Related Regions: La Forêt Blanche, Southern Alps, France, Hautes-Alpes, Guillestrois

Vars Overview

http://www.vars.com +33 (0)4 92 46 51 31

Vars

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 "Y", the "Entonnoir (Funnel)", the “Virgule (comma)", "Petit Col", or "Le Caché” and “La Banane" 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...

Elevation

  • Summit
    9022ft
  • Vertical Drop
    3608ft
  • Base
    5413ft

Terrain

Beginner Runs

18%

Intermediate Runs

39%

Advanced Runs

34%

Expert Runs

9%

Runs

115 MILES

Terrain Parks

1

Skiable Terrain

243 ACRE

Lifts

  • Total Number Of Lifts: 56
  • Gondolas & Trams: 2
  • Eight Person Lifts: 1
  • High Speed Sixes: 3
  • High Speed Quads: 4
  • Quad Chairs: 4
  • Triple Chairs: 3
  • Double Chairs: 5
  • Surface Lifts: 34

Tourist Office

Cours Fontanarosa

05560 VARS

France

Phone: +33 (0)4 92 46 51 31

info@otvars.com

Vars Website Tourist office

Ski-lift

SEDEV

Cours Yves Brayer - Route du col

05560 Vars les Claux

France

Phone: +33 (0)4 92 46 51 04

semsedev@sedev.fr

Vars Web site

Important Dates

Projected Opening Ski Season: 12/08/2012

Projected Closing Ski Season: 04/21/2013

Years Open: 13

Average Snowfall: 350"

Vars Reviews

  • by Snow queen6 25th February 2013
    • Overall Rating 4
    • Family Friendly 4
    • All Mtn. Terrain 5
    • Terrain Park 5
    • Nightlife 3

    Vars resort

    Pros: Great cruising red and blue runs
    Cons: Slow lifts

     
  • by looka 19th September 2007
    • Overall Rating 5
    • Family Friendly 5
    • All Mtn. Terrain 5
    • Terrain Park 5
    • Nightlife 5

    Vars Review

    Vars is very good place, locals are very fine and the snow is all the time [! full_review

     

See All Vars Reviews

Common Misspellings

Vares, Varse

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