Sainte Foy ski resort has been designed to
recreate a typical alpine village. The chalets
that nestle amongst the trees in their
southwest-facing bowl have all been built in
traditional style, with pitched roofs and
wooden balconies, using local stone and wood.
A refreshing change from the concrete jungles
found in some of the larger alpine resorts.
Accommodation is available at the ski resort
itself, in the main village, and in many of
the surrounding small farming hamlets.
Few communes the size of Sainte Foy
extend over such a vast area, or such a large difference in altitude. The
commune covers over 11,000 hectares and spans a height difference of 2856m,
from its lowest point at Viclaire at 890m to the summit of the Grande Sassière
at 3746m.
It is bounded to the South by the river
Isère (apart from a small area on the other side of the river), and to the
north for 20 or so kilometers by the Italian border. This can be easily
crossed by the two mountain passes, the Col du Mont and the Col du Rocher
Blanc. To the east and west it is bounded by the "nants" (mountain streams) of
Moulins and La Balme (or Nant Cruet).
Amongst the 100 or so hamlets that make
up the commune is to be found Le Miroir (the mirror), a protected site. The
origin of the name is debatable: some say it is a derivative of mourir (to
die) reflecting the terrible epidemics and plagues that ravaged Europe in the
Middle Ages. However, it is nicer to think that the beauty of this village,
whose windows reflect the midday sun, earned it its pretty name. Le Miroir is
renowned for it's colonnaded chalets, an attractive architectural feature with
practical origins, the use of such columns originated in the Italian Aosta
valley. They support the roof overhang, which provides a covered area allowing
dry air to circulate in the hay loft or wood store, and allowing the
building's occupants to circulate from one floor to another sheltered from
inclement weather.
Such chalets can also be seen in La Mazure, Montalbert, Le Baptieu, La Thuile,
and Bonconseil (now Sainte Foy ski resort).
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Page revised:
May 07, 2007
