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St Sorlin d'Arves Ski Resort
St Sorlin d’Arves is a lovely, old and quintessentially French village, with ancient wood and stone architecture built around the baroque church of Saint Saturnin. The village sits at the foot of the Etendard glacier in the shadow of the Col de la Croix de la Fer peak, high up over the Maurienne Valley - stunning views on clear days are guaranteed.
The word village may suggest a small and sleepy resort, but rest assured that the vibe is very much awake, with plenty to do during the day and in the evenings. You’ll find a brilliant choice restaurants, serving a mixture of mountain classics, French cuisine and Italian favourites. Cheese lovers will be delighted to know that the local cheese is ‘beaufort’ and anyone really keen on knowing more about its origin and production process can visit the dairy and watch it being made!
The friendly locals do a really fantastic job of ensuring that there is plenty going on throughout the season, and the variety of activities like snow-shoeing, paintballing and paragliding make this the ideal choice for any lover of the great outdoors.
Learners can save money with the ‘beginners only’ ski pass, which allows access to a number of greens around the village so you don’t pay for the black runs you’re probably going to avoid at all costs. The ‘small area ski pass’ allows access to a couple of greens, a blue, a red and a black for those looking to ski on a budget, and happy to potter around on familiar slopes for the week.
Next up, the St Sorlin d’Arves ski pass gives access to 120km of runs. It is one of the 6 resorts that makes up the ‘Sybelles’ ski area and anyone feeling adventurous can upgrade to a ‘Sybelles’ area pass which covers just over 300km of connected runs, as well as excellent off-piste and cross-country.
Stats & FAQ
Location: Savoie Region of Alps, France
Established: 17<sup>th</sup> Century
Open: December – April
Downhill: 120km
View our detailed St Sorlin d'Arves snow forecast or snow report and see all live webcams, piste maps, road and travel maps and lift pass prices. For a picture of historic snow conditions see the snow depths month by month with our St Sorlin d'Arves snow history.
| Nearest Airport & Transfer Time: | |
| Chambery | 2hours |
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| Top Altitude: | 2620m |
| Bottom Altitude: | 1500m |
| Resort Altitude: | 1600m |
| Longest run: | 4km |
| Slope Orientation: | E NE |
| Vertical Drop: | 1120m |
| Skiable Vertical: | 1020m |
| Night Skiing: | No |
| Glacier: | Yes |
Snow Report
Web Cam
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| Downhill Runs: | 120km |
| Beginner slopes: | 63% |
| Intermediate: | 26% |
| Advanced slopes: | 11% |
| Lift Pass Price: | 172 euros (adult 6 days) |
| Nearby resorts: St. Jean d’Arves, La Toussuire, Le Corbier, Albiez-Montront, Les 7 Laux, Les Karrellis | |
Skiing/BoardingSkiing in St Sorlin d'Arves
The local ski school provide lessons for all ages and a snow-garden for little ones that combines tuition with indoor fun. Beginners wanting to explore the whole area should catch the TSD Plan du Moulin Express (1) towards the La Balme peak and take the ‘Boulevards’ green, a lovely run back to the village. For higher altitudes, take the TSD Plan du Moulin Express (1) and then TSF des 3 Lacs (14) to the Perrons peak, soak up the scenery before taking the beautiful blue ‘Col des Lacs’ back home.
Intermediates have a number of great reds around. To blow your ski-webs away, take the TSD Plan du Moulin Express and ski the ‘Balme’ (which connects to a relaxing green at the end) back down to the village. After, take the TSF des 3 Lacs (14) up to the Perrons peak and ski the longer ‘Super 6’ and ‘Tuffs’ for a bigger challenge.
A handful of blacks in the area serve to test experts, who can upgrade to a Sybelles Area pass to ski further afield. For a gentle re-introduction to tricky runs, take lift TSD Plan du Moulin Express (1) to ski the ‘Mur’ run to the village. Once back in the swing of things, hop on the TSD du Rouet (20) towards the Petit Perron area, and take the long ‘Perrons’ back to the village for a well-deserved beer!
With a high reaching altitude of over 2200m, the off-piste is great - hire a guide as they’ll know where all the best powder can be found. The area also has a 16km Nordic loop for some cross country.
St Sorlin hosts one of three snow parks in the Sybelles area, where freestylers can while away afternoons sailing through the air, trying not to crash land. It has great provisions for beginners, intermediates and experts, including boxes, table tops and a big air.
St Sorlin d'Arves Apres Ski
Despite being very much a traditional French village, Saint Sorlin has a fantastic choice of bars, restaurants and a nightclub as well as some excellent family activities.
Anyone looking for a lively evening should check out L’Avalanche which often has live music, fancy dress and a big old list of cocktails and wine. If the cocktails have got you in the party mood the D’sybell Club in the Plan de Moulin is open until 4am, and usually offers a free bus service (on request) for the way home.
Families eating out should look no further than Les Neiges in the village centre. They happily provide high chairs and a varied children’s menu. We love La Petite Ferme bar, great for bowling, live sport on big screens and a playroom, where kids can wear themselves out before bed while parents have a beer.
The typical Savoyard cuisine is cheese, lots of it, served hot in a variety of ways and with St Sorlin being home to Beaufort, you’ve got to have a fondue while you’re here. If you’re looking for something meatier, wander to the Auberge des Turins for an aperitif on the terrace, followed by a beautifully cooked steak.
If you’re seeking out lunch with a view, there are plenty of mountain huts around the resort. Our favourite is L’Alpes which offers some incredible panoramic views of the Aiguilles d’Arves peak. Take the Plan du Moulin Express for a lunch you won’t forget.
The resort takes relaxation seriously, so if you need those aches and pains massaged away, Harmonie is the place to visit. As well as Californian, deep tissue, Hawaiian and Swedish massages, they offer ‘make your own cosmetics’ classes!
If you need a break from the slopes, the resort has a phenomenal choice of activities that don’t require skis. Take the kids paintballing or appreciate the aerial beauty of the Alps on a paragliding trip.
Best time to go
Best time to ski St Sorlin d'Arves
Best time to visit & ski St Sorlin d'Arves
The high reaching 2620m altitude of the slopes means that there is no definitive ‘best’ time to ski here. It is more dependent on what you want from your holiday; early season festive fun finders will have some good high snow and plenty of celebratory cheer in the evenings.
Serious skiers, particularly anyone wanting to make the most of the off-piste above the tree-line would benefit from a mid-season holiday (Feb-March) as the snow fall tends to be good around this time. Families will enjoy half-term due to the brilliant day care facilities, beginners pass and north facing slopes catching mid-season sun.
Late season will see warmer temperatures, with the snow quality deteriorating around the resort itself, but usually staying good above 2000m.
Peak Dates
For a festive holiday with all the trimmings, look no further than Christmas in Saint Sorlin, with an abundance of festive cheer, snow-capped peaks and vin-chaud all day long. St Sorlin d'Arves Christmas ski holidays ‣
If you’re looking for a mixture of celebrating and good skiing, New Year’s Eve in Saint Sorlin is the perfect compromise. With high reaching slopes and enough bars to welcome the New Year in with style, you won’t be disappointed. St Sorlin d'Arves New Year ski holidays ‣
Families won’t be disappointed with Saint Sorlin in February Half-term with special ski passes and lots of entertainment as well as excellent childcare facilities proving that the resort is too good to resist for a mid-term escape. St Sorlin d'Arves Half Term ski holidays ‣
If you’re after some skiing and some sun, Easter in Saint Sorlin is the answer. With high reaching runs providing good snow, and the Tourist Office ensuring there’s plenty to do in the sunshine, pack your Easter eggs and head out for the perfect Easter break. St Sorlin d'Arves Easter ski holidays ‣
Families in St Sorlin d'Arves
Saint Sorlin is brilliant for families, especially those with younger children, due to their incredibly accommodating choice of ski passes and brilliant choice of off the slope activities. Self-catering is great option for families, as meals in catered accommodation can be late, leaving children a bit hungry. The Residence Les Fermes are right on the slopes, so children won’t have to carry heavy equipment very far. Some apartments blocks come with extra wellness facilities like swimming pools and saunas, if this is something your family is interested in, give us a call to discuss your options.
If the little ones are likely to be in ski-school all week, choose the ‘beginners only’ pass, which gives access to the greens around the resort, so parents don’t have to waste money paying for red and black runs the kids won’t go near.
If you’re happy to potter around a few runs for the week as a family, the ‘small area’ pass gives access to a few greens, a couple of blues, reds and a black, so you’re not paying for a full ski pass if you know you’re not going to use it.
Ski school provisions are good, with the ESF offering lessons for children over 3 and a snow garden, which combines skiing and indoor activities for really little ones. The Tourist Office also provides a list of evening babysitters once the season has begun.
When the kids need a break from the mountain, the choice of ‘stuff’ to do is really impressive - take them to the paintball field if they need wearing out. The Tourist Office puts on lots of events throughout the season, like freestyle demos and snow carnivals to ensure family fun is easy to find.
For a super stress free holiday, let us do the hard work and choose a package that includes flights and transfers, or channel crossings for families who enjoy a road trip. Alternatively, if you’ve not got as far as organising travel, or if you’ve already got it sorted, book your accommodation on its own.
GroupsGroup Holidays St Sorlin d'Arves
Groups choosing Saint Sorlin as their ski holiday destination won’t be disappointed with this beautiful resort. The skiing around the area is suited to skiers of all abilities, with the option to upgrade your ski-pass to the whole Sybelles area if anyone (particularly advanced ability group members) wanted to explore a little further afield.
The self-catering accommodation in the resort is a great choice for groups, as it allows for maximum flexibility throughout the holiday. It’s perfect for groups who don’t want to be constrained by set meal times and set menus. The ‘Residence Les Fermes’ apartments are located high up in the resort, and offer brilliant doorstep skiing, meaning no-one has too far to walk in the morning with heavy ski equipment. Being high in the resort, the main feature of this accommodation has to be the stunning panoramic views over the entire Maurienne Valley. Some apartment accommodation comes with extra wellness facilities like swimming pools, Jacuzzis and hot tubs, if this is something you think your group would enjoy, give us a buzz to discuss what’s on offer.
The resort has a number of fantastic restaurants, so the washing and drying up can definitely be swerved for a couple of nights a week. Try Les Neiges for some cheesy mountain goodness or Le Grand Mont for some Italian classics.
After dinner, if you’re in the mood to bowl, grab the whole group and head on down to La Petite Ferme for bowling, live sport and cocktails. If it’s a few drinks you fancy, head to the aptly named Hors Piste (off piste) for some good food and a better bar menu.
Booking a holiday in a group can get frustrating, let us do all the hard work for you, and grab a package with flights and transfers for those who are keen to fly, or a package with channel crossings for those in the mood for a convoy. Alternatively, opt for an accommodation only deal and let everyone take care of their own travel arrangements.
Which are the best ski holidays in St Sorlin d'Arves?
| Accommodation | Number of nights | Price (per person) from |
|---|---|---|
| Résidence Odalys L'Orée des Pistes | 7 | £ 384 |
| Les Cèdres Hotel | 7 | £ 1138 |
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