About Vars & Risoul, France
Two attractive, purpose built ski resorts sharing access to La Forêt Blanche ski area, which boats 185km of ski pistes and 7 snow parks.

185 km of ski area

2750 m Peak Altitude

Snow Sure

3:00 hrs from Airport

1800 m resort altitude


Vars, Varsea Chalets
EUR 505,000 - 675,000Type: Chalet
Just ten new chalets as part of the exciting new Varsea Residences development, located just a few steps from both the centre and slopes.
Spa & Wellness Facilities, Newbuild, Available to all Foreign Buyers
Vars, Varsea Apartments
EUR 108,000 - 460,000Type: Apartments
A brand new set of studio to three beds located just steps from the slopes in the up and coming resort of Vars.
Newbuild, Available to all Foreign BuyersExpert's Opinion
"Off the beaten track, La Forêt Blanche is something of a hidden gem in the French Alps and heading here for a holiday feels just a bit more like an adventure. Combining snow-sure, tree-lined skiing with deceptively charming villages, Vars & Risoul offer a great alternative to the likes of Flaine, Les Arcs & La Plagne to the north." - Rob Keddy
Located in the Hautes-Alpes department, and closer to Turin & Nice than Geneva, Vars & Risoul are located further south than most of the big name resorts in France and that may be the key to their appeal!
With an extensive ski area, attractive, affordable villages and beautiful scenery, these resorts would be as popular and well-known as the likes of Flaine, Les Arcs and La Plagne if they were closer to Geneva. But thanks to their location at the heart of the Southern Alps, these resorts are not beset with crowds or queues like their cousins further north, and they enjoy a more serene atmosphere.
The villages of Vars-Les-Claux & Risoul both sit at 1850m and have a mixture of bulky, old school apartment buildings and more appealing newer, chalet-style developments. As a result both villages look a little brutalistic when viewed from the slopes but in the villages there is more traditional feel. Bustling with shops, bars and restaurants, these villages have a friendly local atmosphere with plenty of activity.


With 185km of pistes and 7 popular snow parks, this is a substantial and well-linked ski region with plenty to do for beginner and intermediate skiers especially. In Risoul, especially, there is some nice off-piste terrain including some great tree-skiing.
Snowmaking is extensive across the La Forêt Blanche ski area, altitudes are good and most slopes face north above Risoul and East above Vars, so all in all the snow reliability is pretty great!
Queues and crowds are rare in these areas outside the French holiday weeks, and even then pale in comparison to resorts futher north. The slopes are characterised mainly by tree-lined descents and pleasant views, with some spectacular vistas from the Pic de Chabrières.


Sign Up for Latest Updates
Stay up to date with new properties available across the Alps.
You will receive the latest property updates as we receive them, usually about once a fortnight, and you can unsubscribe at any time. See our privacy policy for more details on how we protect your information.