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 completely immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere of a classic Alpine village. Saint-Martin-de-Belleville is located in Savoy in the Belleville Valley and, despite its close proximity to such super-popular ski resorts as Méribel and Courchevel, has managed to preserve a traditional, measured way of life. Its majestic mountain landscapes combined with medieval houses create a calming 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.

Trails, slopes, lifts

The altitude difference in the Saint-Martin-de-Belleville area is from 1450 to 3200 m. The resort offers guests 160 km of ski slopes, most of which belong to the easy “blue” and medium “red” categories. However, there are also six difficult “black” slopes.

For those who want to improve their skiing skills, there is a ski school and 12 training slopes, including special slopes for children. The excellent quality of the snow cover is provided by more than 400 snow cannons. I would also like to note the off-piste skiing in the vicinity of Saint-Martin: for beginners, it is just that – very calm, gentle hills without stones.

One of the easy slopes goes down directly to the village, and from here you can take the lift to the nearby slopes, convenient for beginners and experienced skiers.

Great skiing opportunities await athletes near Le Menuira, which can be reached by skis or by free bus. It is here that the slopes for professionals and the highest points of the valley with dizzying descents are located. For example, Sime-de-Caron (3195 m), where three “black” slopes begin.

A network of 31 lifts connects the villages of the Belleville Valley with each other, and you can also reach the other two valleys of the ski region: Les Alous and Saint-Bon.

A chairlift, which is connected to the gondola departing from St Martin, will allow you to explore the Three Valleys in detail. You can get home (to the village) on beautiful blue runs, which are snow-protected all season long. This is the Three Valleys, but the area around St Martin is more suitable for experienced skiers. The descent from the top here can be a challenge, as the main route back home can be crowded and icy. But the bus from nearby Les Menuires can be a great alternative.

Where to stay

In St Martin de Belleville you will find accommodation for every taste and budget. You can choose from apartments, chalets and cozy three-star hotels. The St Martin hotel deserves special attention. Its attention to detail and convenient location on the slope will not leave you indifferent. There you will find a wellness complex 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 further away from the lift.

Les Chalets Du Gypse 4 star hotel

Les Chalets Du Gypse is located 300 metres from the centre of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, in a beautiful stone and wood building.

The comfortable apartments at Les Chalets du Gypse are decorated in soft colours and feature natural wood furniture. They feature a fully equipped kitchen, satellite TV and internet access. Towels and bed linen are provided. Beds are made up 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 centre with a sauna, hot tub, Turkish bath and a heated indoor pool.

In addition, Les Chalets du Gypse offers luggage storage

Hôtel Saint-Martin 4-star hotel

Located in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, 26 km from Moutiers, Hôtel Saint-Martin offers 2 restaurants. Free WiFi is available.

The air-conditioned rooms feature a seating area and a minibar. The private bathroom is fitted with a bath or shower. You can enjoy mountain views from the rooms.

At Hôtel Saint-Martin you will find a communal sauna, a dining room with a fireplace, a 24-hour front desk and a bar. Guests can also make use of the meeting facilities, a luggage storage room and a ski storage room.

An array of activities can be enjoyed on site or in the surroundings, including skiing and hiking.

The hotel is 500 metres from Bettex Ski Lift and 53 km from Albertville.

Apartment Chalets gypse c03

Chalets gypse c03 is located in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, 1.1 km from Saint-Martin 1 Ski Lift and 2.9 km from Saint-Martin 2 Ski Lift. It offers air-conditioned accommodation with a private balcony.

The apartment will provide you with a TV. The apartment features free WiFi, a kitchen and 1 bathroom.

Le Bette Ski Lift is 6 km from the apartment, while Telepreyran Gondola is 8 km away. Meyet Airport is 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 not only ski, but also sled, snowshoe, snowboard, freeride and mountaineering. There are 28 km of cross-country ski trails in the valley, and near Val Thorens there are slalom trails.

St Martin is a relatively quiet resort with a touch of charm, and not a place with an active nightlife. For a small village, there is quite a wide variety of food. The restaurant created by the Fermes family is authentic gourmet cuisine, in its best traditions.

As is usually the case in France, the cuisine of local restaurants in the mountains is amazing, but pay attention to the prices.

Do not spare time to visit the local museum. There you can learn how difficult rural life was in these places, until recently. The development of the ski complex marked the end of a difficult period. It is noteworthy that the water supply in St Martin appeared even later than the first ski lift.

In the summer, when the ski season ends, life in the village does not stop. Visitors to Saint-Martin-de-Belleville go hiking, paragliding and mountain biking. For curious tourists, there is a historical museum that tells the story of the lives of simple Savoyard farmers.

Getting there

The closest 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.

In Moutiers (30 km from Saint-Martin-de-Belleville) there is a train station, where trains arrive from many French and some European cities (London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp, etc.). From Moutiers to the Belleville Valley you can get by taxi, bus or rented car.