Saint-Martin-de-Belleville in France is a small alpine town and ski resort in the Three Valleys region, where you can forget about the hustle and bustle of modern metropolises and fully immerse yourself in the calm atmosphere of a classic alpine village. Saint-Martin-de-Belleville is located in Savoie in the Belleville Valley and, despite its close proximity to such super-popular ski resorts as Meribel and Courchevel , has managed to maintain a traditional, measured way of life. Its majestic mountain landscapes combined with medieval houses create a soothing atmosphere, and the ski slopes delight both beginners and experienced skiers. At the same time, accommodation here is much cheaper than in fashionable neighboring resorts.
Tracks, slopes, lifts
The height difference in the Saint-Martin-de-Belleville area is from 1,450 to 3,200 m. The resort offers guests 160 km of ski trails, most of which belong to the light “blue” and medium “red” categories. However, there are also six difficult “black” tracks.
For those who want to improve their skiing skills, there is a ski school and 12 educational trails, including special slopes for children. More than 400 snow cannons ensure the excellent quality of the snow cover. I would also like to mention the off-piste skiing in the vicinity of St. Maarten : for beginners it is just that – very calm, gentle hills without stones.
One of the easy tracks descends directly into the village, and the ski lift from here allows you to reach the nearby slopes, suitable for beginners and experienced skiers.
Great opportunities for skiing await athletes near Les Menuires , which can be reached by ski or the free bus. It is here that there are tracks for professionals and the highest points of the valley with dizzying descents. For example, Sim de Caron (3195 m), where three “black” tracks start.
A network of 31 ski lifts connects the villages of the Belleville valley, and it can also be used to reach the other two valleys of the ski region: Les Allues and Saint-Bonne.
The chairlift, which is connected to the gondola departing from St Martin, will allow you to explore the Three Valleys area in detail. You will be able to get home (to the village) on beautiful blue tracks, which are monitored for snow throughout the season. We are talking about skiing in the Three Valleys, but the area near St Martin is more suitable for experienced skiers. Descent from the top point here can be a difficult task, as the main way back home can be crowded and icy. But a bus from nearby Les Menuires can be a great alternative.
Where to stay
In St Martin de Belleville there is accommodation for every taste and budget. There are apartments, chalets and cozy three-star hotels to choose from. Hotel St Martin deserves special attention. Its attention to detail and convenient location on the slope will not leave you indifferent. There you will find a health center and a good selection of restaurants.
Here is a nice chalet just above the lift with a good view of the La Joubarbe valley.
More budget options are located at a distance from the lift.
Les Chalets Du Gypse 4 star hotel
The Les Chalets Du Gypse apartment complex is located 300 meters from the center of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, in a beautiful stone and wood building.
The comfortable apartments at Les Chalets du Gypse are decorated in soft colors and furnished with natural wood. Amenities include a fully equipped kitchen, satellite TV and Internet access. Guests are provided with towels and bed linen. Beds are made before arrival.
The complex has a lounge with an open fireplace and sofas where you can relax after an active day. There is also a spa center with a sauna, a hot tub, a Turkish bath and a heated indoor pool.
In addition, the Les Chalets du Gypse apartment complex has a luggage storage room
Hôtel Saint-Martin 4-star hotel
Hotel Saint-Martin with 2 restaurants is located in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville , 26 km from Moutiers. Guests are provided with free Wi-Fi.
Rooms with a living area have air conditioning and a minibar. A private bathroom with a bathtub or shower is also among the amenities. The windows offer a view of the mountains.
Hotel Saint-Martin offers a communal sauna, a dining room with a fireplace, a 24-hour reception and a bar. In addition, guests can use meeting rooms, a storage room and a ski storage room.
On the territory and in the surrounding area, you can spend your leisure time in a variety of ways, including skiing and hiking.
The hotel is located 500 meters from the Bettex ski lift and 53 km from the city of Albertville.
Apartment Chalets gypse c03
Situated in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, 1.1 km from Saint-Martin Ski Lift 1 and 2.9 km from Saint-Martin Ski Lift 2, Chalets gypse c03 features air conditioning and a private balcony.
The apartments are equipped with a TV. Apartment amenities include free Wi-Fi, a kitchen and 1 bathroom.
The Le Bette ski lift is 6 km from the apartments, and the Telepreyran gondola lift is 8 km away. The nearest airport is Mayet Airport, 97 km from Chalets gypse c03.
Entertainment and active recreation
The choice of winter entertainment in the French Saint-Martin-de-Belleville is quite wide. Here you can go not only skiing, but also sledding, snowshoeing, snowboarding, freeriding and mountaineering. There are 28 km of cross-country skiing trails in the valley, and slalom trails near Val Thorens .
St Martin is a relatively quiet resort with a touch of charm, rather than a place with an active nightlife. For a small village, there is quite a wide variety of food here. The restaurant was created by the Fermes family – authentic gourmet cuisine in its best traditions.
As usual in France, the cuisine of the local restaurants in the mountains is amazing, but pay attention to the prices.
Don’t spare time to visit a local museum. There you will be able to find out how difficult village life was in these places until recently. The development of the ski complex was the end of a difficult period. It is noteworthy that the water pipe in St. Martin appeared even later than the first lift.
In the summer, when the ski season ends, life in the village does not slow down. Guests of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville go hiking, paragliding and mountain biking. A historical museum has been opened for inquisitive tourists, which tells about the life of simple Savoy farmers.
How to get there
The nearest airports to Saint-Martin-de-Belleville in France are Chambéry (100 km) and Grenoble (125 km), in Switzerland – Geneva Airport (140 km). You can get from these cities to the Belleville Valley by bus or taxi.
There is a railway station in Moutiers (30 km from Saint-Martin-de-Belleville) where trains arrive from many French and some European cities (London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp, etc.). From Moutiers to the Belleville Valley, you can take a taxi, bus or rental car.