Vars Sainte-Marie

Vars Sainte Marie is the first gateway to the ski area and already puts you in the “SKI” mood: the hire shop and ski lifts, including a brand new chairlift, will take you straight to the slopes, but that’s not all!
A few gourmet restaurants in the vaulted rooms are a reminder of the way things used to be, with all the comforts of the present: a charming hotel with relaxation and spa areas, traditional or bistronomic restaurants, a bakery, a mini-market, as well as administrative centres such as the post office and the town hall, not forgetting the library. A small village life where “everyone knows everyone else”, with pretty little streets mixing modern-style chalets and old-fashioned farmhouses, and a large play area along the Chagne torrent for young and old alike.

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 Forêt Blanche. The Sainte Marie is the community and administrative 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 hotel rooms.

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