Sainte Foy Tarentaise : 06 December 2020
Covid or no covid? That is the question! Here is Sainte Foy station there is no covid, and we do have a healthy mountain lifestyle. You can ‘s’oxygéner’, get lots of fresh air, whilst taking your permitted quota of daily exercise and enjoying the fabulous mountain views.
A few days ago, our permitted hour of exercise was increased to three hours, and the one kilometre from home radius was upped to twenty kilometres. No doubt the minister in charge of fitness training thinks we need to stretch our targets, and I look forward to our daily regime being increased to five hours and thirty kilometres!
Well winter has arrived in Sainte Foy. Here is a set of three photos taken over consecutive days this week. The first shows us enjoying Tuesday 01 December above the clouds like the Gods on Mount Olympus.
Then this happened on Wednesday 02 December
And this was Thursday 03 December 2020
The temperature has dropped considerably and the snow is here to stay, at least until next May.
So what is the situation currently?
Following Président Macron’s recent address to the nation, we now know that Sainte Foy will be open for people to visit and stay here over Christmas and the New Year. But the lifts won’t be working until mid-January. This is life in a world with Covid!
There is also lots of conjecture and speculation about how this winter season will play out. Nobody knows, but we must plan anyway. Here at Time to Ski, we are busy adapting and preparing for whatever gets thrown our way. Elsewhere in the station, shops and restaurants are stocking their shelves and tweaking their displays, and the ski schools are making their final preparations to welcome you.
The snow cannons are blasting out clouds of artificial snow, which hardly seems necessary given all the natural snow we’re getting this week, and the ‘dameuses’, (piste bashers), are out preparing the pistes.
The artificial snow makes a valuable contribution to forming a solid and reliable base to the pistes, which in turn will help keep them in good condition late into the season. In these strange times, and with a delayed start to the lifts opening, late season skiing could be very popular this year.
What’s the word on the street?
In normal times we would be discussing this in the bars and cafés, but as we’re not allowed inside, debate really does take place on the street, and here is what we are hearing:
What will be open in Sainte Foy?
The bars and restaurants will be closed until 20 January 2021, except for takeaways. (MattyG Cooks is offering fabulous three course evening meals delivered to your door, and 1580m is offering takeaway beer and takeaway breakfast butties on your way up the hill to Le Monal).
The bakery and Utile supermarché will be open.
The ski shops are busy stocking their shelves and tweaking their displays, and planning to open as usual.
Will we be allowed onto the mountain?
This is the big question. The ‘domaine skiable’, (ski area), is owned by the Mairie and this permits them to ban access should they wish to do so. Outside this area, such as taking the paths up to Le Monal, you are free to roam and explore the many tracks and trails in and around the forest.
Anyone qualified and carrying a ‘carte professionnelle’ is currently allowed onto the mountain, and allowed to take up to five clients with them. Small groups are safer than venturing out alone, because if anything happens, there are people on site to help.
It is worth mentioning here, that the snow in December is not like the snow in March. It has not compacted yet. There can be unstable layers which can cause it to slide, and extra care must be taken if venturing out onto the exposed mountain. Hiring a guide would be sound advice.
Will the pisteurs carry out normal avalanche protection measures?
Yes. Time to Ski has spoken to the lift company and they advised us that safety management on the mountain has to be an ongoing process throughout the winter. They can’t let snow build up and creating potential avalanche dangers which could damage the lifts’ infrastructure, the forest, and some buildings.
However, anybody venturing onto the mountain must be vigilant and take extra care, as rescue practices won’t be operating normally. Remember, the lifts aren’t working.
Why not come and relax, and recharge your batteries, in Sainte Foy
Part of Sainte Foy’s charm is that it is nestled in the ‘forêt communale’, but shhh! It is known as the best kept secret in the French Alps! You might not be able to use the ski lifts, but there is still plenty to do . . . You can:
- enjoy the wide open spaces and fabulous mountain views.
- breathe clean fresh mountain air.
- go snow-shoeing
- go skinning (free-rando or ski touring)
- take the kids sledging
- have a snowball fight
- go hiking in the mountain forest
- relax on your balcony and enjoy the views (have we already mentioned the breath-taking views).
What happens next?
Everybody is waiting for the next government announcement on 11 December, when we will find out whether the lifts will be able to operate over Christmas and New Year, and whether restrictions will be relaxed or reinforced.
We don’t feel that the French government will back down on keeping the lifts closed until mid-January, especially with the Germans and Italians behind them on this, but we will have to wait and see. It won’t stop us enjoying a fabulous time over the festive season!
Whatever happens, this could be a very special one-off this Christmas and New Year in Sainte Foy.
Read other articles about Sainte Foy on the Time to Ski blog page
p.s. Due to the lifts not being open, Time to Ski still has some availability, and we have reduced our prices to reflect the unusual circumstances. You can see the current availability calendar here.
