Ski in Vars

Skiing in Vars

Vars - Ski Resort in La Forêt Blanche, French Alps (1650m to 2750m)

Vars has been a predominantly domestic destination resort until recently, it shares the largest ski area in the Southern French Alps with neighbouring Risoul, and has the more interesting part. The main Vars station is made up of a mixture of concrete blocks and traditional chalet designs. There are many good restaurants and the nightlife can be very lively, especially at weekends.

Vars

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Vars Ski Facts

Vars Ski Facts

		Intermediate Skiers
		Beginners
		Snowboarding
		Snow
		Apres-Ski
	7	Black Pistes
	23	Red Pistes
	24	Blue Pistes
	9	Green Pistes
25km		Cross Country Pistes
33		Ski Lifts
1100m		Max Vertical
2750m		Highest Lift
1850m		Resort Altitude
1650m		Lowest Piste

Vars

The French ski resort of Vars is part of the La Forêt Blanche ski area with access to 108 individual pistes. In addition to the skiing in Vars itself 136pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other La Forêt Blanche ski resort of Risoul.

The ski resort itself is above 1500m, so skiing or boarding back to the resort is usually possible. With pistes above 2500 metres, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.

Snowmaking :- Vars is able to augment natural snow, on 14km of ski runs, with 9 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 33 Ski Lifts of Vars are able to uplift 51,000 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

There is an airport within two hours drive, so ski weekends, snowboard breaks and short ski holidays to Vars are perfectly feasible.

Skiing in Vars

This giant ski area has a good selection of runs for all ability levels. In Vars itself beginners have wide sunny nursery slopes at the edge of the village with dedicated beginner lifts. There's then the opportunity to progress further up the mountain returning on long easy greens and blues.

Intermediates will get the most pleasure from the Foret Blanche however, with long, fast 'motorway' pistes joining Risoul and Vars, some reaching a knee shattering eight kilometres (five miles) in length. There are rather more runs on the Vars side including some excellent swooping reds down to the villages.

Vars does have the tougher runs in the area, including a notorious mogul run down to the resort. There are about a dozen trails graded black in total, the thoughest is generally agreed to be Cuni. Freeriders will enjoy the powder bowls at the top of the ski area after a fresh fall.

The resort has a speed skiing course, open every day of the season, allowing users to reach up to 160 kilometres per hour (100 mph). Accessed via the Crévoux chair, the course has been designed by speed skiing professionals.

The resort also has a permanent parallel slalom course which is used for 'boarder cross races and offers regular shows and demonstrations from freestylers and 'boarders.

Snowboarding in Vars

There is an excellent snowboard park in the Foret Blanche beneath the De Cezier chair. This 'Surfland' has many attractions including some interesting kickers, rails and several quarter pipes. Pipe lovers will find two natural half pipes and a full size machine made pipe.

In the evenings, there are regular night-time snowboard jump competitions.

Vars Aprés Ski

Vars les Claux is a very French compact resort, comprising two small shopping parades, each with its own selection of shops, bars, restaurants, night club, skating and games hall. Bars are mostly hotel based but can get lively by French standards, especially at weekends when the crowds arrive from Provence.

There are more than 20 bars to choose from. For occasional live music in try the piano bar Le Gruate in the Hotel Les Escondus. Nightclubs open to the early hours include Le Lem, Le Lynx and Le Look.

Vars Snow Reports by e-mail

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Vars in brief

Vars Ski Resort is:
Ok for Expert Skiers.
Ok for Intermediate Skiers.
Good for Beginners.
Good for Snowboarding.
Opened : December 22, 2012
Closed : April 15, 2013
Opening Subject To Snow Conditions.

Vars Snow Forecast

Map of Vars