Vars Sainte-Marie

A little history

Since the winter of 2004-2005 and the installation of the new detachable 6-seater chairlift at Peyrol, the village of Vars Sainte Marie has played an increasingly important role in providing access to the ski area, hiking and mountain biking. This role will be strengthened by the completion of the 6-seater chairlift at Bois Noir in January 2021, making the village the main gateway to the ski area, with fast, comfortable access to the heart of the Forêt Blanche. Sainte Marie is the administrative and community centre, home to the Vars town hall and post office. It is also a place of worship thanks to the ecumenical centre, which is still very active.

Here you’ll find the first hotels, most of which were built in old buildings with traditional local architecture. The restaurants welcome you under the vaulted ceilings of restored cowsheds. The floors once used to store hay are now the hotel rooms.

The first ski lifts were installed in Vars Sainte Marie in 1938. The development of the resort extended to Vars les Claux from 1939 onwards, with an effort to equip the resort that was to resume at the end of the Second World War.