Vars Sainte-Marie

Vars Sainte Marie is the first point of entry to the ski area, and already puts you in the “SKI” mood: rental store, ski lifts including a brand-new chairlift will take you straight to the slopes, but that’s not all!
A few gourmet eateries in vaulted rooms bear witness to life as it was in the past, with all the comforts of the present: charming guesthouses with relaxation and spa areas, traditional and bistronomic restaurants, bakery, mini-market, as well as the post office and town hall, not forgetting the library. A small village life where “everyone knows everyone else”, where you can discover pretty little streets combining modern-style chalets and old-fashioned farmhouses, with 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 Peyrol detachable 6-seater chairlift, the village of Vars Sainte Marie has played an increasingly important role in access to the ski area, hiking and mountain biking, a role reinforced by the completion of the Bois Noir 6-seater chairlift in January 2021: the village is now 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 hub, home to the Vars town hall and post office. It is also a place of worship, thanks to the ecumenical center, which is still very active.

Here you’ll find the first hotels, most of which were built in old buildings featuring traditional local architecture. Restaurants welcome guests under the vaulted roofs of restored cowsheds. The floors once dedicated to hay storage are now the hotel rooms.

The first ski lifts were installed in Vars Sainte Marie in 1938. From 1939 onwards, the resort’s expansion extended to Vars les Claux, and the effort to equip the resort resumed at the end of the Second World War.