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

In the winter you sit at the front door of a skiers´ paradise at an elevation of 900 meters. A wide range of possibilities awaits you here whether you fancy downhill or cross-country skiing or all other snow sports.

The Sonnbichl, the ski area Bad Wiessee’s local mountain, ranges up to an altitude of 1020 m and has several pistes to offer for skiers and snowboarders as well as the breathtaking panorama view on the Tegernsee.

Welcome in the powder snow! Skiing in Baiersbronn is because of the large variety of skiing places and the atmosphere around them lots of fun.

The ski area Balderschwang is known to be very snow reliable. And if there is not enough natural snow, the snowmaking equipment guarantees snowy slopes during your winter vacation in Balderschwang.

Baqueira Beret is located in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees in the province Lleida. Baqueira Beret is at an altitude of 1500 m with lifts going up to 2500 m. The ski resort extends into 4 Valleys: Baqueira, Beret, Bonaigua y Pallars.

The ski slopes of Baraque de Fraiture are located in the province Luxembourg in the Belgium Ardennes. Located on 652 meter hight this is the highest alpine resort in Belgium.