There is a huge variety of ski passes available across different ski domains and the pass which might be best for you is not necessarily the ‘6 day’ standard. This is a very basic comparison of the most popular ski passes in the most popular resorts in the Tarentaise: Paradiski (Les Arcs & La Plagne), Val d’Isere/Tignes, Sainte Foy and La Rosiere. For more information, and options, check out the specific pages for each ski resort (links below).
| Ski Area | 1day adult | 1day child | 6day adult | 6day child | KM pistes | Over 2000m |
| Paradiski (Les Arcs & La Plagne) | 74 | 60 | 389 | 312 | 425 | 70% |
| Les Arcs | 68 | 55 | 348 | 279 | 200 | 70% |
| La Plagne | 68 | 55 | 348 | 279 | 225 | 70% |
| La Rosiere (San Bernardo pass) | 57 | 43/ 51.5* | 289 | 217/ 260* | 154 | |
| Tignes & Val d’Isere | 71 | 59 | 426 | 354 | 300 | 60% |
| Sainte Foy | 40 | 36 | 240 | 216 | 43 |
This is just a very basic table and, as mentioned, there are a variety of factors which affect (and complicate) even these basic ski pass prices…
Children
Ski resorts do not have a standard age range when it comes to classifying a person as a child. This means that visiting certain domains is more cost-effective depending upon the age of your child(ren). In Paradiski (both Les Arcs and La Plagne), and in La Rosiere, the reduced rate for children applies to kids between 5 & 12 years old. Under fives get a free pass. Sainte Foy considers children to be aged 8 to 14 years old (under 8s go free). Tignes & Val d’Isere are somewhat exceptional in that ‘child’ covers 8 to 18 year olds, meaning you only have to pay full price once you hit 19!
Whilst the Val d’Isere/Tignes child classification would seem to be cost effective for teenagers, the “reduced” price is more expensive than an adult price for Les Arcs, so you’re actually still spending more money. The real benefit with Val d’Isere & Tignes is when you have lots of kids aged 7 or under, as they are effectively getting a free ski pass… which goes a little way to ameliorating the increased adult price you will be paying (plus the general common expenses associated with staying in Tignes or Val d’Isere).
Similarly Ste Foy’s beneficial age shift can reduce overall cost, although Ste Foy is simply a cheaper option anyway.
Free days on a 6 day pass
Because a 6 day pass is essentially the industry standard (skiers generally stay for a week), some ski passes have “bonus time” on their 6 day passes, to entice you to ski the day you arrive (or leave). The full Paradiski 6-day pass gives you a free afternoon (half day) on the day before your ski pass starts (essentially allowing you to start your holiday early, but not finish late). The full Tignes / Val d’Isere pass gives you a full seventh day (you effectively cannot buy a 6 day pass, you can either get 5 days, or 6+1). It’s the same at Sainte Foy: you pay for six days, you get seven days. These offers are great if you have the time within your travelling schedule to use them (particularly useful if you are driving or getting an early (on arrival) or late (on departure) ski train). There are no freebies in terms of time at La Rosiere.
Value per KM of piste / altitude
Going from the figures alone, you get a lot of kilometres of piste per euro in Paradiski, whereas the lower price of Ste Foy gives you only a limited area in which to ski (although the proportion of off-piste available is significant!) Other than the size of the area, you might be considering altitude as a key factor in choosing a ski resort. However, on both these points, the numbers are not the “be all and end all.”
Paradiski is HUGE and, in a week, it’s pretty difficult (and only questionably worthwhile) to cover the whole domain. This can be exacerbated by where you choose to stay; the full Paradiski area is much more accessible from Peisey-Vallandry or Montchavin (which are close to the adjoining Vanoise Express gondola), than from Montalbert or Villaroger (at the far ends of La Plagne and Les Arcs respectively). The situation is similar in Tignes/Val d’Isere as, whilst it doesn’t have a one-gondola connection between the two main domains, it is quite linear, making getting from one end to the other quite an endeavour. Another thing to consider is snow, as heavy snowfall can make getting about less straightforward (due to trickier conditions and closed lifts). Also, heavy snow makes it more sensible to stay in one place to enjoy the fresh powder, rather than try exporing in sub-optimal conditions. For most people there is therefore a limit to how many kilometres of piste you actually NEED.
Another thing is off-piste. Sainte Foy may not have a lot of groomed pistes compared with the others, but it has a high proportion of adjacent, accessible (and often underused) off-piste. So if off-piste is your thing, the KM of groomed runs on any given ski area may mean next to nothing.
Lastly, altitude. It can be important, but sometimes it’s not. If it’s snowing everywhere, at all levels, then it can be more important to be in a place with enclosed lifts which are not exposed to high winds and a good proportion of tree runs. In late season, it can better to be on the lee-side of the mountain (away from the sun), than at a higher altitude. Finally, people have a tendancy to “get high” meaning these areas are often the busiest and that there is actually more fresh snow to ride lower down.
Other things to consider
The Sainte Foy online prices have traditionally been somewhat ‘dynamic’ meaning some days/weeks are cheaper than others. The prices displayed in the table above are the most expensive, but you’re really only ever likely to save a couple of euros per day on the standard dynamic prices.
Saturdays are often cheap, so if you just want to add on a day in your chosen resort, that can be a cost-effective way of doing so. Sometimes you have to book in advance (the day before) or specifically online (maybe with a code), but find out beforehand and you’ll be well equipped for some last-minute pow.
Also, it can be simply cheaper to book online and some ski resorts (mostly outside of the Tarentaise in my experience) can put up short-term deals at times.
As mentioned at the start, a 6 day pass might not be for you. It may be cheaper (and more flexible) to pay as you go (PAYG) or pick and choose which days (and even ski areas) you ride as you go along. There are even cross-resort single ski passes (like ski a la carte) which let you ride where you like at maximum convenience. It’s always best to check out all your options before you head out to the mountains.
XIST 