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Ski Holiday in Vars
Vars is located in the southern Haute Alpes region in the French Alps. Linked with the ski resort of Risoul, they present a quieter option to busier, larger resorts in that part of France. Vars-les-Claux, name in full, has often been described as one of the French Alps' best-kept secrets thanks to its sizable ski terrain, high-altitude slopes and good snow record. In addition, it has up to 300 days of sun every year and is particularly known to be a fantastic value for money as it generally costs less than most of the more popular resorts in the area. The ski resort is purpose-built and split into the 4 small hamlets of Vars Sainte-Marie at 1,650 metres, Vars Sainte-Catherine at 1,750 metres, Vars Sainte-Marcellin at 1,650 metres and Vars-les-Claux, the main resort at 1,850 metres. Linked to the Forêt Blanche ski area , Vars has up to 180 kilometres across 104 pistes in total, covering altitudes between 1,660 and 2,750 metres. The village has old, 1970’s style buildings but is set in a heavily, tree-lined valley which adds some character to a somewhat grunge look. Vars has a lot of vast and open territory on offer; affording visitors to the resort big sky views and breathtaking landscapes. Less than a 2-hour transfer from Turin Caselle Airport, it is generally quite easy to get to. It has very good accommodation options most of which are boutique and chalet-style hotels and self-catering apartments. It is also a great family-friendly option and ideal for ski holidaymakers searching for a calmer and slow-paced resort. It also has a good number of non-ski activities to get involved with including escaping into nature on snowshoe and hiking trails, snowmobile rides, dog sledding and tobogganing amongst many others.
With its pristine slopes, modern amenities, and vibrant après-ski scene, Vars provides an unforgettable alpine experience. Vars offers everything from modern ski rental shops and ski school with qualified instructors to quaint mountain restaurants serving classic French cuisine. In addition, a wide range of housing options, including hotels, chalets, and apartments, ensure that guests have a comfortable stay.
With its pristine slopes, modern amenities, and vibrant après-ski scene, Vars provides an unforgettable alpine experience. Vars offers everything from modern ski rental shops and ski school with qualified instructors to quaint mountain restaurants serving classic French cuisine. In addition, a wide range of housing options, including hotels, chalets, and apartments, ensure that guests have a comfortable stay.
The village has old, 1970’s style buildings but is set in a heavily, tree-lined valley giving it a quirky yet charming appearance. Vars has a lot of vast and open territory on offer; affording visitors to the resort big sky views and breathtaking landscapes. Less than a 2-hour transfer from Turin Caselle Airport, it is generally quite easy to get to.
It has very good accommodation options most of which are boutique and chalet-style hotels and self-catering apartments. It is also a great family-friendly option and ideal for ski holidaymakers searching for a calmer and slow-paced resort. It also has a good number of non-ski activities to get involved with including escaping into nature on snowshoe and hiking trails, snowmobile rides, dog sledding and tobogganing amongst many others.
Vars and Risoul are located on either side of a peak with both villages sharing the ski area. The ski terrain is generally best suited for intermediate-level skiers with the area mostly populated with red runs. The terrain is set on a wooded valley on a peak it shares with Risoul. Most of the area is tree-lined on the lower levels with powder bowls higher up above the wooded areas. The area has a good mix of red and blue runs.
The Forêt Blanche ski area ski pass grants access to the slopes in the entire ski area; the second largest in the Southern Alps with just over 180 kilometres of slopes.
Beginners have very good nursery slopes at the resort base in Var-les-Claux made up of greens and easy blues. Risoul also has a good number of gentle blues perfect for confident beginners and not too daunting to attempt.
Intermediates get an excellent selection of powder bowls higher up the slopes as well as long, winding reds which cut through the tree-lined area leading back down to the resort. It's most popular is the Olympique red; a 920-metre drop to the hamlet of Vars Sainte Marie from La Mayt. Intermediates can also take advantage of some of the resort's long steep blues for a bit of fun.
Advanced skiers however have limited challenges within the marked areas with the ski area having few expert-level slopes. There are a few steep runs outside of Vars-les-Claux with others found coming down the legendary, speedy Pic de Chabrières at 2,750 metres as well as Cuni.
The ski area has many off-piste opportunities, most of which are generally uncrowded and benefit from the terrain's deep powder bowls.
Free-stylers are in for a brilliant time at the resort. Vars has 2 very good terrain parks; L’Eyssina and Ecrins Snow Park; both of which have recently ranked among the top 10 parks in France.
Ecrins Snow Park, the smaller of the two holds JIB sessions every week. It is also equipped with 2 rainbows, several hits, and a large wave box among others. It also holds night sessions.
L’Eyssina, the larger and more popular park has 5 zones which are designated to the different ski ability levels. It has different level tables in each of the zones, 40 metres long hit, a number of rails and special units.
Despite receiving long sunny days for most of the ski season, Vars has a fantastic snow record receiving an average of up to 2 and a half metres of snow each season. Benefiting massively from its high altitude, the conditions on the piste are always brilliant.
For a small and quiet Haute ski village, Vars has a lively apres-ski atmosphere. It is quite a pleasant surprise, once party places are discovered, especially for first-time visitors to the resort who may be looking for vibrant bars to visit. Vars has a good selection of bars and lounges which particularly get busier over the weekend with weekenders flocking in from the surrounding areas. Vars is also known to host the Gliss & Mix party weekends which it has done since 2017. It hosts up to 4,000 people at every event and offers a weekend of skiing and partying. Structured around a ski tournament and music concert, the event aims to gather donations for Paoli Calmettes Institute, an organisation for the fight against cancer. The event has seen some internationally renowned acts and DJs grace the stage. If you are visiting in April, you are very likely to catch the event! Its held during the day but features an after-party usually on Saturday. If you are visiting around December or January, look out for the Outdoormix Winter Festival, an epic ski and snowboarding festival featuring cracking music every night and daring stunts during the day.
L' Apres Ski
Aptly named, L’Apres Ski is a lovely bar in a charming old chalet located in the village centre opposite the Point Chaud and only a few meters from the Écrins and Sibières slopes. It is one of the liveliest hangout spots in Vars and also acts as a central hub and meeting place for most skiers kicking off their apres-ski evening of fun. Great place to order some food as well, a group raclette is a great option, often served with a large plate of salad, salami, ham, bread and boiled potatoes. Friendly service, great atmosphere it is just what you need to start your evening. We recommend making a reservation especially if you are part of a large group, however, it's large enough so you can always get a good seating area if you have not reserved a table. Indoor and outdoor sitting is available.
La Zizane
A very good bar and restaurant is centrally located in Lex Claux Point Chaud. It has a large outdoor terrace that catches a lot of sunshine during the day. A great place for a meal and apres-ski drink. The food is really good and the staff are very friendly. More gastropub than late-night pub, La Zizane is open all day allowing visitors the option to start the apres shenanigans early. We recommend trying out the daily specials which usually feature local, mountain delicacies. As the night draws in, La Zizane becomes a vibrant hub of excited and merry skiers. Great place to meet up as it's close to the slopes.
La Marmotte
Otherwise known as The Groundhog, La Marmotte is an excellent restaurant and bar open every day from 8:30 am to 11 pm. They have excellent meals and feature a lot of fresh dishes from local delicacies. Fantastic place for an evening of drinks and apres-ski fun. Grab an evening crepe or full meal after your day off skiing and move on to the drinks afterwards. In the afternoon, stop by with the whole family for some great family meals, in particular, the fondue. While it has earned its reputation for its amazing pizza and raclette, it's also a very good place to have an apres-ski evening. It's warm and cosy inside and the staff are courteous and friendly. Certainly worth a visit.
Le Bistrot de Vars
Fantastic place to start and end your Vars apres-ski evening. Le Bistrot de Vars has a great drinks menu to go along with the tasty tapas served here. They also have a very good dessert menu and we will recommend trying the parfait or tiramisu. There is indoor and outdoor seating, with a vibrant atmosphere very much in the air in both areas. If you are after a traditional Alpine bar with great drinks and ski themes, Le Bistrot de Vars is the ideal place. It has a small interior with a makeshift mezzanine floor which does get very cosy as the night draws in and the bar gets louder and full of patrons. Most of the interior is designed with reclaimed wood, with some of the tables made from old ale drums. Overall a good evening with a great Alpine theme.
Vars has fantastic facilities on and off the slopes. It excels in all areas including piste management, family-friendly accommodation and resort amenities. Vars also offers excellent services such as Ski Passes, Ski Schools, Ski Equipment and Ski Transfers.
Vars has very good facilities for children and indeed the whole family both on and off the slopes.
Vars and Risoul are located on either side of a peak with both villages sharing the ski area. The ski terrain is generally best suited for intermediate-level skiers with the area mostly populated with red runs. The terrain is set on a wooded valley on a peak it shares with Risoul. Most of the area is tree-lined on the lower levels with powder bowls higher up above the wooded areas. The area has a good mix of red and blue runs.
