. For those looking for a little bit of culture, you won't be disappointed. The local history in Vars is very interesting; discover the local cultural and sporting traditions. Vars offers a range of activities that will satisfy the most demanding of non-skiers: snowshoeing, winter walks, health centre (Nordic bath, Zen workshop, massages, spa, steam room, sauna, shiatsu, gym, etc.), Ice climbing, helicopter rides, ice skating and a cinema...

BASE: 5413ft
SUMMIT: 9022ft
VERTICAL DROP: 3608ft

NO. OF. LIFTS: 56
Gondolas: 2
Chairs: 20
Surface: 34

Costs: 

DAY PASS ADULTS weekday: €36.00
6 DAYS ADULTS: €180.00

We recommend to confirm the latest prices from the resorts website as the prices might have changed after last update.

Interesting places nearby

private://Bellevaux, family resort of Leman Alps settled at 30 min from Thonon-les-Bains and 45 min fromde Geneva, offers many activities : alpine skiing and cross-country-skiing on Mass of Hirmentaz and the Chèvrerie, skishoes walks, ra

On a ski holiday in Bellwald skiers will find themselves in a mountain village that has kept its alpine traditions despite tourism. However, its snow-secure slopes make Bellwald a good destination for winter sports.

Whoever wants to tobogganing in Switzerland, is well abolished in the skiing-area Bergün-Bravuogn.

BASE: 3051ft
SUMMIT: 4642ft
VERTICAL DROP: 1591ft

NO. OF. LIFTS: 5
Gondolas: 0
Chairs: 0
Surface: 5

Bernex is a charming mountain village resort, with its traditional buildings and numerous chalets spread over the plateau of Gavot, nestled between lake and mountains.

A village where ancestral traditions of French Alps are preserved : making of French cheeses, local crafts, traditional houses, story and legends evenings,