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Vars/Risoul - La Forêt Blanche

Vars/Risoul - La Forêt Blanche1 / 17

Vars/Risoul - La Forêt Blanche ski resort is in Briançon, France. Elevation: 1650 - 2750 m. Rating: 3.8/5. Provence, Alps, Côte d'Azur.

Trail information

Altitude and trails
Vars/Risoul - La Forêt Blanche, France
★★★★★3.8out of 5
2,750 m
top
1,100 m
Vertical drop
1,650 m
base
Total slopes
185 km
Lifts
34
Vertical drop
1,100 m
Adult ski pass
€ 58 / day
Snowmaking
70 % of slopes
Opening hours
09:00 - 16:00
Trails by difficulty - 185 km total
Beginner43 runs18.8 km · 10 %
Easy88 runs56.2 km · 30 %
Intermediate42 runs90 km · 49 %
Difficult13 runs20 km · 11 %
Snowmaking: cover 70 % of the slopes.
Ski pass prices
Adults
€ 58
Children
€ 49
Data verified on 28 October 2026. Source: the resort's own website, vars.com.

La Forêt Blanche links two villages on opposite sides of a ridge - Vars in the Ubaye and Risoul above Guillestre, on the edge of the Queyras nature park. The name is earned: almost all the skiing threads through open larch forest, bare in winter and letting the sun through. Vars is known for something else - its Chabrières track is one of the steepest speed-skiing runs in the world, and world speed records have been set on it. The Southern Alps bring plenty of sun and little precipitation, so more than two thirds of the pistes are covered by snowmaking.

Maps

Vars/Risoul - La Forêt Blanche ski resort trail map

Lifts

Ski lifts in detail
34 lifts · Season 2026/27
  • 1Gondola lifts
  • 1Combined installations
  • 18Chairlifts
  • 12T-bars and platters
  • 2Magic carpets
Lifts in total
34
Capacity
52,490people/hour
Total lift length
39.8km
Newest lift: Homme de Pierre, 2024Longest lift: La Plate de la Nonne, 2,308 m
Data verified on 28 October 2026. Source: the resort's own website, vars.com.

Video

Contacts and opening hours

Resort contacts
Official website
Phone
+33 4 92 46 51 31
Coordinates
44.64835, 6.63680
Countries
Lift opening hours
Opening hours
09:00 - 16:00
Typical season
Mid-December - mid-April
Season
5 December 2026 - 4 April 2027

Average monthly snowfall at Vars/Risoul - La Forêt Blanche

Snowiest month:March- 82 cm
53Jan4 days
71Feb5 days
82Mar5 days
14Apr2 days
24Nov2 days
51Dec3 days

Snowfall per month - cm. Below each bar - how many days it snowed that month. Observation data for the last 3 completed seasons.

Accommodation

Hotels and apartments in the resort towns

Pick your dates and guests to see live prices.

Risoul 18500.2 kmVars les Claux0.2 kmVars Sainte Marie0.2 kmRisoul12 km
Prices are per night for a stay in high season. Last checked: 26 October 2026.

What visitors say about the resort

Visitors praise the snow and the setting: over eighty per cent of the pistes lie above two thousand metres, the cover holds all winter, and the runs thread through larch forest with the Écrins and the Queyras in view. Reviewers note that the area suits beginners and intermediates well and that the slopes are carefully groomed.

The lifts draw the criticism: fast ones are few, old drags and slow chairs many, and the key lift into the middle of the area builds queues at peak times. Some visitors find the resort expensive for what it offers, and locals criticise the dense building at the base.

An editorial summary of public reviews on specialist sites. This is not a visitor review: we retell what is written about the resort most often, both praise and criticism.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does a lift pass cost at the resort?
A day pass costs €58, and a child's pass costs €49.
Is the resort suitable for beginners?
Yes, the resort is suitable for beginners: 75 km of the 185 km of pistes are easy. More experienced skiers also have access to 90 km of intermediate and 20 km of advanced pistes.
What are the lift operating hours?
The lifts operate from 09:00 to 16:00. The resort has 34 lifts, including Télépulsé, Chabrières, Pré du Bois, Homme de Pierre, La Mayt and Vars Speed Master.

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